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Victoria cleared her throat loudly, sitting up and crossing her legs. “What did I miss?”
“Oh, sorry,” Liz said quickly. “Victoria, this is Hayden Lane, my editor at the paper. Hayden, my roommate, Victoria. ”
His face lit up and he stuck his hand out. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Great to finally meet you. ”
Victoria’s eyes darted to Liz and back as she slid her hand into his. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you, Lane. People call you Lane, right?”
“Yeah. My friends call me Lane. Do your friends call you Vickie?” he asked, dropping her hand after they shook.
“No,” she said plainly.
“Oh, well, I like it. Seems to fit you,” he said with that charming smile. Liz tried to hide her own behind her hand.
“It really doesn’t,” Victoria bit back, not finding it funny at all.
“Suit yourself,” he said, turning back to Liz. “Liz, I can’t believe how well this all went. After the reception of your work, would you be interested in covering the campaign division for the paper? You’re suited for it. I’d let you take it whatever direction you see fit. Consult me, but it’s yours. I’d want you to start this summer. ”
Liz couldn’t hold back her shock this time. He was handing over the entire campaign division to her! If she had thought being on the front cover was a dream, it was nothing compared to running her own column, her own division.
“What are you doing Saturday night?” he asked.
Her mouth fell open but she recovered quickly. After all that awkwardness, he was actually going to ask her on a date?
“I’m pretty open,” she managed. She could feel Victoria’s eyes on her.
“Great. There’s this gala in Charlotte that I want you to go to. I have tickets, but my parents want me back in D. C. this weekend. ”
“Oh. ” Her heart sank. He wanted her to work. What was wrong with her? “Yeah, that’ll be great. Just shoot me an email with the information. ”
“I will. I have to run, though. Reprint!” he said with so much enthusiasm.
Liz watched him jog into the Union and disappear from sight. As soon as he was gone, she threw her head down on the table and grumbled, “Could it get any more embarrassing?”
“He could start calling you Lizzie,” Victoria suggested.
Liz cracked up despite her frustration. “I just…I swear he was going to ask me out. ”
“You’ve had the hots for that guy forever, right?”
“Yeah,” Liz admitted with a shrug.
“Why don’t you make the move? I bet he’d like that,” Victoria said, as if she knew.
“I shouldn’t have to,” Liz said stubbornly.
“At least you have gala tickets,” Victoria said.
Liz rolled her eyes. “Oh, who wants to go to a political gala anyway?”
“I don’t know. You’re asking the wrong person,” Victoria replied, leaning back on her elbows and staring out across the Pit. “Just find a hot guy there and forget about your Hayden Lane problems. ”
If it was only that easy…
Chapter 7
JEFFERSON-JACKSON GALA
The Charlotte Convention Center was a modern-looking glass building set in the heart of downtown Charlotte. Nothing especially fancy, but large enough to hold bigger parties and conferences, and it even boasted a few high-end car shows. It was a staple for luxury political banquets for the state.
