Candidate: A Love Story (29 page)

“He’ll probably never call and then say he washed the number off.”

“He will not. Is that what you were hoping when you wrote your number in a grown man’s hand? Are you self-sabotaging again?”

“No, annoying shrink person, I am not screwing myself. I don’t do that anymore, I simply live alone and avoid things that will send my heart through a meat grinder.”

“That sounds incredibly healthy.”

“Said the kettle. Do you really want to get into healthy?”

Kate had looked around at her new empty apartment and said, “No. But, we aren’t talking about me. So, how did, what’s his name again? Get through your mental security?”

“Ben, his name is Ben, and I don’t know. His eyes are brown. They are sort of big for a guy, and he has a crooked smile. Nice strong hands, chewed nails, which was refreshing for a suit type.” Kate could hear Reagan let out a slow breath. “His shorts had a crease.”

“Wait, you mean like they were ironed?”

“Yeah.”

“Why is this important?”

“He looked so neat, so tidy. I sort of want to mess him up. Maybe tie him to the bed and see what he looks like when he’s—”

“Okay, we can stop there.”

Reagan laughed. “Isn’t that weird? I haven’t had those thoughts in a long time. He was so different, sort of like I’d been drifting around in a sea of people who barely saw me, and then there he was, looking at me, seeing me, and I saw him too. Does that make sense?” Kate nodded and Reagan shook her head. “But, mainly it was the ironed shorts that did it. I want those suckers in a ball on my bedroom floor.”

“Wow. Down girl. Take it easy on the poor guy.”

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter. He’s not going to call. I had that really bad skirt on. The one you call my Janis Joplin skirt. I look thick through the middle in that one, so he’s not calling.”

Kate laughed and mentally agreed that the Joplin skirt was not Reagan’s best look, but she was gypsy beautiful, with long tangly curly blonde hair, and eyes that seemed to only be given out to creative people. Reagan really saw people, looked into them. Kate was sure this poor corporate guy took one look at her and she could have been in a potato sack. Reagan intrigued men, but very few bothered to step close enough and take a chance. Like she said, she was an expert at avoiding. The next day, Ben called and kept calling. They were engaged a year later.

After the ceremony, Kate was talking to Reagan’s Aunt Gwen about her recipe for apple cake when she saw Grady approaching. She excused herself and walked toward him. He wasn’t smiling.

“Grady,” Kate looked around, for what, she wasn’t sure anymore. “I didn’t realize you were—”

“Invited? Yeah, well that’s the thing. The woman I’m—what would we call it?—with, the woman I’m with,” he leaned into her and whispered, “sleeping with, that kind of with—Kate. She was the maid of honor at this wedding, it’s her best friend’s wedding.” Grady searched for a place to talk privately and took her arm. “You’d think I’d be her plus-one, right?” His face was playful, but there was an undercurrent of annoyance, but it was still a pretty attractive face. He wore a tweed jacket, white shirt, and dark pants, open collar. He blended perfectly with the wedding theme. How the hell did he do this, Kate thought, coordinate with his surroundings? It’s like he called ahead. “But, for some reason, I haven’t heard from my girlfriend, my lover.”

Kate looked around and shhhed him.

Grady kept her moving and gently pushed through a door that led to a sitting area inside the penthouse, maybe a private dressing area, Kate wasn’t sure, but they were alone. “I haven’t heard from you in three days, Kate. What’s going on?”

“What? What are you talking about? I’ve seen you, has it been three days?”

“You know exactly how long it’s been. You’ve been counting the hours right along with me. Don’t lie. Why are you at this wedding alone? When you’re with someone, with me? Do you not want to be seen with me?”

“Oh, yeah, that’s it. You’re a real embarrassment. Cut it out. I just didn’t think it was appropriate with the campaign, we agreed, it’s best if we lay low and this is private. Most of what we do can pass as work-related, so I didn’t know.”

Grady stepped into her space. “Work-related? I’m not sure I’d call what we do, work-related anymore.”

Kate stepped back. “You know what I mean. We’re not exactly defined. I—hell, I don’t know, I just didn’t invite you. I had a lot on my mind helping Reagan and I didn’t think about it. And yet, you’re here anyway.” Kate laughed, hoped he believed her, tried to convince herself.

“This isn’t going to work.”

Kate’s face fell.

