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“Look, is it possible for you to let go of your…ageism,” she teased, “long enough to just have some fun? I’m not looking for marriage here or kids or even a relationship. I like you, Tag. I haven’t liked anyone as much as I like you in…a really long time.”
And that was the heart of the problem: Tag was looking, he wanted all of those things. They were at very different points in their lives. He needed to look if he was going to get married and have a family. Did he have the time to waste on dating when he knew it couldn’t go anywhere? And even if they did head in that direction, Ally was too young to make a decision about the rest of her life. He certainly couldn’t have made that kind of commitment at twenty-two, or at any time in his twenties, if he was honest. And by the time she was ready, he would be way older than he wanted to be when he started a family.
Not that he even had time to think about that now, with the election bearing down on him. Although, she’d just said that she wasn’t interested in a serious relationship. It was the only reason, he told himself, he would even consider dating her; they couldn’t get serious.
That’s when it occurred to him: their age difference could be the very thing that allowed him to date her. It would be a buffer of sorts, the justification for keeping the relationship casual.
He’d need to be straight with her about this campaign business before he even considered going out with her. Was he considering it?
“Maybe. But first, there’s something I need to tell you.”
* * *
ALLY LISTENED TO Tag outline the Senator Project. Concern for Rankins, the community and the surrounding environment welled within her.
“Almost every person in my family and most of my friends rely on the pristine beauty of this valley for their livelihoods,” explained Tag.
His reasons made sense, and she respected his commitment, but as he went on, an unsettled feeling crept over her. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what was bothering her. She was glad that he seemed more amenable to the idea of their spending time together, but what had made him change his mind so quickly?
“I want to make sure you understand that, if we start…dating, I won’t be as available as I’d like. The campaign will be demanding. I’m going to have to travel and spend a lot of time in Juneau.” He shrugged. “It could get crazy.”
“I see. But why you?”
“What do you mean?”
“This all started with your cousin Bering, right? Why doesn’t he run? Or your dad or one of your sisters?”
“They all have businesses to manage.”
“So do you.”
A flash of what looked a lot like uncertainty passed across his face and Ally’s heart went out to him. She’d wanted to shake that ironclad confidence of his at the basketball game, but running for office was different, serious and more significant. He would need every bit of self-assurance he could muster.
“They all have families, except the triplets. Any of them could do it, but it makes the most sense for me to do it. I’m the one with the most time and the least to lose.”
“Hmm.” The most time? From what she’d seen and heard, that worked a lot more to their advantage than his. Helping people seemed to be his thing, but who, she wondered, helped him?
“You have to promise me that if we do start dating, we’ll keep it casual, like you said. See other people, I mean, you can see other people and…you should.”
She laughed. “I’m not interested in seeing anyone else. But just so you know, I am going to see Gareth again. I told him I’d help him with his outside shooting. That’s what he was doing here.”
“Oh. That’s nice of you.”
“So, we’re really going to try this?” Ally glanced up at the wall. Tag followed her gaze up to the fish clock he suspected Kenny had left there. “You and me? And you’re fine with people knowing?”
“Yep.”
Leaning forward, she brushed her lips against his, liking the way his eyelids fluttered closed, like he was all-in. “Good, because your sister is going to be here any minute.”
“Iris?”
“No, Hannah. We’re having dinner.” Hannah had approached Ally on Saturday when she and Flynn were leaving the party and asked if they could have that discussion about her leg Ally had offered before. But she wasn’t going to tell Tag that part. Best to tackle one issue at a time.
