by Vivian Wood
“You can leave everything to us, Elijah. Don’t worry too much. Get some rest. You’re looking a bit pale,” Lea said, looking worried.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yep! I'll call you if we need anything,” she answered. He shot her a grateful smile.
Relieved, he headed back to his room, fully intending to get some sleep. Everything had been so hectic lately, and he'd been getting less sleep than normal.
But when he passed by Meredith's room, he was knocking on her door before he could reconsider what a terrible idea this was. He just wanted to see her face. When the door swung open moments later, he found himself stunned into silence.
Meredith was wearing a pink tank top and denim shorts. She wasn't wearing any makeup, and she looked like she'd just finished drying her hair. Even like this, he found her incredibly beautiful.
“Hi,” he said stiffly, feeling awkward.
They hadn't talked since that night – he'd suspected she'd been avoiding him. He felt like a giant asshole for the way he'd treated her.
“Hi,” she answered, lowering her head as her cheeks grew tomato red.
“Do you want to get something to eat?” he asked, thinking he could have done better than that.
She blinked.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said hesitantly.
“Relax. Everyone will come with us. It'll be a group outing,” he responded, disappointed by this turn of events. He hadn't really thought this through at all. And of course he wanted to be alone with her. But he didn't have a choice.
Being seen alone together would only prompt rumors.
“Fine,” she said, then shut the door in his face. Well, at least she'd agreed, so that was something at least.
Heading down to the hotel lobby, Elijah called Sosie and instructed her to make the necessary arrangements. Sosie sounded irritated, but did as he asked.
It didn't take long before everyone was gathered in the lobby. Meredith was now wearing a pair of jeans and a white shirt, but she still looked stunning as usual. Sosie was running late, and texted him to say to go ahead without her, but to save her a seat next to him.
The only place able to accommodate their group on such short notice was more casual than he'd had in mind, serving mostly fried foods and cheap beer. No one seemed to mind though, and Eli was more than happy to sit next to Meredith.
When the food was served, he thought Meredith would politely decline. But to his surprise, she was one of the first to dig in.
“Sorry I'm late you guys,” he heard Sosie say behind him. “I had some things to wrap up,” she added, trying to pull up a chair between him and Meredith.
It didn't escape Eli's notice when Sosie grimaced after seeing the assortment of fried foods on the table. Like Meredith, Sosie came from an obscenely wealthy family. But she was acting like she'd rather drop dead than eat any of this food.
“I never thought you'd like this kind of food, Miss Fields,” Sosie said in a loud voice, drawing everyone's attention to Meredith.
“Oh? How come?” Meredith asked cautiously.
“Because you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth,” Sosie said, and everyone stopped to stare. “I just assumed you only ate foods prepared by your own personal chef.”
Meredith blushed furiously. She looked flustered and humiliated. She'd been working hard to keep a low profile from the start. He knew she never mentioned her family or anything about her background if she could help it.
“Of course not,” Meredith answered cheerfully, putting a smile on her face, but he could tell it was forced.
“Really?”
“How rich?”
“How come you never mentioned anything?”
“Tell us about it!”
Everyone flooded Meredith with questions. As expected, Sosie appeared to be the only one enjoying this. It looked like a deliberate attempt to put Meredith on edge.
“Come on everyone, let's talk about something else. Meredith's personal life is her own business,” he said.
He didn't like the way Sosie was acting. And he especially didn't like it when he saw tears in Meredith's eyes.
Everyone resumed eating and soon things reverted back to the relaxed atmosphere they'd been enjoying before Sosie had joined them.
Eli was distracted when Sosie clapped her hands, gathering the attention of the crowd once more. She looked happy, but waited until the table was silent before she spoke.
“I’ve got good news!” she exclaimed.
He didn't know what she was about to say, but he had a feeling it wasn't anything truly important. But Sosie loved making a big deal out of everything.
“What is it?” Ava asked.
“Eli's leading the polls! Isn't it great?” she said, throwing her arms around him as everyone clapped.
Everyone stopped when Miriam made a “pffft” sound.
“What’s wrong?” Meredith asked.
“Everybody knew that Mr. Scott was leading in the polls. He’s got the highest approval ratings, you know. I thought it was something better,” Miriam answered.
“Like what?” Sosie questioned.
“Like, you know… You two, finally getting together,” said David from the far end of the table that made everybody oooh and aaaahh.
Especially flattered, Sosie tightened her arms around his neck, squirming closer to him as if there was really something going on between them. But Elijah’s eyes were glued to Meredith, who didn't say a word, but lowered her head instead.
“Come on, guys. It's not like that,” Sosie said. “Eli and I are just friends,” she added before leaning in closer.
He wanted to pull away from her and tell everyone she was full of shit. But he didn't want her to lose face. And if he denied everything, he knew it would just lead to more gossip and rumors.
Looking at Sosie, he saw her glaring at Meredith. It was incredibly absurd and childish.
