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Liz watched Hayden leave the press area and then lost him in the crowd as he went off in search of refreshments. She took that moment to bend down and dig in her bag to see whether she had any text messages. Make sure Brady hadn’t messaged her while she was waiting.
“Oh, look,” a familiar voice sounded behind her, “you’re at another Maxwell event. ”
Liz stood and turned swiftly, her blond hair flying out around her. She saw the flash of signature dark red hair before her eyes met bright green ones. Calleigh Hollingsworth. Liz dropped the questioning look on her face as soon as she saw who had uttered the accusatory sentence.
“Oh, look, you are too,” Liz said with a smile and a tilt of her head. To think she had once idolized this woman. But her naïve blinders were gone and she knew better than to trust Calleigh.
Calleigh smiled, showing her brilliant white teeth. She really was too beautiful for her own good. A skinny little thing with sleek hair and perfectly fitted clothing that accentuated her body in all the right places. Liz would never look like Calleigh, but really, Brady had wanted Liz for exactly who she was. So it didn’t matter.
“Are you excited about the results?” Calleigh asked, sidling up close to Liz. Closer than she would have wanted.
“Should be an interesting race,” Liz said diplomatically. “Everyone is calling it a toss-up. ”
“And what do you think?” Calleigh asked, eyeing her coolly. She looked rapt with attention, which made Liz cautious.
“I think it’s anyone’s game, and the general election is going to be even tougher. So whoever comes out on top had better be ready to show deep pockets. I have a feeling this will be an expensive race. ”
In fact, she already knew that it was an expensive race. That was why Brady spent so much time with donors and fund-raisers. Why he had gone all the way to Hilton Head to meet with people for a weekend.
“Oh, come on,” Calleigh said, nudging her. “Maxwell has it in the bag. You and I both know he does. We were there on the Fourth of July. His speech was very…moving. ”
Liz smiled and nodded, all the while wondering where Calleigh was going with this. She was goading her. Liz knew that she needed to tread very, very carefully.
“Fitting for a Senator’s son. ” Liz hoped it was the right thing to say.
Calleigh smiled wider and waved at someone over Liz’s shoulder. Liz took a breath and turned around, not knowing who to expect. With her luck it could be God knows anyone.
“Hey!” Hayden said, hopping up the steps and smiling at Liz and Calleigh. “Here’s your water. ”
Liz took the water bottle out of his hand and tried to remain calm. Calleigh was hinting at something, but Liz didn’t know if she actually knew anything. And would she press further in front of Hayden? Liz couldn’t judge her next move.
“Hey, Hayden,” Calleigh said, lowering her eyelashes and staring up at him. “Liz and I were just talking about Senator Maxwell. We think he’s a sure winner. What about you?”
“Oh, I think he wins easy,” Hayden said with a lazy smile, turning to look at Liz instead of Calleigh.
If he had paid any attention, he would have seen the irritation flash on Calleigh’s face.
“That’s what you said all along, right, Lizzie?”
Liz inhaled sharply at that name. That was what Hayden had called her right before kissing her in D. C. The memory of his lips washed over her so suddenly she barely had time to recover.
“Uh, yeah. I think he’ll win,” she muttered.
“Even with the rumors?” Calleigh asked, her green eyes going wide.
“What rumors?” Hayden asked for her.
“Haven’t you guys been following all of the coverage?”
Liz had mostly been freaking out and refusing to watch or read anything. She’d had all her articles already written, and with Tristan and Savannah’s help she had been able to obsess all alone. She didn’t want to hear about a poll that had Charles Hardy ahead of Brady, back and forth, back and forth.
“Oh, the stuff about his girlfriends?” Hayden asked. “Do you think that’s all true, Calleigh? You don’t think the guy can be a bachelor politician without sleeping with every girl who walks past him?”
“Really, Hayden? How many women does he need to be photographed with for you to believe that the guy is dating multiple women while running for office?”
“The campaign came right out and said that he had no personal relationships with those women, and they were just friends,” Hayden reminded her.
“Convenient,” Calleigh said dismissively. “The campaign will make a statement in whatever way is most favorable to them. Whether the campaign wants to admit it or not, it just makes him look like a player. ”
