A Political Affair (32 page)

“I swear I’ll have Langford under control. He’ll shut up. After all, he could win the election on this news alone.”

“Yes, he could.” Walter let out a throaty chuckle. “Indeed, he could.”
 

The following week, Anne pulled up to the McEvoys’ ranch and smiled when she saw Stephen on the front porch. He sat on a weathered bench, stuffing a bottle of champagne in a saddlebag.

“Whatcha got in there, handsome?” she asked as she walked up the steps.
 

“Provisions,” he said, tying the bag closed. He rose and took her into his arms. “Hey, sweetheart.”

She reached up to give him a kiss. “I’m happy to see you.”
 

After several kisses, made fonder by their weeklong absence from one another, they strolled to the barn where Stephen had saddled two horses. He gave her the reins of an elegant black horse, along with a carrot.
 

“This is Cinder. He’s Patty’s favorite.”

“Does she know I’m going to ride him?” Anne asked, offering the carrot to Cinder.
 

“Sure. She suggested him for you.” He swatted her butt. “Patty likes you.”

“I like her.” She shrugged. “I’m just a little afraid of her.”

“Don’t be. She’s on your side now.” He nodded to Cinder. “C’mon. Let’s get on with our ride.”

As they rode off into the rolling hills of the vast McEvoy ranch, they trotted along for a few miles until Stephen suggested they gallop to their destination.
 

“Where are we even going?” asked Anne, as she squeezed her legs, urging Cinder to pick up his pace.

“A creek. About half a mile ahead,” he answered, and clicked his mouth to get his dappled horse moving faster. “There’s another place I’d like to go, but it’s too far. We’ll still be alone here. I want some private time.”

“Am I going to like this private time?” she asked coyly.

“I hope so,” he answered, but his voice was serious rather than flirtatious.

Their picnic spot sat next to a small stream surrounded by columbine, shooting stars, and other flowers, all enjoying the mountain water. After a late lunch and an entire bottle of champagne, they lay talking and enjoying the sun. When the conversation dwindled, she nestled in beside him.
 

“Anne, I’ve been thinking about some things for a while now.”

“Yeah? What’s that?” she mumbled without opening her eyes.
 

“Well, remember when Jennifer pulled that stupid stunt?”

“How could I forget?”
 

“I know. It was bad, and I was wrong to have treated you so poorly. I made that clear, right?” His brow furrowed in contrition.

“You did.” She sat up and placed her hand at the nape of his neck, caressing the short hair there. “Yes, you were sorry, and I accepted your apology.” She chuckled. “I still don’t like her, though.”

“Understandable. I don’t like her either.” He took her left hand and gently stroked her fingers. “I just wish there was something I could point to
 . . .
that you could point to . . . that showed how much I love you. Because I do. I love you with all my heart.”

Anne was unsure what he meant and searched for something to say. “You have my heart.”
 

Fumbling in his pocket, he looked away for a moment, and when he turned to her again, he clenched his hand and gazed into her eyes. He smiled shyly. “It doesn’t have to happen next year. It can wait as long as you want, but Anne Norwood, will you marry me?”

She drew in a breath both in shock and in appreciation of the moment. The question reverberated in her mind, and she held his happy eyes as they searched for a response. Wisdom should’ve caused her to condition her response, just as it always did, but this time she felt no conditions on her love or what she wanted.
 

With a smile, she responded confidently, seriously, as she knew the answer in both her head and her heart. “Yes . . . yes, I will marry you.” She threw her arms around his neck and asked herself aloud, “How could I not?”

“Oh, sweetheart, that’s how I feel about you.” They kissed, sharing more joy in that moment than either could’ve imagined. When he broke this kiss, he grinned. “I want to give this to you.”
 

Her mouth fell open as he slipped the ring on her finger. She gasped at the beauty of it, but was also taken aback by its size.
 

“Oh my, Stephen. It’s beautiful, but . . . but it’s too much.”

