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God how Jaxson hated this man, yet he knew he needed to restrain himself. This wasn't the time for this discussion.
Chase didn't seem bothered in the least, reminding Jaxson of what a talented actor his best friend was when he needed to be. "Oh, I certainly do understand, Mr. Davidson. I was just excited to come and help kick your candidacy off with a bang. I'm sure I can dance with a few supporter's wives... maybe have my picture taken with a few babies... you know. Anything for the cause to help draw attention to your candidacy."
Jaxson shot a look at Chase to cool it. He was pouring it on too thick, yet his father was so conceited, Chase's over-the-top rhetoric went over his head. "Well, thank you Chase. I wish my son would take this opportunity as seriously as you are."
His mother stepped forward, anxious to greet her son. "Enough hogging Jaxson, Gregory. I'd like a kiss from both of these handsome young men."
Ever the reserved politician's wife, his mother's version of a public motherly kiss was a small French peck on each of his cheeks, her lips barely touching his skin.
After her kisses to Chase, she turned to Emma. It was only then that he noticed a crack in his mother's solid veneer. He detected tears in her eyes as she smiled the biggest smile he could remember her delivering. "You can't know how very happy I am to meet you, Emma. I've been waiting a long time for this son of mine to finish sewing his wild oats and settle down. I'm hoping you can convince him to move back home where I can maybe see him more than once a year."
Emma hesitated, unsure how to answer his mother's plea. He was about to rescue her when she replied, "I'm not so sure he's ready to settle down just yet since we leave for London tomorrow, but my parents are hoping we'll be spending time stateside as well. For now, I'm excited to see the world and spend as much time with him and Chase as I can."
Jaxson noted his mother clung to Emma's hands as if she needed the physical touch to believe she was actually there.
"You're adorable. Your eyes are beautiful and your smile... well... I can see what my son sees in you. I want to thank you. When I saw him yesterday, he looked happier, more relaxed, than I ever remember seeing him. I'm pretty sure you have something to do with that."
Emma blushed at his mother's unexpected praise, sneaking a quick glance up at him.
Of course his father had to ruin the moment. "Enough of the family reunion. We need to be mingling with paying guests. Bonnie will let you know when it's time to go on stage for the big announcement."
And just like that they were dismissed, which suited Jaxson just fine. "I'll see you later, Mother."
The three of them followed Bonnie deeper into the ballroom, weaving their way through tables of women in designer gowns and men in expensive tuxedos. Top-shelf champagne flowed freely as waiters mingled passing out caviar and oyster appetizers. The opulence turned Jaxson's stomach as he realized they could feed the homeless in the capital city for a year on the money being dumped on this one event.
He grabbed three flutes of champagne from a passing waiter as soon as they arrived at their assigned table. They were only a few tables from the front of the room, just to the stage left.
All thoughts of attempting to fade into the background were lost when Bonnie steered over several photographers and journalists. He could tell they were attached to his father's campaign. Jaxson tried to keep them away from Chase and Emma, but was unsuccessful. The fact that Jaxson had never brought a date to one of his father's events in the past was working against him. The press smelled blood in the water, knowing Emma had to be someone important to be on his arm. Little did they know that Chase was just as important to Jaxson.
Thankfully, they'd arrived late enough that they didn't have to wait long for dinner to be announced. They settled into their table to eat, grateful Bonnie and two other couples who were high on his father's election committee were at their table and not his parents. The least amount of time they spent in his father’s presence the better.
The closer they came to the big announcement, the deeper Jaxson's doubts became. He'd come with a plan, but now that they were here, he wasn't sure he could go through with it. He should have insisted on Chase and Emma staying at the loft.
His parents were making the rounds, greeting each table personally as they made their way to the stage. With each step they took closer to Jaxson's table, the tighter his stress wound.
"Jaxson." Of course Chase noticed. His heart raced. Could he follow-through on his plan? He couldn't bear to look into Chase's eyes.
Chase reached across Emma's lap between them to grasp his hand. The reassuring squeeze brought tears to his eyes. He lifted his napkin to swish the damn things away before a reporter snapped a picture.
Chase leaned in to whisper across Emma, "It's okay, baby. I understand. He's your father."
"I don't understand. Why can't I do it?" Jaxson's doubts surprised himself.
Emma leaned against him, linking her hand silently with the two men. Despite the huge ballroom crowd, his lovers had succeeded in grounding him. In reminding him that he wasn’t alone. He would never be alone again.
His heart raced as he weighed the options ahead of him. There had always only been a fifty-fifty chance he'd go through with his plan for the night.
Chase reassured him, signaling he understood Jax well. "If it was just him, you'd drop him in a cold second. But you don't want to hurt your mom. She has to live with him."
As always, Chase knew him better than he knew himself.
Had his father bypassed their table on the way to the podium the night would have ended very differently. Maybe it was fate that made his father stop. Maybe just dumb luck.
His father approached their table, leaning in to talk with the election staffers next to Jax, his angry voice carrying. "I thought I told you not to allow any damn terrorists in tonight. There is a whole table of fucking towel-heads back there sitting next to a table of damn fags who have the nerve to hold hands in public. Donotlet this happen again, got it?"
His father didn't give his paid staffer a chance to answer. He straightened, putting a fake smile back on his face before announcing to them all that it was time to go to the stage. "It's time the next president makes his candidacy official."
Jaxson's stomach rolled, the expensive food they'd eaten falling like lead into the pit of his gut. Emma was squeezing his hand under the table so hard it now hurt.
