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“It is a great school, and they are doing amazing things,” I state, keeping my tone level and my answer simple.
“The kids are so much fun!” Beth says, her face lighting up.
“Sorry to interrupt, but it is time to do your announcement, and then we need to go,” Oscar says as he and Eddie meet us, and we get down to business. Max steps away to join the media scrum, and Beth gets them all organized.
I step out to the courtyard and address the school staff group, media, and my team, and deliver my education policies. It is warmly received, and a few cheers go up in the group. I smile at their excitement, but it is Beth’s approval I look for, and her smile and sparkly eyes give me everything I need.
13
HARRISON
Iwatch Beth as she sits at her desk and wonder what the hell I am doing. I need to be reviewing these healthcare policies in front of me, but I have read and reread the same sentence for the past half an hour as my eyes are more connected to her than the funding requirements for the busy Baltimore hospitals.
I thought I could keep it together. I knew she would be an asset for my campaign, and she is, undoubtably, the best hiring decision I have ever made in my entire career. She is worth every penny I threw at her, but now I want to keep her. Permanently.
But in moments like these, where I sit here at my desk, watching her, I begin to question my logic. I watch as her hands fly across her keyboard, her fingers dainty, yet determined. I have observed the way she takes time to think and process. Her head tilts a little to the left whenever she is mulling over scenarios, and she bites her bottom lip when deep in thought.
Those lips are plump and pouty and on my mind a lot.
She works with the radio on, something that would usually annoy me, but has become such a part of our workday routine that I don’t even notice. But I do notice the way at the end of the day, she starts to dance in her seat to the music. A hundred percent out of time and uncoordinated, but her face is stress-free, happiness radiating from her. Thinking nobody is watching.
I’m watching.
Our days together are long, often eating dinner at our desks, something I never did before, but enjoy now, especially as it gives us time to talk about other things outside of work. Like how she has never been to a zoo to see a giraffe in real life, or how I burn water, not having the first idea how to cook. These extra moments are worth the late nights. Where the policies I need to review are often read closer to midnight when she isn’t such a distraction. The more I get to know her, though, the more I want her with me at midnight. In my bed, naked, squirming underneath me.
“Harrison!” my mother’s voice squawks through the air, making me jump as she barges into my office, with Oscar and Eddie hot on her heels.
“What’s going on?” I question her as I stand from my desk, looking suspiciously at Eddie behind her, him only rolling his eyes.
“What’s going on? I will tell you what is going on!” my mother says, her array of gold and diamonds catching the sun and lighting up the office wall as she waves her hands around, a habit of hers happening more and more frequently. I see Beth jump up from her desk and walk over, standing next to Oscar at the side. Of course, I see her. I always see her.
“Mom, you cannot just walk in here, yelling and acting like a demanding diva.” I sigh, rubbing my eyes, because this is the last thing I need. I am up to my eyeballs in paperwork. I have meeting after meeting scheduled for the next few days, and that is merely just scratching the surface of my to-do list.
“I was talking to Annabelle VanCleef at the country club over lunch today. She mentioned to me, confidentially, that your opposition is releasing a new policy to state that they will fund a new development over at Ellwood Grove.” My mother purses her lips, and I wait a beat.
Ellwood Grove isthewealthiest suburb in all the state. Investing in infrastructure there doesn’t make sense to anybody. Why do the wealthiest people need state government money to provide anything over and above the basic requirements?
“He’s buying votes,” Beth says, looking right at me, her arms crossed over her chest, answering the question that was on my mind. My nostrils flare because she is right. He is.
“Pretty overt way of doing it,” I add, as I move from the back of my desk, walking over to Beth. My sounding board. The need to be closer to her is now nearly as natural as breathing.
“But he obviously needs them, otherwise why would he commit funds to something so…” she starts, and I can see her mind ticking over, her brain just as beautiful as her body.
“Ridiculous,” I finish her sentence and put my hands on my hips as I think over the scenario. Our stance is close, the energy bouncing off the two of us, like we are the only ones standing in the room.
“It means he is scared. He’s...” She bites her lower lip.
“Playing games,” I say, my eyes honing in to her lips. I forget where I am for a moment.
“Let me call Arthur,” she states suddenly, looking at me with fire in her eyes.
“I will call Ronald,” I say in unison, and we both turn swiftly. It isn’t until I am sitting back down and pick up the phone that I look up. Three pairs of eyes stare down at me. Eddie smirks, Oscar frowns, and Mom looks like she is about to blow a gasket.
“Is that all?” I ask, looking at all of them.
“I can see the two of you have it handled,” Eddie quips, his eyes dashing between mine and Beth’s and back again with a smartass smirk on his face, before walking backwards slowly and out my office door.
“Let me know if you need anything. I’m heading down to Police Headquarters to submit our election night plans,” Oscar says, and I nod before he retreats as well.
