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“The women in here may help repair your reputation.” Marty pointed to the binders he’d put together of potential wife candidates. “This one, though, will win the hearts of voters.” He nodded toward the newspaper on the table. “I don’t understand the problem. She’s beautiful and well-educated.”
Marty had him there. Addison was attractive and, from all he could tell, intelligent. Even with that knowledge, a corner of his conscience prickled at the idea.
Across the table Marty popped a pickle in his mouth and chewed as he waited. “If it helps, look at it this way. Her involvement with you will put her business on the fast track. The whole thing will still more or less be a business agreement.”
Trent nodded. Marty had a point. If he and Addison became romantically involved it would do more for her business than an ad during the Super Bowl.
“If you’re going to make it in politics you need to learn to do what’s right for your career, everything else comes second. Trust me, I’ve been around long enough to know that few politicians make it with their conscience intact.” Marty pushed the paper closer to him. “So what’s it going to be?”
Addison’s face beamed up at him. “We’ll try it your way, but if it’s not working we will fall back to our original plan.” Sure, they’d had an enjoyable conversation over coffee, but he was not prepared to wager the rest of his life on that. He picked up his untouched sandwich. “I’m assuming you made sure she’s not involved with anyone.”
The look Marty gave him said it all. “Unless she’s got a secret lover tucked in her closet, she’s single and has been for over a year.”
“Okay, I’ll let you know how things go. But in the meantime, keep working on who leaked this picture.”
***
The phone on Addie’s desk rang again. In fact, her office phone hadn’t stopped ringing since yesterday. It seemed like suddenly everyone in the greater Providence area wanted their home or office redecorated. While she knew her reputation was growing, she knew that wasn’t the reason for her sudden popularity. When she’d first seen her picture in the paper she wanted to crawl under a rock. The idea that someone took her picture without her knowledge and then sold it outraged her, made her feel violated. Yet since that picture surfaced, her phone hadn’t stopped ringing. Her calendar was now booked solid with potential clients.
“Knock, knock.” Her cousin’s voice called from the doorway.
With the phone receiver still glued to her ear,
Addie waved her cousin inside. “Excellent. I will see you next Wednesday at two o’clock. I look forward to working with you.”
Chloe dropped into the chair near her desk and placed a white paper bag in front of her. “I thought you might be hungry,” she said when Addie hung up the phone.
“Starved. Thank you.” Without any hesitation, she pulled out the mini calzone from the bag. “I haven’t stopped all day.”
Chloe leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. “Business is good, I take it?”
“Good doesn’t begin to explain it.” She raised the calzone toward her mouth, the scent of oregano teasing her nose. “I’ve had more people call me since that picture appeared in the paper than all of last month.”
Her cousin gave her an I told you so look. “And you were all upset about it. I bet you’re not anymore.”
Addie gave her a shrug, her mouth full of food.
“All the bakeries have had a surge in sales, too, especially the one on Benefit Street. I think people keep stopping in hoping to see Trent Sherbrooke seated at a table.”
“I’d still like to know who sent that picture to the paper.”
“Who cares?” Chloe asked. “You’re benefiting from it and I’m sure Trent Sherbrooke is used to being in papers by now.”
“I care.” Addie popped another chunk of her calzone into her mouth and glanced at her watch. She had another hour before her appointment with Phyllis Harney on the East Side. When she’d worked for Ducat and Wakefield, she helped redesign the woman’s gourmet kitchen. Right before the picture in the paper came out, Phyllis called and set up an appointment. Evidently, she’d divorced and wanted to redecorate her master suite.
“So what did the two of you talk about that afternoon?” Chloe asked. “You never did tell me.”
The conversation with Trent rolled through her mind. “Nothing, really. I told him a little about what I did.”
Her cousin leaned forward. “He looked rather happy in that picture. You must have said something to him.”
“I teased him a bit about not spilling coffee on me again.” Addie picked at the calzone on her desk.
Chloe shook her head, a look of pity on her face. “Seriously, Addie. You had Trent Sherbrooke sitting across from you and you made jokes? Man, don’t you know how to flirt a little? If that had been me I wouldn’t have been talking about coffee.”
Addie rolled her eyes. Her cousin was always on the lookout for Mister Right. Hopefully one of these days she’d find him. Maybe then she’d stop pestering her about it. “It wouldn’t have mattered if I flirted or not, Chloe. A man like him wouldn’t be interested in me even if I stripped in front of him.”
“You still could’ve tried.” Chloe took a sip from the water bottle she’d brought in with her. “Since we are on the topic of men, did you and Dustin ever go out?”
