Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
By design, this gathering was intended to be a closed-door, somewhat secret, and very private meeting where the Democrats and Avery ironed out their agreement to move him forward in the Senate race.
Based on everything said, the Democratic Party seemed clear: they had found their man in Avery. His preliminary acceptance and approval ratings were high. With a small amount of tweaking and a large amount of prepping, he should be a shoo-in. Yet, this was the part of politics he hated the most. The almost manipulative calculating, poll numbers on every type of survey known to man, the studies of household voting practices…God, Avery hated those the most!
For Avery, this was all major boring bullshit. He'd pushed up his shirt sleeves, loosened his tie, and poured himself a double Chivas, which he'd refilled once already. His legs were crossed, the heels of his dress shoes on the table, and he leaned as far back as the squeakless chair would go, resting his head on the headrest.
Avery kept his eyes on the speaker. One of his best lessons from law school was how to stare someone in the eye, let them believe you were truly listening to them, and tune them out completely. It was exactly what he was doing right now because his mind kept straying back to how sexy Kane was when he danced, and how he'd had to leave his warm inviting bed, with Kane wrapped around him, to come to this stupid meeting.
Kane had agreed to come back to his place tonight after work. Avery took nothing for granted where Kane was concerned and would ask to make sure Kane came back every night. He'd never just come on his own. Avery mentally frowned and then wondered if the look had crossed his face as the speaker faltered in his lecture. He couldn't help the facial faux pas, every time he thought about Brian showing up at Kane's place, completely unannounced, it thoroughly pissed him off.
Brian begging for a second chance had taken some of the wind out of his sails. Avery had pretty much convinced himself that he and Kane were a love-at-first-sight kind of couple. They were soul mates finally reconnected. Something made in the movies, most definitely a happily ever after. But Brian messed that up a little for him. He had longevity, where Avery only had a few days, and nothing really talked through between him and Kane. Not only was nothing talked through, they also had this monumental Senate race looming over them that Avery hadn't mentioned one word about. Quiet, reserved Kane Dalton, who was shunned by his family for being gay, wasn't just going to easily jump on board with this.
"If you can tell by this graph, we have isolated the problem areas here in green. We have hired Mr. Freeport here. He's a top campaign manager, his last four campaigns have won their districts, and if you stay on the plan we've outlined, you should have an easy landslide victory."
Avery continued to stare at the speaker, barely hearing anything he said until he realized all eyes were on him. He had to tick back in his head to remember the last thing said. With no luck, he chided himself. He was usually far better and much craftier at hiding the fact he ignored people. Damn! So, instead of answering, he paused a moment, biting at his thumbnail. If he moved forward with this campaign, he'd have to be careful with Kane. Public opinion was still very clear on its perceptions of homosexuality. Would Kane hide? Did he even want to hide Kane? No, he didn't, not at all. He was too proud of having finally found him.
Then how would a run affect Kane? Would it negatively impact La Bella Luna? Probably and no way Kane would take money from him. Kane wouldn't even allow Avery to pay for his dinner or drinks at night anymore. Kane's whole life was wrapped up in that restaurant.
"I've met someone," Avery blurted out. The silent stares changed from ones of thought to ones of surprise. His mother cocked her perfectly arched brow at him. He resisted the smile. He knew her thoughts were more directed toward wondering why this was the first time she had heard this. He shrugged at her.
"What exactly does that mean, Mr. Adams?" Dennis Joslin asked. "Like a someone to date? That's fine, actually even better. We can school her, fill her in, get her moving in the right direction." Avery's stare turned hard. Did he truly plan to do this? It was one thing to fantasize he'd met his mate, but another altogether different thing to truly tie himself to that person.
Avery knew the deal, understood the United States, and knew no one was ready for an openly gay political leader. What he did behind closed doors was fine, but he also didn't want to hide Kane. Under deep rejection, Kane still owned who he was as a person, even though his religious beliefs didn't always leave him comfortable with himself. As every day passed, Avery began to understand Kane thought his homosexuality was a sin. To ask Kane to hide would just make all that so much worse and unfair to both of them and their relationship.
Avery needed to talk to Kane.
"Excuse me for a minute," Avery said, dropping his feet to the floor, and abruptly standing. He walked straight out the conference room door without any explanation. He made a beeline for his office, absently slamming the door shut behind him. He didn't bother with taking a seat at his desk, he was too wound up. Instead, he reached over, picked up the phone, and dialed Kane's direct office line. He prayed he'd answer.
"La Bella Luna, can I help you?" Just the sound of Kane's voice calmed Avery.
"How are you today?" Avery asked. It wasn't the real question, but still something he wanted to know.
"I'm good, how are you?" Kane asked, and he could hear the smile in Kane's voice. He got it, he was smiling too.