Slowly, he nodded. “Sure. I’m sorry. I guess we’ll just talk work, then?”
“Yes, please.” Watching where I stepped, I slowly crossed what used to be a large and open space. “Oh, I can already see how beautiful this is going to be. You said that you’ve got some questions.”
“I sure do.” He held up his clipboard. “You ready for the tour?”
My phone buzzed, and I looked down to see a short and simple text from Jack. Will be out of town for the next couple of days. Will call when I get back.
Great. It was already starting. The terse communication.
Tucking my phone away, I looked up at Derek. A tour of my new project? “Nothing would make me happier.”
5 Jack
I had a strange sense of deja-vu as I stared at my phone and willed a response from Blythe. Why did it feel like our relationship was going in one big circle instead of a straight line to the church altar and a honeymoon and our happily ever after?
It was proving difficult to read her mind. She wasn’t telling me when she was angry, and over the phone, I couldn’t read her expressions. Now, I wasn’t even in the same city, and it would only get worse because I was scheduled for weeks of out-of-town trips coming up. I’d always expected to compromise with her. When she could, she’d take some trips with me and work from the hotel room. When I could, I’d travel back to her and work through conference calls. I was willing to steal whatever time I could with her, but now I couldn’t even do that, and we were both feeling the strain.
“Really interesting email that you’re reading there?” David asked in an annoyed voice. We were in the back of our service car as we rode to Orlando. Files were spread out over our laps, and I knew that he was pissed that I was even thinking of a public relations agent to help me survive the latest scandals.
“Why are you angry? This has worked out perfectly. We can meet with the coral committee on their turf, which shows my commitment to their cause, then meet with the public relations agent without him walking through my doors, which are still being carefully watched by the press.”
“I have always handled your relationship with the press,” he muttered.
“And you did an excellent job, but that was two dead bodies, a sex scandal, and a public breakup ago. I need someone with more experience, and you already have a full plate.” I tapped my finger on his files. “David, you’ve done a great job picking up the slack for me. I’m not hiring someone else because I think that you’re doing a terrible job. I’m hiring someone else because I want you to focus on other, even more important things.”
Growling under his breath a little, David flipped open the folder to Clarke’s profile. “Did you have to find someone so…plastic looking?”
So, David’s issues with Clarke wasn’t that he had the job David wanted to do but that Clarke had a Ken-doll face and a brilliant smile for the camera. I had to admit that he wasn’t wrong. The man’s perfect features made me uncomfortable, too, but he was the best, and I needed the best.
“If you keep staring at his face like that, I’m going to start thinking that you have a crush on the man,” I said dryly as I reached over and closed the file. “Besides, we’re here.”
It was early, and he’d suggested meeting at his office, but I didn’t want anyone seeing me go through the doors of a well-known fixer, so I’d opted instead for a tucked away breakfast place with a private meeting room.
The parking lot was nearly empty when we got out of the car. The restaurant was a small building covered in vines and surrounded by palm trees. It obviously relied on charm rather than a stellar location, but it was quiet, and that was all I needed. Inside, the restaurant only held a sprinkling of people, all men with their heads tucked down and their phones in their hands. Everyone was minding their own business.
The hostess showed us to the small private room at the end of the brightly lit restaurant. Rising from the table, Clarke Mason was easily recognizable from his photos. His golden blond hair was perfectly coiffed, and he had an open, warm face with a cleft chin. With warm brown eyes and a dazzling smile, I could tell why David hated him so much. He almost did look like he was made of plastic.
Dressed impeccably in a blue suit with a crisp white shirt and matching tie, he carried himself with an air of confidence and power. It was easy to see why he was so successful. He could easily make and break men, and I needed a third-party individual, someone with a loud portfolio and public presence just like him. I didn’t want people to know that I was working with him, but I wanted someone out in the open, so I could trust that they didn’t work people in the shadows.
“Congressman Drayson. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he greeted while he flashed his pearly white teeth.
“Mr. Mason.” I shook his hand. “This is my chief-of-staff, David King.” While Clarke was open and relaxed, my friend was tensed and closed-off. Even if he hadn’t voiced his dislike for working this way, I would have been able to tell from his body language, and I was sure that Clarke could as well. I shot David a warning look to tell him to take the hostility down a notch.
“Please, call me Clarke. It helps to make things more comfortable. I find in my line of work that a comfortable atmosphere makes these situations easier to discuss. I’ve already ordered coffee. If you’re hungry, the pancakes here are amazing.”
It was easy to see why Clarke was so popular. Already, I felt at ease with him. Pulling out a chair, I sat down. The sun was streaming through the big open windows, shining on the fake plants that separated us from the rest of the restaurant. During any other time, I probably would have enjoyed eating breakfast here.
“I don’t think we have time for breakfast, but I’ll never turn down coffee. I practically mainstream it. I think it will be best if we just get down to business. I assume you’re aware of the murder investigation?”
“The most popular congressman suspected of murder? Hard to miss,” Clarke said with a humorous gleam in his eyes. “I can actually tell you that this is a good thing. Unlike most situations I’m involved in, your scandal was very public, and you handled it well. You were open and honest about it from the very beginning. Unless, of course, you actually killed her. In that case, we’ll have to go a different route.”