“ ‘Too much’ how?” He smiled. “Too valuable? Too big?”

“Well, it’s amazing.” She admired her hand. “I’ve never had anything like it.”

“But you should. It’s yours now.”

“Stephen . . .” The ring’s size and brilliant luster dumbfounded her, as did the fact he’d chosen to give it to her.

Tipping her chin up to look into her eyes, he put her at ease. “I
want
you to have it.”

“How on earth did you get it?” She shook her head, her eyes wide in disbelief. “
You
can’t just walk into a store and buy an engagement ring.” She glanced down at the modern, square-cut diamond, banked by emeralds. “Did Megan help you?”
 

“No, thank you very much,” he said with a chuckle. He twisted the ring back and forth on her finger, making it sparkle. “I told my lawyer, Phillip, what I wanted, and he handled it for me, texting me photos of potential rings. It was fun.”
 

“Well, it’s amazing and perfect.” She smiled. “I’m just going to have to get used to wearing something like it.”

“Is it too visible?”
 

“No . . .” Her brow furrowed as the familiar hurt again built up in her heart. “Actually, I wish . . . I wish we
could
be more visible. I’m tired of hiding, and I hate that the world thinks you’re dating Jennifer Hamilton.” She thought she sounded whiny, so she tried to make light of it. “It kinda bums me out.”

“It bums me out, too,” he said with a snicker. Stroking her cheek, he quieted. “My mom thinks we should announce our relationship—come clean—just get the news out there and move on with our lives. She thinks it would be better for the campaign and for us. It would be tough for a while, but I think she has a point.”

“What? Really?” Anne was shocked, but Lillian’s reasoning had merit. “What does Patty say?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “She usually follows Mom’s lead.”

Anne smirked, thinking of his crafty mother. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she recalled the time Lillian asked her over for tea and interrogated her. She’d also told the story about how she and Patrick had confronted their own problems with their relationship. It jogged another memory—a memory of Stephen telling her he’d elope if only she’d say yes.
 

But we can’t do that . . . I can’t do that
. Yet despite the rules set for herself in life, she came to a decision which simultaneously made no sense at all and all the sense in the world. Her life wasn’t turning out as she’d expected; it was better. Why should she hold back?
 

Leaning into him, her lips met his with a short, but deep kiss. She ended it with a quick peck and a smile.

“What?” he asked. “What are you thinking?”

She shrugged and made her own proposal. “Maybe we should just elope?”
 

Chapter 24

“Elope? You want to elope?” His eyes widened, stunned by the drastic change in Anne’s attitude toward marriage.

   
“Well . . . you mentioned it once back in December,” she said with hesitant smile. “Maybe it’s not such a bad idea.”

He gave no audible response. Instead, he crushed his mouth to hers with an intense, exuberant kiss. After a moment, he pulled away. “I think it’s a great idea,” he murmured.

She giggled and nuzzled his nose. “If you don’t say so yourself.”

“What made you think of it, though?”

“The whole idea of us coming out,” she said as she pulled away. “If we were to out ourselves tomorrow, we’d be engaged, but there would still be whispers. They’d say it was an engagement of convenience, or people would think I’m pregnant. Even when it turns out I’m not pregnant, they could say we’re only engaged for show and we’ll break it off right after you get reelected. I think if we’re married, we’ll be taken more seriously.”

“You’re right.” He chuckled, amazed her thought process was identical to his mother’s. Then he remembered something his mother said. “But people are going to think you’re pregnant, regardless of whether we’re married or not.”

“That’s true . . .” She shrugged. “I guess we can’t get around it, but when it’s obvious I’m not knocked up, I’ll still be your wife.”

“Yes. I like the sound of that—you’ll be my wife . . .” Finishing neither his sentence nor his thought, he kissed her again.

She laughed as he pressed his lips to hers. “I can tell you’re smiling as you kiss me.”

