Chapter Fifteen
Josh
I wondered if Reagan would notice that I was wearing yet another a new suit. I’d gone back to the same shop and bought myself another one very similar to the last. Only this time both the tie and the suit were black. I hoped I hadn’t made the wrong decision. I looked in the mirror and decided that it looked good. I wondered what Reagan would be wearing. Would she in the same suits that I was used to seeing her wear around the office? Or would she wear something different?
I shook my head and told myself to stop thinking of her in that way. She might be beautiful, and she might be intriguing, but getting involved with her would be one of the worst things that I could do at the moment. She was there to help me get votes, and that was it. She didn’t like me in that way, and that was probably for the best. I thought about Kason’s warning and allowed it to simmer in my mind for a while. I figured I was only thinking this way because I hadn’t been with a woman in a few months. I missed the feel of their soft skin against mine. I’d been so busy with the campaign that it had been the last thing on my mind.
I had invited my cousin, Reed, to the event as I knew he was in the area. We didn’t speak all that much, but we’d always gotten along well. There was a time when we used to hang out often together, but life had gotten in the way, and we’d gone our separate ways. I spotted him sitting with his daughter and went over to say hello.
“Reed, it’s been too long!” I said and shook his hand.
“Hey, Josh, good to see you, man. Thanks for inviting us,” Reed said. It was good to see him again. Reed was one of five brothers, and he was definitely the black sheep of the family. The other brothers were all such confident guys, who liked nothing more than getting dirty. But Reed had always preferred spending his time with his books, and making sure he excelled in his studies. Also, he had become a father at a very young age, and life had taken a whole new turn when his wife had left him. I felt bad about not keeping in touch now.
“And thanks for coming. Oh wow, don’t tell me this is little Trinity, who is not so little anymore!” I looked at the beautiful young child next to him who was smiling up at me.
“I know! She’s growing so much. Trinity, this is my cousin Josh.”
“Hello,” she said shyly.
“I love your dress,” I said, and Reed shot me a grateful smile. Clearly her dress was very important to her.
Trinity perked up immediately. “You do?”
“Oh yeah, you look absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she said, and her shyness all but disappeared. “And my daddy says you are a very important man.”
“He did, huh?” I laughed and looked up at Reed. “Well, thank you. I sure hope so.”
“So, how’ve you been keeping?” I asked Reed.
He smiled, although it didn’t seem to match the look in his eyes. “Not bad. Not bad. Busy as usual.”
“Well, you are a neurosurgeon. I don’t think work is ever quiet for you. I don’t know how you do it sometimes. You’re so busy, and yet you still make time for you daughter. You’re the real hero around here.”
“Ah, she’s such an easy daughter to have. I’m lucky.”
We spoke for a while longer, and then excused myself when I saw Ralph walk in. Talking to Reed had made me feel very strange. He looked stressed, and I knew that his life wasn’t easy, but the moment he had spoken about his daughter, his eyes had lit up. I wondered what it was like to have a family. I’d been with a lot of women, but I had never been with anyone that had made me want a child.
I walked over to Ralph and said hello, and I was just about to talk to someone else when I saw Reagan walk in. This time she wasn’t wearing her usual work attire. She was dressed in a sleek black dress, with lace detail at the top. The dress was tight and elegant, but even though it covered her up, it still showed off her body. I gulped. I knew she was beautiful, but it had been much easier to ignore in her work clothes. I found myself unable to look away, and I suddenly felt like the only person that I wanted to talk to was her. I told the man next to me that I would be right back and headed straight toward her. But I was stopped short when I saw that Frank Hirshman had beaten me to it.
Frank Hirshman was my biggest competitor. If there was anyone that could beat me it was him. I had no idea that Reagan was so well acquainted with him. It was clear from their body language that they were not meeting for the first time. And it was even clearer that Frank seemed entranced by her. I had never seen a man so obviously infatuated with a woman before. Reagan, on the other hand, didn’t seem to notice it at all. I tried to shrug it off but I couldn’t deny the fact that seeing them together like that made me jealous. I realized that I didn’t want some other guy looking at her in that way. The jealousy that took over me took me by surprise. What was wrong with me? I didn’t like her in that way. Did I? Was I really just that blown away by the way she looked? I really needed to get laid, and I needed to do it soon.
I saw that Frank had moved away so I quickly walked over to her.
“Josh! Oh wow, you look amazing,” she said as her eyes trailed over my outfit. She seemed excited to see me, and as she smiled at me.