David stiffened visibly next to me. “That’s not funny,” he hissed.
“Relax. It’s just a joke.” Clarke chuckled. “You’re off the suspect list, which is a good thing. Ideally, from here, you’re going to want to do a few things to make those last doubters laugh at themselves and admit that they were wrong about you. Now, the investigation is still ongoing, correct?”
I nodded. “It is. In fact, I met with them yesterday because the case has gone federal, and the FBI is taking over.”
Picking up his coffee cup, David sipped it and cocked his head thoughtfully. “FBI, huh? That doesn’t really change anything, and I don’t think it’s a reason for concern. I’m hoping that you met with them because they wanted information and not because you were going back on the suspect list. Yes?”
“Yes, which brings us to our next concern.” I glanced at David. I’d promised myself that I would be as honest as possible with the PR agent. I wasn’t going to come out and say that I was thinking of joining a group of powerful people who worked politicians like puppets, but Sherry’s past was going to come out. I needed someone who knew what the response would be and how to handle it. “Sherry Carin is leaving a dubious trail of blackmail. Is that something that I should be worried about?”
Leaning over, he perched his elbows on the table. “Depends. Can you give me more details?”
“No,” David said quickly. I shot a look at him, but he shook his head. “We don’t want to do anything that would interfere with the detectives’ investigation.”
Clarke didn’t seem bothered by it as he shrugged. “Sure. Sure. That won’t be a problem. You’re not covering up. You’re working under a gag rule from the police. Actually, my biggest concern is this ex-girlfriend of you
rs.”
“Sherry is my ex-girlfriend.”
“I was talking about a more recent ex-girlfriend.” Opening his tablet, he turned it on and pushed it toward me. A newspaper article was already opened on it. “One Ms. Blythe Hemsey. If you hire me, this is going to be our biggest problem.”
“Blythe is not a problem,” I growled without thinking before I forced myself to relax. I was supposed to be pretending that she was my past, and I couldn’t be protecting her like that. I’d hoped that Clarke would say that Blythe wasn’t an issue. After all, a girlfriend wasn’t a wife. A breakup shouldn’t be that big of a deal, and I told him so.
“Normally, I would agree with you, but your relationship with Blythe has been an interest to the public. First, there’s the big heroic display that you put on when her sexual scandal went public. From there, we have piling evidence of blog posts and news articles all painting the two of you as the most romantic couple of the modern era. The powerful politician and the tender-hearted and humble girlfriend. I’m sure that someone is already writing the screenplay. This isn’t going to blow over. People are going to want to know why.”
“I don’t want to talk about Blythe,” I said coldly. “And if you can’t come up with a way to help me without plastering her face all over television, then we have nothing more to talk about.” The whole point of hiring someone like Clarke was to save my career and make sure that Blythe wasn’t in the headlines.
His eyebrows went up, and he was quiet for a few seconds while he studied me. His face was unreadable. “Bad breakup, I see.”
“Not bad,” I said as I forced myself to soften. A man like Clarke would be able to read body language. “I just don’t want it to be long and drawn out. Blythe and I came together under some intense moments, and we felt trapped after I’d publicly mentioned that we were together. If she left me while I was a suspect, it would look like she thought I was guilty. Now, there’s nothing holding us together anymore. I just want to move on.”
“I see. Congressman, where do you see yourself heading? We’re not talking about the scandal or Blythe. We’re talking about the end goal.”
I answered without hesitation. I’d always known where I wanted to be. “Washington, DC.”
A slow smile crossed his face. “Good. Now, let me tell you what I can do for you. This murder investigation and relationship with the charity woman can easily be a thing of the past if we emphasize your future. You want to run for Senate? You start doing that right now. The people like you. They’re going to be behind you, but you have to give them something to focus on. Let them focus on the future.”
It was like the man could read my thoughts. Extending my hand, I offered it to him. “I think you and I are going to do great things together.”
David grumbled next to me, but Clarke was all smiles as he shook my hand. I didn’t have a good feeling about hiring a PR agent, but I needed help with keeping the media heat off Blythe, and I hoped that he was the man to do it.
After we were back inside the car, I braced myself for David’s opinion. “You might as well get it all out,” I told him. “Because once I start working with him, I’m going to need your help.”
“There’s just something about him I don’t trust,” he admitted as he pulled out his tablet and handed it to me. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t think he hasn’t brought up some valid points. The public does like Blythe, and they might turn against you if they think you’ve hurt her.”
“I haven’t—”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” David said quietly. “Seriously. I know how you feel about her. So, why didn’t you tell Clarke that?”
“I’m just trying to protect her,” I muttered as I stared out the window.
“Or maybe there’s something you aren’t telling me. Whatever it is, I hope you figure it out fast because if your office doesn’t look united, the public is going to tear you apart.”
I hated that he was right.