“I am. I couldn’t be happier.”

“But if we do this, isn’t Patty going to go ballistic?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. I’m not asking her since we’re supposed to be eloping.”
 

“So, how do we elope?” she asked with a smile. “Should we go to a small town in another part of the state? We could drive somewhere remote like Ouray.”

“Hmm. No.” He skewed his mouth in thought for a moment. “I don’t think we should. We should do this quickly but not rashly.”

“Okay. I get it. We’re eloping, but it needs to look respectable.”

“Exactly.” He paused and looked sideways at Anne. “Do you remember Judge Clements?”

“How could I forget him?” She rolled her eyes, but they soon flashed wide open. “No! I know what you’re thinking. Absolutely not. I can’t be married by someone who heard us having sex. That’s too weird. I’d be so embarrassed.”

“Anne . . . he doesn’t care. Trust me. He doesn’t think anything of it.”

“Right. That is such BS—like he didn’t think it was funny.”

“Well, of course he thought it was funny. Who wouldn’t? But he doesn’t think any less of you. Quite the opposite. He knows how much you mean to me.”

“He does?”
 

“Of course.” Watching her waver, he pled his case. “Think about it. Judge Clements is the perfect choice. He’s a family friend, and his reputation is impeccable. He’ll help keep things quiet beforehand and stay on message afterward.”

“Well, maybe. But are you sure he would do it? He seems pretty reclusive. This would give him a lot of negative attention.”

“I sort of already asked him.” He winced in apology for being presumptuous.

“What? When?”

“When we were at his house, I asked him if I ever needed a favor, would he do me the honor. We didn’t talk specifics, but he knew what I meant. I doubt he’s expecting an elopement, but he’ll be fine with it.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” She shook her head. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Marry me?” he murmured and stroked her hair.

“Of course I’ll marry you.” They kissed again until she laughed. “I’m so happy, but this is also so crazy. If we go with Judge Clements, where do we get married? At your cabin?”

“Somewhere on the property. The wildflowers are nice this time of year.”

“Don’t we need a witness? I remember he had a dog, but I think we need a human.”

“Oh . . . I’ve thought of that, too.”

“How long have you had this planned?”

“I wouldn’t say I’ve had it planned. I’ve just been thinking of contingencies depending on how things played out.”

“You’re incorrigible.” She swatted his arm. “So who is our witness? Your mom?” Her expression changed, as she pursed her lips and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t have her there. As much as I love your family, I can’t get married with your family attending and not mine. I wouldn’t like it, and my mother would kill me.”

“No, no. Not my family. That’s no fun.” He winked. “It’s not really an elopement if you tell your family you’re doing it.”

She smiled and climbed on top of him, straddling his chest. With her arms on either side of his shoulders, she kissed him and asked in a breathy voice, “Stephen McEvoy, can’t you even get married without being naughty?”

“Eloping is sort of naughty, isn’t it?”

“It’s kind of respectable and naughty at the same time.”

“Very fitting. That’s the story of my life.” He kissed her quickly and said in a husky voice, “I can’t wait to get naughty with my wife.”

“I don’t know about that . . . can you be naughty with someone you’re married to?”

“I certainly hope so. We’ll have a license for it, after all.”

“Very funny.” She smirked while he pulled her body flush with his. After a minute of delightful distraction, she asked, “Aren’t we planning our elopement?”
 

“Yes, I suppose so.” He lifted her off and sat upright with crossed legs. “Now where were we before you sidetracked me?” he asked as he drew her into his lap.

“You said you had a witness.”

“Oh, that’s right. I’m sure I have two witnesses.”

“Who?”

“Grayson and his wife, Laura.”

“Are you sure? Do you really want to put him at risk?”

“Are you kidding? He’d do anything for our family. We’re like his own kids. And frankly, he’d get a kick out of it. Any bad press he might get
 . . .
well, he’d turn it into good press by making jokes.”