“I’m not just going to crawl back into my place. I can’t just go back on your color-coded schedule, I know how it feels now.”

“What?”

“This push-away thing you’re doing. That’s what this is, right?”

She said nothing so he approached her again.

“It won’t work. I know now what it’s like to breathe in your space, to wake up next to you. I know your real laugh, I’ve had your feet in my lap on Sunday morning. Behind the curtain. I’m way behind the curtain here, Kate.”

“Grady.”

“No, don’t. Just close your eyes.” He turned her toward the window and Kate could feel the chill of the unoccupied room and then the penetrating warmth of his body as it closed around her without even touching. “Can you see me? Can you feel my hands on your body, my stubble scraping over your . . . ,” he whispered in her ear and Kate gasped.

Her entire body came alive.

“Can you see it? Do you see my eyes when I look at you, Kate?”

She swayed and found her back leaning just slightly against his chest. She stayed there, eyes still closed, hoping she could clear her mind, wash away every detail of what he was saying, but it was useless.

“Can you see it, feel me?”

“Yes,” she said, on the softest whisper.

“It never goes away, it’s not supposed to. I’ve waited for you, Kate and I’ll keep waiting. The election is less than a month away. I just need to know I’m not here alone.”

Kate was petrified. A dramatic word, she knew, but appropriate. She was drowning in him, and she needed him. She had promised herself she would never need, get lost, again. She opened her eyes and turned to face Grady. His face was serious. He needed too, but at the moment he seemed more comfortable in the knowledge. Kate touched the side of his wonderful face and his eyes closed. She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek and spoke into his ear.

“You are not alone, I’m here.”

His eyes opened and she pulled back.

“I’m scared. I don’t know if I can do this,” she said.

“You’re doing just fine.”

“Oh really, because I’m shaking and as appealing as the feeling is, I’m not sure I can function for the long term.”

“Why are you scared to be with me?”

“I’m not scared of being with you.” She leaned forward again and softly spoke into his chest what she couldn’t bear to admit to his face. “I’m scared of what it will be like, what I will be like, when you’re gone. When it falls apart and I . . . ”

Grady gently lifted her chin, met her eyes, and gave her a gentle kiss and without one word, reminded her that he had her, he wasn’t going to let go.

Chatter and clinking glasses could be heard on the other side of the door, but it didn’t matter. He did that to her, cleared away the noise. Kate took his face in her hands and kissed him again. This time there was nothing gentle about it. She wanted him. She honestly couldn’t get enough. Grady returned the kiss and they were tangled, touching. Kate’s head fell back, as Grady kissed her neck, and then someone knocked on the door. Kate pulled away, instinctively fixing her dress, as Grady smiled and moved toward the door. The knock came again.

“I know you’re in there,” Reagan’s voice said from the other side. “That’s why I knocked. I didn’t want to see anything I couldn’t unsee.” She laughed. It was an intoxicatingly happy bride-giggle laced with some very expensive champagne.

Kate laughed quietly and joined Grady by the door.

“Unless of course Grady has his shirt off, that might be worth a look,” Reagan said, sounding like she was actually leaning on the door at that point.

“Ooops, sorry that was not appropriate, I’m a married woman now.”

“Reagan?” Grady said.

“Ah ha! I knew you guys were in there. Sneaky make-out session at my romantic wedding. If that’s what’s going on in there, I have to say, Mr. Senator’s Son Love of My Best Friend’s Life, I approve,”

Grady looked back at Kate who shook her head in joking denial.

“Reagan, sweetheart, I’m going to open the door. I need to make sure you’re not leaning on it. Ben will kick my ass if I let you face plant on your wedding night, so step back, okay?”

They could hear the ruffle of material and what sounded like Reagan kicking a glass across the floor.

“Okay. I’m off the door. Get out here, you two love birds.” Grady opened the door and Reagan was standing in all her bride beauty. She’d let her hair down, or more likely it had fallen down, because Reagan knew how to have a party. Her hands on her hips, an open bottle of champagne tucked into a few fingers. Kate smiled and walked out of the room followed by Grady.

“You two,” Reagan said, swerving a bit and putting one arm around Grady’s waist and the other around Kate’s shoulders, “my best friend in the world, and you.” She looked at Grady. “You’re just a good guy, Grady. Kate tells me everything, and I mean everything.” She wriggled her eyebrows. “I have to tell you that—”

“All right, that’s about enough of that,” Kate gently guided her away from Grady. “I think we need to find Ben,” Kate said looking around for the happy groom.