6 Blythe
Second Chance Habitats was a housing center for low-income families facing eviction, foreclosure, and bankruptcy. It gave them a safe place to live for two years while they got back on their feet and could get a place on their own. It started out small with just two houses, but lately, they’d been building a new house every couple of months. When I was in college, I started volunteering every year, and that hadn’t changed. Except now, I made sure to bring a few kids along with me.
Some of the older crowd looked forward to helping out. It made me proud to see the volunteer list get longer and longer each year. This year, we were renting out a bus to take everyone. Second Chance was expecting us and made sure that each kid would have a safe job fit for their age and skill level. I was hoping that for Gus, the high-school senior who volunteered even during the months that we didn’t, would find a job with them when he graduated.
They all piled into the bus, kids from ages five to eighteen. I had two volunteers with me, plus Rachel and Carl, who insisted on coming along even though I couldn’t imagine anyone trying to touch me while I was surrounded by people. An hour in, the kids were singing some rap song that I was pretty sure wasn’t appropriate for some of the younger kids, but they were bleeping out the worst of the words, so I let it go.
“Ms. B, I thought the suit was coming along,” Chris, one of the older kids shouted out. The suit was their affectionate name for Jack. In his spare time, which he didn’t have much of, he’d spend some time on the basketball courts with the kids. It was just one reason I loved him so much. He didn’t do it for the publicity. He didn’t do it for me. He did it because he enjoyed the game, and he liked hanging out with the kids.
“She left that man’s cheating ass behind,” another chimed in.
I winced. “Language,” I snapped. “There won’t be any cursing on the bus or at the habitat site. Do we understand?”
“Yes, Ms. B,” they all chanted.
“Good. For the record, Jack didn’t cheat on me, and my personal business is my own. He’s not with us today because he had to go out of town for a meeting.”
“Because he’s an important suit?”
“Yes,” I said with a small sigh. “He’s an important suit.”
Two hours in, we’d arrived, and the adults were more than ready to get off the bus.
“You guys are wonderful,” I murmured in their ears as they trailed off the bus. They all gave me weak smiles, even Carl, who looked like he’d nearly reached the end of his rope, but the sun was shining, and the air was warm, and the kids’ enthusiasm at seeing the hard hats and tool belts was contagious.
Sherman, the site coordinator, greeted us with big smiles and hats for everyone. Each kid was assigned a worker to help them, and Rachel and I joined in on the fray. Even Carl picked up a toolbox to help out.
The hammering and sawing and sanding and laughing was enough to soothe me and bring me a little peace. Looking out at the kids helping out and having a good time gave me a sense of relief for a fear that I hadn’t even known that I was harboring.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Rachel asked as she joined me in the doorway where I was idly sanding the edges.
“I guess I was wondering if we were making a difference,” I admitted softly. Turning, I looked at Gus and Little John who were working on putting up a wall. Gus handled his hammer like a pro, and Little John had a small hammer that he was using on the nails that Gus had already started for him. “But looking at the kids now who are enjoying themselves and knowing that they’re doing good. It makes me feel better.”
Rachel put her arm around my shoulders. “You can’t change the world, Blythe, but you can make a difference in this group of people’s lives. Only you can determine what success looks like for you.”
Scoffing, I turned back to her. “Are you listening to those self-help tapes again?”
“Maybe.” Narrowing her eyes, she looked over her shoulder at the big man welding a hammer. “Why didn’t you tell me that Carl was hanging out
with us again? And since we’re on that subject, why is Carl hanging out with us again?”
Knowing that she’d been sneaking looks at him all morning, I couldn’t help but tease her a little. “Obviously he’s crazy about you and can’t stand to be away from you. Why don’t you go help him out? He looks pretty good with a tool belt around his waist and a hard hat on.”
Rachel moaned just a little. “He does, doesn’t he? Wait, stop that. You’re distracting me!”
“I am. Carl approached me yesterday. He’s not working for Jack anymore, and he’s afraid that I might still be a target, so he wants to keep an eye on me a little while longer.” I wrinkled my nose. “I can’t seem to talk him out of it.”
“I’m not complaining.” She sighed dreamily before she blinked her eyes and straightened. “Wait, really? You’re still in danger?”
“No,” I said firmly, more for my benefit than hers. After all, what was the point of putting my relationship in danger again if all of this was for nothing? “But he won’t go away, so enjoy him while he’s here.”
She snuck another look at him, and I could tell that my friend was already pretty far into her crush. If I could push them together, maybe I could get that crush turned into something else. From what I could tell, Carl was a great guy. A little stubborn, but great, and Rachel deserved that.
“Ladies,” Sherman interrupted as he jokingly scowled at Rachel. “You’re supposed to be working and not ogling the fine men on the job.”
“But they’re just so fine,’ Rachel muttered before snapping back to attention.
Laughing, I turned her away from Carl and back to the job at hand. “Our apologies, Sherman. No ogling here. We’ll get back to work.”
“Actually, I just wanted to let you know that we’re getting ready to haul up the roof beams.”
My eyes lit up with delight. “Oh, the kids are going to love that! Do you mind if Gus and some of other older ones help?”
His Climb to Power Page 4
