Struck from the Record (36 page)
“Senator Maxwell, you’ve had tremendous luck in your previous elections. What prompted this decision when you’ve barely won the last two elections?”
“Barely won is still winning, George,” Senator Maxwell said with a smirk. “But on a more serious note—I chose this race not for me, but for the people of North Carolina. I’m not running with any selfish motivation. I know what is needed to help the people here succeed and what they need in their daily lives. This is a fight worth fighting, and I intend to give it my all.”
“Senator, can you give us insight into how you plan on beating the incumbent representative?” a tall librarian-type butted in.
“We haven’t talked strategy just yet, Sheila, but I think North Carolina can do better than what he’s offering, and I’m the man for the job,” he spoke confidently.
A commanding man in a faded button-down with his shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows chimed in next. “Senator Maxwell, your past opponents have already brought up the fact that your youth contributes to the image of your inexperience. What do you have to say to that?”
The Senator chuckled softly into the microphone before looking back up at the crowd of reporters. “I’m twenty-seven, ladies and gentlemen. The Constitution of the United States says that a member of the House of Representatives must be at least twenty-five years old. If the Founders of our great country believed that a twenty-five-year-old could get the job done, why don’t my opponents?”
“But don’t you think it will be a hindrance to your campaign?” someone shouted over the crowd.
The Senator shook his head. He had clearly been prepped for this question. “Not at all. I know North Carolina. I’ve seen my own father work for the people and my mother work for the people and now I want to. How about we take one more,” he said, cutting off the reporter and staring out at the crowd.
Liz shot her hand up in the air, pushing past another reporter in her haste. She
wanted
this question. She wanted to prove herself to Hayden and to herself.
“You there.” Brady pointed into the audience. “An unfamiliar face with a familiar logo. I’d be happy to take a question from my alma mater. It’s good to see them in the house.”
Oh my God.
Liz stared up at Senator Maxwell and saw that he was pointing right at her.
“Uh,” she stuttered hesitated on her beginning. Why was she blanking on the questions she had planned to ask him? She had practiced for hours, and now standing there with the opportunity she was losing it all.
She locked eyes with Brady across the room and felt the heat of his gaze run through her body. She cleared her throat uncomfortably. She needed to get it together. She was a reporter, after all, and this was her job. He was handsome, but just a job.
Liz straightened considerably and met Brady’s gaze head-on. She wouldn’t back down from a challenge. “Senator Maxwell, during your time in Raleigh you consistently voted to cut education funding in the name of balancing the budget. Yet you’ve also voted to allow some of your biggest donors to avoid paying corporate taxes on their various business ventures. Can you please comment on how this helps better the lives of all North Carolinians, which you’ve repeatedly stated is your primary reason for entering this race?”
Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath waiting for his response. Questions from the college newspapers were typically light and fluffy. Politicians chose them because it looked good on paper to include them. College reporters weren’t supposed to ask a question that hit that close to home.
Liz could feel eyes judging and assessing her from all sides.
Had she really thrown his entire speech back in his face? Staring into those eyes, she felt a jolt of electricity course through her body. It was as if they were the only two people in the room in that moment. She held that gaze like a pro and watched as he changed his appraisal of her.
“That’s an excellent question. It was painful for me to have to do that knowing how closely linked I am to higher education, but other aspects of the bill were unacceptable to me. I couldn’t fully support the bill with those parts still in it,” he stated.
Liz narrowed her eyes as he stealthily evaded her question, not even touching on the tax cut component. He really was a natural.
“Thank y’all for coming out and I’m sure I will see y’all again on the campaign trail.”
He waved at the reporters, ending the press conference. Several people shouted at him for one more, but he never stopped his purposeful stride offstage.
Liz couldn’t believe that had just happened. She had asked a hard-hitting question at her first press conference and alienated a sitting politician. She thought she might throw up any second.
Hayden reached forward and turned the Record button off. “Fucking amazing, Liz,” he cried. He threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. She folded into his chest. Any other day she might have reveled in the embrace, but she couldn’t get Brady Maxwell III’s eyes out of her head.
“Did you see his face?” Hayden asked. “You stumped him. He didn’t see that question coming at all. This is going to be an incredible article.”
Liz smiled weakly, and tried to push down the rising taste of bile in her throat.
“Liz, are you going to be okay?” Hayden asked, holding her arms and looking into her blue eyes. “You look kind of sick.”
“I feel a little sick,” she admitted.
“Well, you have no reason to. Calm down. That was great. I’m so glad you came with me!” He released her and slung his messenger bag on his shoulder.
They got halfway across the room when Calleigh Hollingsworth headed them off. “What a question!” she said. “I knew Lane would pick the right person. I never saw Camille stump a politician.”
