“Yes, Monroe.” He sits across from me, his face stiff. “Look, Barrett. I know you don’t want to make concessions to him. I get it. But if you want to win this thing, you’re going to have to bite the bullet and tell him what he wants to hear.”
Squeezing my temples, trying to massage away the issue, I groan. This is something I had hoped I could put off long enough that it wouldn’t be necessary. It’s becoming apparent that’s not happening.
“Is there any other way, Nolan? Anything?”
He shakes his head. “No, and you have Garalent coming up too. I’m not one hundred percent sure how Monroe’s going to feel about you taking Alison.”
“She’s my girl. I’m not sure what that has to do with anything.”
“Daphne has traditionally gone with you. For years now, it’s been the two of you. It’s kind of your show. People wait for those pictures, and Daphne gets a lot of press after it. You bowing out on her is going to diminish some of that.”
“Not my problem.”
He sits back in his chair, tapping his cheek with a pen. “So Alison is going with you?”
I don’t want to answer that question. I’m afraid it’ll open some door that I want permanently sealed. But the longer I look at Nolan, the more obvious it is he’s going to wait for an answer.
“No, actually,” I say. “She has to work.” I raise a brow. “I’ll be going alone.”
He catches his smile. “Well, in that case, I think we should consider—”
“We shouldn’t.”
“Barrett . . .”
“I am not taking Daphne Monroe to the Gala. Period.”
Nolan rolls his eyes and stands. His jaw is twitching, frustrated with my sudden forcefulness. “Fine. No Daphne. But if you want to win this election, you’re going to have to give in to her father.”
Another knock, interruption number sixteen million, sounds at the door. Before I can respond, it pushes open and my father walks in. Dressed in a suit that mirrors mine, he flashes a look to Nolan, then to me.
“Son.”
“Hey, Dad.”
“I just saw the reports Nolan sent over. The polls are bad, Barrett.”
“I’m still in the lead.”
“Barely.” He stands next to Nolan and they both look at me. “You have to be smart here. How many months do we have in this campaign? How many salaries are dependent on whether you get elected or not?”
“How about my legacy? How’s it going to look if that bill passes and it fucks the entire economy, like I think it will?”
“It won’t,” my father says, his voice stern.
Groaning, I stand too, so we are eye to eye.
“Do you want to go out there and tell Rose she needs to look for a job?” Nolan asks. "We're all going to be looking for one come January if you don’t act now. And we are down to days, Barrett. Days."
He's right. This damn election is going to go to the person that sells their soul to the right bidder. I'm not going to have a chance to do the things I want to do as Governor, nor am I going to be able to make my family proud by winning the seat, if I don't do something. My ethics are keeping me from winning, and that's not fair to everyone that's worked so hard for this chance. Or me. And if Hobbs gets in office, fuck knows what he'll do.
"Give me the phone," I mutter.
Alison
“EARTH TO ALISON.”
I turn around to see my mother leaning on the doorframe to the living room. She’s been watching me for who knows how long while I sit curled up on the sofa watching the sun set.
“Are you okay?” Mom sits beside me and gives me a questioning look.
I grin. “I’m good. Great, really. Just nervous.”
“What about?”
I untwist my legs and sit up straight. Taking a deep breath, I ask the one person that I know that’s been in a healthy marriage for most of her life with the same man. “How did you know that Daddy was The One? Like, I thought Hayden was, but now I know he wasn’t. But how do you know your heart isn’t being stupid?”
“You just know.”
“Gee, thanks, Mom.”
She pats me on the leg. “Are things getting serious with Mr. Landry?”
I nod and her smile widens further. Eventually, a grin tugs at my lips too.
“I really like him. Like, I love him. But I thought I was in love before, and it wasn’t love, so what if it isn’t this time either? I have Hux now; I can’t just go falling in love.”
“The fact that you got into a relationship with him in the first place speaks volumes.”
“How’s that?”
She shrugs. “Look, Ali. You never got involved with anyone seriously since Hayden. Why?”
“Because they weren’t good enough for Huxley.”
“Exactly. But you let your guard down with Barrett.” She takes a deep breath. “You’re a fantastic mother. I’m so proud to watch you with Hux and how you put him before anything and everyone. It just fills my heart with so much pride. I’ll admit, when I heard you were seeing Barrett, I was a little anxious. He has quite a reputation.”
“I know,” I laugh.
“But if you trusted him enough to let him around my grandson, then that’s enough for me.” She considers her next words. “He talks about him. Says he likes him and that he talks to him like he matters.”