After a few minutes later, Meredith and everyone else called it a night, saying they were going back to the hotel to finish some work. But he knew the truth.
By now they were reporting to their editors about him supposedly dating his campaign manager.
When he was alone with Sosie, he said, “What the hell is all this about?”
Her eyes narrowed. He knew she was doing it on purpose.
“You know damn well what this is all about, Elijah. Despite me telling you to stay away from her, you've been flirting with Meredith Fields. And maybe even more than flirting,” she said accusingly.
“I have not been flirting with her, okay?” he said.
She rolled her eyes. “I'm not an idiot, Elijah. But clearly you are. I'm firing her first thing in the morning,” she said.
“You can’t do that,” Elijah murmured, his hands clenching into fists.
“Actually, as your campaign manager, I can. A big part of my job is making sure you keep the squeaky clean image that's going to get you elected. No more jailbait, no more temptation,” she said in a mocking tone.
“No!” he said firmly, a little too loud, which startled Sosie into silence.
It took her a couple of moments to react. But her expression remained shocked and confused.
“I was right. You like her,” Sosie concluded as tears welled in her eyes.
She was hurt.
But there was no point in trying to reason with her. He knew she'd never hear him out.
“Meredith will stay. Her father is too important. We can’t fire her,” he said, not even bothering to deny Sosie’s accusation.
She eyed him angrily. She knew he was right. It was the very same thing she'd told him from the start.
It was impossible to fire Meredith Fields.
“I promise. I’ll stay away,” he said, raising his hands in the air, to end the conversation.
He hoped he could keep that promise.
But he seriously doubted it.
Chapter Nineteen
When they got to Arizona,
only a few people decided to go horseback riding. Meredith hadn't been on a horse in years but she went along with Miriam, Ava, David and a few more people from the team – and Elijah.
After the humiliating encounters Sosie had been putting her through, she felt more than a little relieved when the woman stayed behind, saying she disliked horses.
As they rode uphill, she took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air for the first time in a long time.
Meredith felt like she was back on vacation as she looked at the green fields. It was a refreshing view since all she had seen these past weeks were skyscrapers and endless highways.
When she got to a split path with several directions to choose from, Meredith selected the one that seemed to lead to the woods, nudging her horse. She didn’t know Elijah followed her as the others went down other paths.
Closing her eyes, she relaxed, feeling the summer breeze touching her face. She felt so good she wished she could stay like that forever.
“So, you’ve been horseback riding before?” she heard Elijah’s familiar voice ask from behind her. She maneuvered the ropes and nudged her horse with her feet to make it turn in his direction.
She looked around to see if anyone else was with them.
But there was no one else.
They were alone together – again.
“Just a few times,” she answered with a shrug. “When I was in high school, my dad usually took me and my sister for lessons whenever he had the time.”
“You must have been so happy,” he said softly, the words barely escaping his mouth.
She frowned.
“Why do you say that?” she asked.
“Money's never been an issue for you. What it’s like to lead such a life?” he asked, which made her chuckle a little.
She knew that's what they all thought. That just because she was born rich, she was happy. But that was far from reality.
All of her family's wealth couldn't buy them happiness.
It had been obvious to Meredith since she was a little girl that her parents weren't in love with each other. Their relationship was one of convenience and companionship. If they loved each other, it was only because they'd been together for more than two decades.
“I don't think there's a way to answer that question. All I know is that I'm thankful for the life I've been able to lead,” she stated plainly, hoping she didn't sound like she was boasting.
They fell into a comfortable silence as they rode beside a stream, stopping occasionally to let their horses drink and graze. She thought she'd ask him about his personal life as well.
“What about you? It's not like you're hurting for money these days,” she said.
Elijah smirked.
“I joined the military for a variety of reasons, one of the main ones being that they'd pay for college. After I got out, I worked as a military contractor. And then I became politically active, and the rest is history, or at least I'm hoping it'll be,” he said with a grin. She sensed he was holding something back though.
“What was the main reason you joined the Navy?” she asked out of curiosity.
He fell silent, his eyes looking at the far horizon.
“I lost several of my friends during 9/11, and I couldn't just do nothing,” he murmured.
She was speechless. She couldn't even imagine how hard it must have been for him. Her heart went out to him.
When Elijah noticed her silence, he prodded his horse, cantering off to the end of the stream where an old tree stood strong. He got off his horse to let it drink and she followed him, doing the same thing.
But being the clumsy girl that she was, she lost her balance as she tried to remove her feet from the saddle. She closed her eyes when she realized she was falling, uttering a silent prayer that she wouldn’t get heavily injured.
They were almost halfway through the campaign, and she couldn’t afford to back out at a time like this. As much as she hated to admit it, she was starting to enjoy the pressures of her job.
Meredith held her breath as she waited for her body to land on the hard ground. But she landed on something else. When she opened her eyes, she met Elijah’s gaze, looking down at her with a concerned expression.
