“Alex is back on board and wants to discuss strategy at noon,” Heather said, talking about Brady’s campaign manager. “Then we’ll get the speech writer working on something for when you have to talk publicly. We want to keep the whole thing on message. We’ll need to brief the staff. I don’t want anyone talking to the press. I want them aware that if they do, it will come at the expense of their job.”
Liz swallowed at that comment. She didn’t want anyone risking their job. Though most political staff should know when to speak and when not to. It was just surreal being on the other side and having someone tell her when not to speak to the press, instead of Liz looking for opportunities to get people to talk.
“I think we can clear all of that up by this afternoon and then get you back in D.C. by nightfall. Your secretary informed me that there’s an important vote coming up this week on education and you need to be in committee despite what is happening in your personal life,” Heather droned on.
“Wait!” Liz spoke up, finally hearing exactly what Heather had just said. “You’re going back to D.C. tonight?”
She knew that his job, his life as a member of Congress was split between Chapel Hill and D.C. It wasn’t split equally, though. If she had to guess, from what she knew it was a seventy-thirty split, with more time in D.C. than at home. Still, she didn’t think he would leave her that same day.
“He has to go back tonight,” Heather said, not even looking up from the papers in her hands.
Brady turned to face Liz. She had put up with a lot since this had all exploded in her face, and she had known from the start they would have less time together. But she had broken up with her boyfriend, started dating Brady again, and had now officially announced their relationship to a sea of reporters. She damn well deserved a little more time with him before she was fed to the wolves.
“You’re not reconsidering, are you?” he asked in a tone that made it clear that that was an unacceptable option.
“No, I’m not reconsidering. I’m wondering why in the midst of this madness I’m going to be left all alone to deal.” Her voice was calm and controlled. She didn’t want to sound whiny. She knew what she was getting into, but she had thought one more night wasn’t too much to ask.
“You won’t be alone, and you won’t be dealing alone. Even if I’m not here, I’m still available to you.”
“You make it sound like a business arrangement.”
Brady’s eyes turned molten. “You’re the last person who would think it was.”
Liz took a deep breath to try to calm herself down. She was working herself up and it wasn’t going to help anything. “I know. I’m sorry. I just . . . we haven’t had much time together.”
“Sorry to interrupt,” Heather said. She looked as if she was anything but sorry. “We have to get you out to the car now. We’re expecting a bit of a holdup.”
“We’ll discuss this in the car,” Brady said, squeezing her waist and then releasing her.
Liz wondered what exactly “a bit of a holdup” looked like.
It seemed that Heather’s definition and Liz’s were drastically different. A large number of the reporters had come around to the back entrance, where it was clear Brady was going to be leaving, and had swarmed the area to ask questions. Liz stared at the onslaught with her eyes wide.
Brady draped an arm protectively around her shoulders as soon as the door opened. “Stick close to me,” he whispered against her hair.
She didn’t need to be told twice. Actually she probably didn’t need to be told once. Heather and Elliott cleared some space for them to walk through and then she and Brady were outside. It was a bleak February afternoon, completely overcast as they pushed through a sea of reporters to get to the waiting car beyond.
Liz heard the questions thrown at them, similar to the ones she had heard in the conference room. Cameras flashed overhead, people called out her name, microphones were thrust in her face. Liz did everything she could just to keep her head down and follow Brady’s lead.
Elliott held the door open and Liz slunk into the backseat of the dark tinted town car. She heard Brady address the crowd briefly before following her inside. The door shut and then they were moving.
“What about Heather and Elliott?” Liz asked softly.
“I told them to take the next car.”
Liz was glad. It meant they had a few minutes of peace without Heather interrupting every conversation. It was just the two of them. Liz’s hands shook in her lap and she hadn’t even realized it. “That was . . . intense,” she whispered.
“Are you all right?” Brady asked, reaching for her.
She slipped under his arm and leaned into his shoulder. “Yeah. I should have expected it.”
“It’ll get easier with time.”
She kind of hoped it would never get easier and everything would just disappear. She had never wanted to be in the spotlight. Newspaper journalism had been her chosen field in part because it ensured that she would never have to be in front of a camera. Didn’t look like she was going to get off so easy.
Brady chuckled at her expression. “My reporter afraid of some camera time?”
It was like he had read her mind. “I’m not a fan.”
“Well, hopefully you won’t spend much time dealing with it.”
“Agreed,” she said softly. “So, do you really have to leave tonight?”
“Under the circumstances it would probably look better for me to continue about my business as if nothing were wrong. I wouldn’t want to look like I needed to take time off.”
“Well, that makes sense . . . but considering the circumstances, being your new girlfriend who you hadn’t seen in over a year apart from this weekend and one night in October, I thought you could make an exception.”
“You’re my exception, Liz,” he said, trailing his hand down her jaw.
Her eyes fluttered closed, all thoughts of what had just occurred flying out of her head. One simple touch and she was lost to him. It had been like that since the beginning. She hadn’t been able to get enough, hardly been able to say no, found it impossible to stay away. Even when she had forced herself to walk out of his life, she had still thought about him all the time.
She tilted her head up to him and their lips met. It was like a dose of medicine for her system. His hand slid up her thigh, reminding her of their earlier exploits and the fact that she was still without underwear.