“Sounds perfect. Friday it is,” Brady said. Heather turned to leave, but Brady stopped her. “And hey, Heather…”

“Yes?”

“Thanks for all of your hard work.”

“Wouldn’t have done it for anyone else,” she said sincerely before departing.

Brady sighed and walked away from the crowd, hoping to find a moment of peace. He pulled out his phone, glad that he had a new number that wasn’t tapped…yet. He understood that people wanted to get dirt on him, but the never-ending cycle of new numbers was exhausting.

Not that he could ever let on that anything exhausted him. Some days everything did. He had followed in his father’s footsteps, and they were big shoes to fill. At least Brady believed that he could do it. He had been one of those kids who, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, had answered without pause, “The President of the United States.” That dream had never faded, and luck seemed to be on his side.

He was counting on that luck to get him through this election. He just hadn’t anticipated Liz. She was the one game piece that didn’t fall into place. Yet for some goddamn reason he couldn’t get her out of his head.

Brady entered the empty lounge and took a seat on a brown cushioned chair. He leaned forward with his arms resting on his legs. He had about fifteen minutes until he got up onstage before all of his supporters, staff, and press. He wanted those fifteen minutes to be peaceful, because he knew the rest of the night…the rest of the campaign would be without a moment of peace.

He typed in Liz’s number by heart; he’d had too many phone changes not to know it.

Hey, are you in the crowd?

Liz’s response was almost immediate. Yes, I’m here with my boss.

Brady frowned. Her boss. He was sure she didn’t mean the professor who had given her the research assistant position, which meant she was here…at his event…with that douche bag.

Brady clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, trying not to let his anger overpower him. He knew he wasn’t giving her what she wanted, but he couldn’t do anything about it right now.

And then the fact that she had run to someone else…just infuriated him. She said that it wasn’t like that, but still. Despite it all, he still wanted to be with her. He still really wanted to give her what she asked of him.

I have some time and wanted to see you.

Heather will flip her shit if she saw me. I don’t want to get you in any sort of trouble. This is a big day for you.

He wished he could tell her what he was really thinking—that he wished she were the woman he was walking out on that podium with, that he wanted her to stand by his side, that he loved her. But he couldn’t promise her things that he couldn’t give her. He couldn’t give her false hope for a life he couldn’t offer her right now. He was a man of the state, and he couldn’t just…fall in love. Not like this. Not on the campaign, when every little thing that came out could damage his career.

Relationships were about compromise, and he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t compromise his ideals, the campaign, or the country for anyone…not even Liz. Not even if he wanted to…

At least you’ll be out in the crowd. I’ll find you from the stage.

I think it’ll be really hard for you to find me. I’m with the press. You have your work cut out for you.

Airplanes, baby. I’ll find you.

Brady waited for her response, knowing that the time was ticking away faster than he would have liked. He was ready for his speech, ready to move forward. But sitting here chatting with Liz made him want time to stand still.

That was how he always felt with her. Time couldn’t move slowly enough. She was always just out of his grasp.

I have no doubts that you’ll find me. I’ll always be your airplane, but no hyperventilating onstage.

Always. Brady shook his head at that word. Always was a long time. He couldn’t give her always yet.

It’s going to be a busy campaign…

He didn’t even know why he had sent her that. Did he just want to instigate this conversation? He couldn’t help pressing her buttons and seeing how far he could push her. She always rebounded, but how long could he keep it up? She wasn’t completely elastic. There was some part of her that would crack and break if he pushed too hard.

So why was he even testing it? He needed her.

I know, Brady. I’m well aware.

You know this can’t be anything else right now. Just don’t forget, okay?

God! Why was he torturing her? How many times had he repeated that they couldn’t be together? He couldn’t seem to convince himself, so he felt the need to beat the words into her instead. Whatever he might want, he couldn’t have it until he saw the campaign through to the end.

Who are you trying to convince, Brady? You have a speech to give…I should probably let you go.

Brady felt as if she had just hung up on him, yet they weren’t even on the phone. He slid his phone back in his pocket and ground his teeth in frustration. That goddamn woman!

He wanted to make things right, but everything he did made it worse. Why had he fallen for her? Why couldn’t their relationship just have stayed exactly what it was when they started? Brady had met his match.

He would have to tell her. Tonight. He would tell her that he loved her, that he should have told her a long time ago, that once the campaign was over, he would give her what she wanted. He had been denying himself that long enough. He needed her to know. Once this was all said and done, he wanted to give her the world and more. He would set it right.

Yeah. It would have to be tonight after the primary. She would need to know. He would make her understand.

The door to the room creaked open and Elliott’s head appeared in the doorway. “Brady, it’s about that time.”

“Thanks.”

“Are you going to be able to recover?” Elliott asked him, moving into the room and shutting the door.

“Recover from what?” Brady asked, standing and straightening out his suit. He’d had someone pick him out a new one for the occasion, and after he had gotten it tailored, the thing fit perfectly. “I just won the primary.”

“As your lawyer, I should tell you that ditching your reporter would be in your best interest.” Brady narrowed his eyes. “Yes, I know she’s in the crowd. Yes, I know that you’ve still been seeing and talking to her.”