He'd caught her.
“Are you okay?” he asked worriedly.
She nodded in response, feeling like a thorn was stuck in her throat. Her eyes continued to look deep into his grey ones, where she found herself at peace. And the warmth coming from his embrace made her feel like she was at home.
She held her breath when his arms tightened around her waist, pulling her closer to his body.
When Elijah leaned in, she closed her eyes as their lips touched. It was a tender kiss – slow, soft and not at all demanding. They were taking their time, enjoying each other, as if they had all the time in the world.
Meredith felt lightheaded when he deepened the kiss, his tongue probing her mouth. And she obliged, letting their tongues dance together.
She moaned sexily, wanting far more than just a kiss.
But Elijah pulled away. He looked dazed as he helped her get back on her feet.
“I can’t do this,” he mumbled helplessly.
“I know,” she said and nodded. She understood his point, and she knew all too well it would be impossible.
Feeling ashamed of herself, she got back on her horse and made sure everything was fine. She nudged the stallion to turn about when Elijah spoke.
“I’m so sorry, Meredith. If it wasn’t for the election… Maybe…” he muttered softly.
Without a word, she maneuvered her horse and let it run back to the path they took earlier.
Maybe… Just maybe…
Chapter Twenty
The campaign bus was in the middle of the road. They were on the second leg of the campaign, and Eli was more distracted than ever. Lately it seemed like he was constantly angry or upset. And it wasn't a good thing.
Sosie had been nagging at him endlessly, and it was making him angrier each time she laid into him.
He was going mad.
After making a few calls to donors, he decided to call Henry. He wasn't sure if asking his friend for advice would be a good thing or not. But at least he'd be able to vent a little.
He was distracted and bothered because of her.
It was all because of her.He dialed Henry’s number, and it only took a few seconds before he answered.
“Hey, Eli. What’s up?” Henry greeted him, holding a slice of pizza in his left hand.
He sighed.
“I’m in trouble,” he grunted.
“What? Why?”
“There’s this woman–“
“Whoa! Woman! That’s big trouble, man,” Henry cut him off, then chuckled before biting his pizza.
“It is,” he agreed, rolling his eyes.
“So is she hot?” Henry asked.
“That’s not the point – but of course she is. So fucking hot, I can’t get her off my damned mind,” he murmured as pictures of Meredith flashed in his mind. And he groaned when the memory of them making out replayed in his brain.
Henry laughed heartily, annoying the hell out of him.
“You’re talking about the blonde from the party, right? Go on, tell me,” Henry urged him after taking gulping down some water.
Eli paused, not knowing where to start his story.
“Okay, we’ve talked and she was so different. The girls I’ve dated in the past were nothing like her. She was someone I never expected to meet. She was just… beautiful. Inside and out,” he stated. He didn’t even know if it made any sense. All he knew was that he was having a hard time to explain how and why he'd ended up like this.
“How far have you gone with her?” Henry asked, his tone serious. But his eyebrows wiggled mischievously.
“To bed,” he answered shortly.
“Oh, that’s fast. Why are you even telling me this? You already slept with her,” Henry grunted, rolling his eyes.
“I haven't. I me
an, yes, we made out. But I stopped. Nothing happened. We did not have sex,” he spoke, emphasizing each word as it left his mouth.
“What?!”
“She’s a fucking virgin! How could I?” he retorted while gritting his teeth.
“And she was willing to give it to you?” Henry asked with amusement.
“Look, this isn’t funny.”
“I thought you were trying to stay single?” he questioned with a smirk on his face.
“I was! And I still am,” he answered in a low voice. “I have a lot of stuff going on. But it’s getting harder to focus with her around.”
Henry laughed again like he was watching a comedy.
“What’s so funny, you idiot?” he asked angrily.
“Man, you’re acting like a man who has found love, but is too stupid to know what to do with it.”
Elijah froze. What? Him? In love?
He shook his head. Yes, he was attracted to Meredith but falling in love with her was something else entirely. He wasn't even sure what falling in love meant. And it was just…
Impossible…
“I barely know her,” he found himself mumbling. Was he trying to convince himself? Or Henry?“I’m just calling it like the way I see it,” the man answered with a grin plastered on his face. He looked like he was about to say something more.
But Elijah was too flustered by his friend's offhand comment to continue the conversation. Maybe he just needed to organize his thoughts. And maybe...
Just maybe…
“I’ll see you the next time I'm home,” he said, pressing the end call button.
Maybe he really had fallen in love with Meredith Fields.
Chapter Twenty-One
During yet another press briefing, Meredith was finding it difficult, if not impossible to concentrate. Seeing her name on bylines had made this all worth it.
It was an accomplishment she could be proud of, something she'd earned on her own merits. She was ecstatic.
She felt terrific!
Elijah was fielding questions now from the crowd. Periodically she would look up from her articles to find him looking directly at her.