Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
“Thank God.”
“Beau! I’m so glad you’re here,” a statuesque blonde called as she glided forward. She leaned forward to kiss Beau on the lips as if this were her normal way of greeting him.
Without hesitating, Beau turned his head to deflect her, and she left a smudge of lipstick on his cheek. “I’ve asked you before not to kiss me, Rachel.”
“Oh, don’t be a spoilsport,” she teased. “Oh, you’ve got a little…” Rachel leaned forward to take care of the smudge.
“I’ve got it,” Beau assured her, taking a step back as he pulled a pristine handkerchief out of his pocket. “Sorry, Maisie. Would you help?”
Without saying a word, Maisie accepted the cloth and wiped his cheek clean. Folding the handkerchief, she handed it back to him.
“Thank you.”
Looking at the blonde, Beau commented, “Excuse us, Rachel. I see someone I need to talk to over there.”
“You could need to talk to me,” she said quietly, leaning in to invite him to do the same. Maisie fumed as the aggressive woman attempted to monopolize Beau.
“I think your husband is wondering where you are. Have a wonderful evening.”
With those words, Beau steered Maisie away. “Sorry. She’s a handful. Her husband is known for having affairs with his interns. Rachel cheats on him in return.”
“And they stay married?” Maisie asked as they approached a friendly looking group.
“Yes,” Beau answered her privately before introducing her to the group.
Maisie felt the pride in his voice as he used her title each time. Everyone greeted her warmly. She could tell they thought a lot of Beau and anyone he would choose for a fiancée automatically was accepted as someone worthy of their attention.
Forcing herself not to dwell on the differences between her upbringing and that of these movers and shakers in the Washington elite, she relaxed as the evening continued. Many were genuinely kind and thoughtful people who were attending tonight with a goal of making the difference for someone who needed it.
At the end of the night as they stood waiting for their car to be brought around, Beau looked at his phone and frowned. He shook his head slightly and tucked his phone away.
“Is everything okay?” Maisie asked.
“It will be. Let me explain in a few minutes.”
Maisie allowed him to help her into her seat and breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed. She wasn’t used to being around an enormous crowd of people. It was very disconcerting.
Beau climbed into the back seat next to her and his driver merged smoothly into the sea of vehicles all leaving the gathering at the same time. Wrapping his hand around her thigh, he squeezed gently. “You were wonderful.”
“I didn’t scratch that woman’s eyes out,” Maisie celebrated.
“You did not. Thank you. Rachel Morgan is not worth your efforts.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk about anyone in that kind of tone. Well, maybe that bitch Miranda, who still thinks we’re in high school.”
“I try to find something good in everyone. With some people it’s easy.” He squeezed her leg again. “Thankfully, others know how she and her husband are. Her husband isn’t doing well in the polls. I suspect he’ll lose the next election.”
“Is a Senate race just a popularity contest?”
“Being seen as a genuine person who wants to make a difference and lives life with values is reassuring to most voters. On the other hand, it takes some aggressive moves to shake up the status quo in Washington if you want something to change quickly. Or you can work on an initiative over time and slowly change minds to support you.”
“I don’t see you bashing people over the head with truths they don’t want to hear,” Maisie said perceptively.
“Not my style.”
“What was the phone message?”
“My parents. It seems that a number of people sent a picture of us to my parents with their congratulations.”
“You hadn’t told them you were asking me to marry you?” she said, trying to keep the sadness from her voice.
“Oh, no. I’ve been telling them you would be my wife since third grade,” Beau confessed.
“No! Really?” she squeaked.
“It took a month or so for me to know I was making a good choice for such a big decision. I was definitely all in by September of our third-grade year.”
“We started school in August back then.”
“That’s what I said, about a month and I was sure.”
“I loved our group. Amber, Harper, you, and Colt. It didn’t matter to any of you that I didn’t have the cute, in-style clothes, or even a pencil,” Maisie said, blinking back the tears from her eyes.
“We all had plenty to share. Mr. Chamberlain always had supplies, too,” Beau remembered.
“You gave me your favorite blue pencil,” Maisie said and felt a tear slide down her cheek. She tried to wipe it away without him noticing.
“You took perfect care of it. You didn’t gnaw on it or anything like Colt did when he borrowed one,” Beau said to lighten the mood. He moved closer to put his arm around her.