“Like the suit?”
“I love it. In fact . . .and I really hate to say this, but I think it’s better than the one I chose for you. Who picked it out for you?”
“I did,” I said and grinned.
“What? No way!”
“Hey, I’m not that bad, surely. I know a good suit when I see one.”
She laughed. “You sure there’s no geometric designs hidden on this one?”
“I wish!”
“Well, I have to hand it to you; you chose well.”
“I have you to thank. I know what to look for in a suit now. And . . . I know I’m not one to give you compliments . . . but damn, Reagan, you look amazing.”
She blushed. “I wasn’t sure what to wear. I haven’t been out much lately.”
“I doubt that. I’m actually surprised you were free tonight on such short notice. No boyfriend?” I tried to keep the question as casual as possible, but I had been curious about her relationship status since I had met her. I hadn’t seen a ring on her finger, but just because there was no ring didn’t mean there wasn’t someone in her life.
She shook her head. “No time for boyfriends. I’m too busy making sure that you get all the votes.”
“I’m glad to see you have your priorities straight,” I said.
“So, you doing a talk tonight?” she asked.
“I am. Thankfully this time it’s just a prepared speech. There aren’t going to be a million questions coming my way that I have to prepare for.”
“That’s a relief.”
I smiled at her. “It sure is. Oh, and I hear the food is going to be amazing. They got some new caterer in and apparently her stuff is to die for. So if you get bored, at least you know the food will be good.”
“Are you kidding me? I won’t get bored. I love this stuff.”
“You’re an unusual woman; you know that?”
“Unusual?” she asked. “Oh, you mean it’s unusual to find someone that enjoys your speeches. Yes, you’re right. That is unusual.”
I laughed. “You cut me deep, Reagan. You cut me deep. Anyway, I better go. I have to make my way around the room before the speeches.”
“Calm and charm,” she said.
I chuckled. “Calm and charm.”
The rest of the night went by well. It was a big crowd of people, and there were a lot of people to meet and greet. I went up to do my speech near the end of the night, and I felt confident with it. Like I’d said to Reagan, it was much better than the press conferences where I wasn’t sure what was going to come my way. This was all prepared, and easy for me to do without much thought. The room erupted in applause at the end of my speech, and I made my way off the stage. As I walked down the stairs, I noticed Reagan sitting in the corner and I walked up to her.
“You were great, Josh,” she said as she saw me. “Your speech was brilliant.”
“Thank you. Must be the suit,” I replied. “Want to go outside? I could use some fresh air. The lights up on stage were a little too much.”
“Sure,” she said and followed me out.
As we got outside, I breathed in the air around me and sighed.
“I’m so over it,” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“I think I’ve had my fair share of fake smiles for the night.”
“I thought you enjoyed it?” she asked.
“I do. I love it. But at the same time, I also find these things very exhausting. So many people to see, and everyone seems to ask me the same questions. Also, there are a lot of fake people in that room, and it can get to be a bit much. I have to bite my tongue from telling them what I really think of them sometimes. I think it went well, though, don’t you think?”
“I think you did a great job. You know what, Josh? I think you’re going to do great in the election. I honestly think that people love you.”
“What do you think about me?” I said suddenly.
She seemed taken aback by the question. “I think you’re great at what you do.”
“Hmm, that’s a very non-committal answer. What else do you think about me?”
“I think you wear amazing suits.”
“Anything else?” I said and grinned. “Don’t you at least find me charming?”
She shrugged. “Not really. You’re too cocky for my liking.”
“Oh yeah? Not even a little good looking?”
She pulled a face. “Not at all.”
“Is that so? Well, I happen to think that you’re incredibly beautiful.”
“Oh yeah? Well, you’re not,” she said. I noticed a small blush playing on her face, though, which only served to make her even more beautiful to me. Did she have any idea how attractive she was? I got the impression that she had no idea.
I laughed. “Any chance you want to get out of here? I don’t see any reason for us to go back in. It’s getting late, and we’ve done what we have to do. I could go for a strong cup of coffee, or a glass of wine. Either one will do.”
“Out of here? Where do you want to go?”
“How about my place? I have a great selection of both wine and coffee there.” I was almost certain that she was going to tell me to go to hell, but I figured it was worth the chance.
She looked like she was going to say no, but she surprised me by grinning back at me.
“A glass of wine would be amazing.”