“What’s your point, Elliott?” he asked. His voice had a steely edge to it.

“As your friend, I’m sorry that you have such poor timing. I know you wouldn’t put your career at risk for just anyone,” Elliott said, walking over to Brady. They had known each other a very long time. “What is it about her?”

“I don’t want to have this conversation right now,” Brady said sternly. He couldn’t think about Liz after the abrupt end to their conversation. “I have a campaign to win.”

Brady brushed past Elliott and walked to the door.

“You really do love her, don’t you?” Elliott asked when Brady reached for the door handle.

“Frankly, it doesn’t matter at this point,” Brady said, before swinging the door open and exiting.

Brady walked back toward the stage, knowing his time was almost up. Campaign staffers and friends patted his shoulder and congratulated him as he walked by. He forced on what Liz called his campaign mask and accepted all of their praise with poise and charm.

His family was waiting for him at the stage. His father looked happy. Brady knew that his father had always wanted him to enter politics. Brady had practically been bred for it. He was achieving what his father had always hoped for his son.

His father’s arm was sitting loosely around his mother’s waist. She had short blond hair styled into a bob. She had frequently been compared to Jackie O for her style, beauty, and intelligence. She smiled warmly at her son, a proud gleam in her eye.

Clay and Savannah stood side by side wearing drastically different expressions. Clay, as usual, looked bored and as if he would prefer to be anywhere else. Brady didn’t even know why Clay even still showed up to events for him. The longer Clay was around Brady, the less pleasant he became. Savannah, however, was bursting with energy. He and Savannah had always gotten along better than he did with Clay. She was excited for him, and Brady could tell she wanted to crush him with hugs, but she was restraining herself.

That was all any of this was. It was one big game of restraint. No one could be too happy or too sad or too mad. Any of that could be caught on camera and look negative on the campaign. He would play the game and get what he wanted. He knew the costs.

“We’re so proud of you, honey,” Brady’s mother said, walking out of his father’s arms and moving forward to straighten his suit.

“Thanks, Mom,” he said, looking down at her petite form. She had on a navy-blue skirt suit with a white blouse underneath her blazer. She had on makeup ready enough for the camera crew and bright stage lights, but Brady knew that his mother was beautiful without any of it.

“Not to jinx you, but you’re going to win this race,” she said with a wink before stepping back.

“Are you ready, son?” Brady’s father asked.

“Yes, sir,” he responded immediately.

“Then I think it’s time.”

Brady nodded before turning around and walking to the entrance to the stage. He watched Heather walk up to the podium. She was a natural in front of an audience, and he knew that no matter where he went in his career she would follow him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for attending this party for State Senator Brady Maxwell III,” Heather began her speech.

The crowd boomed.

“He’s very pleased to be here with you all tonight. We’re all very happy to announce that Senator Maxwell has won your nomination to the House of Representatives and will be fighting for your vote at the general election in November.”

Brady smiled at her enthusiasm. She had this audience so easily. They were here for him. These were the people who believed in him. It was going to be a close race on Election Day, but the people surrounding him were going to help him get there.

“Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to the man who won your vote, State Senator Brady Maxwell.”

That was his cue.

Brady took a deep breath and steeled himself for what he was about to do. He had made hundreds of speeches and he would do thousands more before he was done with his career. The stage was his battleground, and he was ready to fight to win this election.

He stepped out on the stage, into the blaring lights and flashing cameras. The crowd of supporters cheered, and he could hear his name rising from all sides.

Max-well. Max-well. Max-well.

The room was a collage of red, white, and blue. People were holding VOTE FOR MAXWELL signs and waving the signature Stars and Stripes. His logo was plastered everywhere on banners, balloons, T-shirts, and the projection screen on the wall.

Brady’s heart contracted as he realized that all of this was because people believed in his plans. He let himself feel that for a second before resuming his confident stride to the podium. He smiled at the crowd, knowing that hundreds of pictures were capturing his every move.

As he stood and waited for the crowd to quiet down, his eyes searched out Liz. He wanted to find her and somehow convey to her across this distance everything he was feeling. She read him so easily, but he wasn’t sure whether she would understand when he gave his next speech.

Brady searched through the reporters at the center of the room, and his smile widened when he found Liz. She looked gorgeous in a dark pantsuit and heels with her blond hair hanging long over her shoulders. His eyes shifted to the person next to her, and it took everything Brady had not glare. The guy, Hayden, was talking directly into Liz’s ear over the deafening noise while his hand rested on her arm. And Brady couldn’t. even. react.

Liz shifted marginally away from Hayden and smiled up at Brady. Her hands moved to a long necklace dangling down past her breasts. His locket.

What is she thinking? Brady wondered.

“Thank you. Thank you,” Brady said, raising his hands and attempting to quiet down the crowd. After another minute, the noise had died down enough for him to begin.

“Thank you all so much for coming out to my nomination party. Who would have guessed four years ago that I would be up for nomination for the House of Representatives? I’m humbled and honored that so many people believe in the vision I set forth when I started campaigning for office. It’s been a tough road already on the campaign trail, but I never once doubted that y’all would get me here.”