“Okay, okay.” Reagan leaned in and whispered toward Grady. “She totally sleeps in your shirt. The one she took from your house. She’s never slept in anyone’s shirt.”

Grady laughed and Kate continued in vain to pull her away.

“Right? That’s huge,” Reagan continued. “She’s totally upside down for you, Grady, my friend.”

Kate couldn’t help it, she started laughing too, as the three of them made their way past the dance floor and over to Ben. He spotted them and was looking at Reagan the way he always did, with complete adoration.

Reagan kept talking and was now bopping to the Bruno Mars song the DJ had just started playing. She leaned into Grady one last time and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you,” she said, capturing him with her glittering eyes. “Thank you for finding her, my precious friend, and helping her to . . . ” Reagan’s eyes teared up and she held a hand to her chest.

They had reached Ben by this point, and Kate could only stand there and watch Reagan as she finished sharing her heart.

“Not that she wouldn’t have found her way out anyway, but I love you for helping her see, see herself the way the rest of us do again.” She hugged Grady and he hugged her back, his own eyes watering by this point, Kate could see. Not that he’d ever admit to it.

Ben shook Grady’s hand as his wife still hung onto their hug.

“She gets a little emotional when she drinks,” Ben said smiling.

“Nothing wrong with that. Congratulations, man.”

Reagan let go and moved to hugging Kate, who probably should have been embarrassed, but her friend was so beautiful in her honesty that Kate didn’t care. She was practicing not caring about stupid things lately. It felt good. The four of them hit the dance floor and closed down the party celebrating what Kate was certain would be the everlasting love story of Reagan and Ben.

Chapter Thirty-Two

K
ate’s eyes drifted closed on the way back to Grady’s house. He wanted her in his bed even more now that he knew she stole his shirts. Grady looked at the clock on the car dash. It was just after one in the morning. Having an inspired idea, he turned on Wall Street and headed toward the flower district. The parking lot was packed with grower trucks all unloading and setting up for tomorrow’s market. Grady undid his seatbelt, leaned over, and kissed Kate. She smiled, still sleepy, and then opened her eyes slowly, surprised to see they were not at his house. Kate pushed her hair off her face and leaned toward the car window to get a closer look. Grady got out of the car and walked around to open her door.

“Where are we?” Kate asked, still groggy as she accepted Grady’s hand out of the car. “Wait, is this the flower market? We . . . this isn’t open. How—? Who are all of these people?” Grady guided her toward the back door.

“They’re growers loading in for tomorrow’s market.” They reached the door and were greeted by a short balding man wearing a Bazooka Gum T-shirt and chewing on a cigar.

“Hey, hey, sorry guys, but this is loading time. The market don’t open to the public until five. Less of course you’re florists and then we . . . wait, Grady?”

Grady smiled. “Hey, Leo. I know it’s loading, but I was hoping to impress my girl here with some of my big-time connections. It’s all who you know in this town, you know?”

Leo transferred the cigar in his mouth to his two chubby fingers and laughed like it wasn’t the middle of the night. He gave Grady a hug complete with a hearty slap on the back. “How you been, brat? It’s been a while.”

“I’m good,” Grady said, taking Kate’s hand. She must have been tired, because she didn’t pull away. “We’re just coming home from a wedding and I was hoping to give Kate a behind-the-scenes tour.”

“Kate.” Leo stuck his cigar in the beanbag ashtray sitting on a metal stool next to the door. He brushed his hands on his jeans and then offered one up to Kate. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to our market.”

Kate shook his hand and smiled. “Thank you, Leo. It’s my pleasure as well. I’ve never been here at night.”

Leo ushered them in and stopped Grady.

“This one’s a keeper, eh?” he asked.

Grady laughed and nodded. “That she is. Have I ever brought anyone around to meet you?”

“Nope,” he said, picking up his cigar and taking a big puff.

“Then you’ve got it right. She’s the one. I love her something sick, Leo.” Kate turned from her spot up ahead and watched the two of them still talking.

“It was bound to happen to you, my boy,” Leo said laughing and patting Grady on the back. “Well, then, get in there and show her a good time. Rick has already arrived, so start with the orchids. Those are always a show.”