Calleigh Hollingsworth was complimenting her. She might die.
“Oh, I don’t think I actually stumped him.”
“He hesitated, honey. That’s enough for me,” Calleigh told her before shifting her attention back to Hayden. “Some other reporters are coming with me to get a drink. I’ve already told them you’re coming with and they’re excited to meet you.”
“I’m really not up for it, Calleigh. We have to get this story out,” he offered.
“No way. Unacceptable, Lane. I’ll see you tonight. Liz, you are more than welcome, of course,” she said politely.
Liz looked at Hayden expectantly. She wouldn’t mind mingling with other reporters, but if they needed to work on the story she would go back with him. “What do you want to do?”
He shrugged, clearly preferring to leave.
“You’re not even running the story until Monday,” Calleigh told him stubbornly. She placed her hand on her hip and sat into the movement. “Come out and play. You’re too uptight.”
“All right. If Liz wants to go, then I’m game. Otherwise I’ll just drive home and work on the piece.”
“Liz?” Calleigh asked pleading with her big green eyes.
“Uh . . . yeah. Sounds like fun.”
“Great! I’ll text you the details, Lane, and see you later,” she said, waggling her fingers at him as she departed.
Hayden sighed and readjusted his bag on his shoulder. “I guess we’re going out.”
“Sorry,” Liz said. She followed him out the door.
“Don’t be. It wasn’t likely that I would have been able to get out of it anyway. At least I have company now.” Liz smiled, butterflies jumping around in her stomach. “Do you want to go get dinner? It’ll probably still be a few hours before they go out.”
“Uh . . . yeah, sure,” she said. Was he asking her out?
“Cool.” They walked into the half-full parking lot and veered toward his black Audi. Liz took a seat as Hayden popped the trunk open and deposited his equipment before opening the door and sliding onto the leather seat.
“Do you have a preference for dinner? I’m really craving Italian.”
“Fine with me,” she agreed easily. She didn’t know how to judge the situation.
It didn’t help that her mind was still captured by the Senator. The way his eyes found her in the crowd, the tone of his deep, husky voice, the borderline arrogance in his every movement was so . . . appealing in a way she had never even known before. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been attracted to a bad boy in the past, and that was exactly what Maxwell portrayed under that charm, but she didn’t know whether he really was that bad boy underneath the image of the upright senator.
It was a paradox she wanted reconciled. Who exactly was Brady Maxwell?
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I want to thank my husband, Joel. Despite himself, he loved Clay and truly helped me mold and shape this character. Without him, I might have gone crazy through this entire process. I’m very grateful to have someone so understanding of my career and the men that I create. Also, for taking care of the cutest puppies in the world when I was engrossed in this story.
This book wasn’t created in a vacuum nor did it get into readers’ hands without the assistance of a group of incredible women. Thank you Rebecca Kimmerling and Katie Miller, who read this book chapter by chapter throughout the entire process. I appreciate all the late nights, the brainstorming sessions, the message after message after message during rewrites and edits, and the continual joy and appreciation for the project. Thank you Polly Matthews for loving my bad boy, even when you didn’t think you would, and for giving me your particularly picky input on my guy. My wonderful beta readers—Holly Malgieri and Autumn Review—I couldn’t have done this without you! Christy Peckham and Anjee Sapp, I appreciate you giving me another set of eyes and always supporting me!
Thank you for the tireless support of my agent, Kimberly Brower. You helped mold this book, even through the self-publishing process. I appreciate all the content edits, early morning breakfast conversations about marketing, and the innumerable emails back and forth to make sure this was right. Danielle Sanchez, the queen of PR! You know I’ve gone through hell and back with publicity, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have your beautiful face working with me on this project!
To all of the advocates for this book behind the scenes—Jovana Shirley at Unforeseen Editing for editing and formatting (thank you for being so flexible!!!), Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations for the wonderful design that held true to the originals and yet breathed life into the series, Lauren Perry at Perrywinkle Photography for the amazing work with the model for this book and your incredibly wonderful heart! Also, my Linde #squad girls who championed this book from the start! I couldn’t have done it without you guys!
And, of course, my readers! Thank you to everyone who read and loved the Record series. Thank you for giving Clay a chance even though he isn’t Brady and, as you just read…never
wanted
to be Brady. I love you all so much and hope that you’ll stick around and read Savannah’s story,
Broken Record
!
About the Author
K.A. Linde is the
USA Today
bestselling author of more than fifteen novels including the Avoiding series and the Record series. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is the current head coach of the Duke University dance team. She currently lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with her husband and two super adorable puppies.
K.A. Linde loves to hear from her readers!
You can contact her at
[email protected]
or visit her online at one of the following sites:
www.facebook.com/authorkalinde
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Struck from the Record
Broken Record
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