Sativa Strain

by Alexi Venice

  The only other time her world felt this dark was when she had lost Jen. Jen! At least I sent the pic to Jen, so she won’t be pissed at me. My one and only. It would have been 10 times worse if I had sent the pic to Roxy, and Jen was seeing it for the first time.

  “The good news is that you have a few days before this goes public, so you have the opportunity to get out in front of it. I’d contact that media relations guy you used for your campaign—what’s his name—and work on messaging.”

  “Chance Greyson?” she mumbled into his chest.

  “Yeah. Him.”

  “That’s a really good idea. He might be able to help.”

  Tommy suddenly released her, grabbing her arms gently, but firmly, and pushed her back a step.

  “What?” she asked, confused.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m a man, and I can’t help seeing you in that pic while I’m hugging you. I need to break this off before I embarrass myself and possibly offend you.” As he spoke, he adjusted the waistband of his pants and quickly smoothed the front over his zipper.

  Amanda cleared her throat and felt her face flush with more embarrassment—if that were even possible. “Right. You are all man, aren’t you?” She smiled apologetically, cursing that fucking photo.

  “Can’t help it. Involuntary reaction to a beautiful woman who smells really good and has curves in all the right places.”

  She took a few steps back and turned her back to him, quickly walking to her desk. “Thank you, Tommy. For everything. I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”

  “Stop apologizing. I’m here for you, and I know you’d do the same for me. Let me know if I can do anything else.”

  She looked up from her chair and smiled, watching him go. God, he’s a good man. Always here for Jen and me, even though he really wants to get into our pants. Maybe I should’ve asked him to have a baby with me while we were hugging. He probably would’ve agreed—right here and now. Oh well, have to save it for another day. How can I possibly bring a baby into my crazy, fucking life, anyway?

  She looked down at her phone, the text from Roxy still on her screen. She replied in as formal a manner as possible, Thank you for your help. I appreciate the advice.

  Bubbles formed on Roxy’s side of the conversation, then her reply populated. I know how you feel. Operatives steal my phones all the time. In fact, I lost the phone I was using in San Francisco before I left. I’m sure an operative nicked it. No worries though. No personal info on there. If you’re wondering, I gave Tommy my new number. We’ve stayed in touch.

  Amanda thought about Roxy’s stolen phone for a second. Amanda’s contact info had been on there. So, how did Roxy just text me? Maybe she memorized my phone number. What had Jen called her? The Scottish Savant? I should get a new phone, she thought.

  Amanda heard her assistant, Mel, say hi to Tommy in a flirtatious tone. Please don’t flirt with my young assistant, Tommy. And, pretty please, don’t sleep with her.

  Then it occurred to Amanda that she needed to ask Mel, and others in the office, about the envelope that had made its way to her chair. Who dropped it off? Her mind turned to all the security cameras they have, and she wondered if they captured anyone on video.

  She popped out of her chair and rushed to Mel’s cubicle, breaking up Tommy’s spiel about how good the restaurants were in his Italian neighborhood. “Excuse me for interrupting,” Amanda said, looking from Tommy to Melanie, “but did you see anyone set an envelope on my chair today, Mel?”

  “On your chair?” Mel asked. “No. I thought I was the only one who set stuff on your chair.”

  “This manila envelope was on my chair when I returned to my office about an hour ago,” Amanda said.

  “Hmm. That was when I was on break. When I returned to my desk, I had a pile of mail on my chair, too. I assume the mail cart guy came by and dropped it off.”

  Tommy and Amanda looked at each other. “I’ll follow up with the mailroom,” he said. “The way they push the carts around the building, with files of mail propped up and our names written on them, someone could’ve easily dropped the envelope into the file with your name on it while the courier was away from his cart, dropping mail in an office.”

  “Did I do something wrong again?” Mel asked, her doe-like eyes searching Tommy and Amanda’s faces.

  “Of course not,” Amanda said. “You’re good. The mail courier must’ve gone directly into my office. Next time you see him or her, Mel, could you remind them that they’re supposed to give my mail to you? Not go in my office? Got that?”

  “Absolutely. No prob. There are a lot of rules around here, aren’t there?”

  “There are. Didn’t your supervisor go over all of this with you?”

  “Yes. I think so. Well, nothing about the evidence stickers, and she didn’t specifically mention that a mail courier might go into your office while I was on break, but she did say that I was to sort and open your mail for you. Do you still want me to do that?”

  “Yes. I hate to say, ‘don’t allow anyone in my office unless I’m in there,’ but for the time-being, let’s make that a new rule, huh?”

  “Except for me.” Tommy winked at Mel.

  “Right. Especially not Tommy,” Amanda said.

  “Now I’m really confused,” Melanie said.

  “I’m just messin’ with you,” Tommy said.

  Amanda gave him a stern look. “Thanks for following up, Tommy. We’ll see you later.”

  He registered her warning and left.

  Chapter 22

  San Francisco

  Steam billowed out of Amanda’s ears, as she stewed in the back seat on her commute from the Hall to her house in Sea Cliff. My body plastered all over the Internet and not a fucking thing I can do about it! She needed to exercise but didn’t have time. That mother-fucker dictator. I’d ring his neck myself if I could get my hands on him.

  Unfortunately, they were due at her parents’ house in an hour, and she had to pack a bag before Jen and Kristin arrived to pick her up. It was their big overnight at Jack and Chloe’s house with Nate and Heidi and their kids.

  Amanda stared out the window, watching the stream of buildings go by.

  “Care to talk about it?” Frank asked.

  She snapped out of her anger and met his eyes in the rearview mirror. “That bad, huh?”

  “I can see the fury in your eyes,” he said.

  “Geez. I’m going to have to work on my game face around you.” A sarcastic laugh bubbled up. “None other than Yon Song-Muk stole my burner phone and hacked it. There was a nude pic of me on there that I sexted to Jen over a month ago.”

  He nodded.

  “So, Song-Muk is trying to blackmail me for one-hundred grand.”

  “You’re not going to pay, are you?”

  “Of course not. I’m just pissed that my nude pic is going to become public.”

  “Is the pose dirty?” he asked.

  “No. Just all of me.”

  “Flattering?” he asked.

  “I’ve been told,” she said, noticing that his train of thought was tracking both Tommy and Navarro’s.

  “Then you have nothing to worry about. Ironically, men will respect you more, and women—not all of them—will be secretly impressed that you had the guts to sext your lover.”

  “You’re full of shit!”

  “I’m a lifelong observer of human behavior, and I know how men think. Trust me, with your looks, men have been imagining what you look like naked for a long time. Once they actually see you, you might be surprised that they’ll be even kinder and more respectful. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but we revere the female body, even if it’s on a subconscious level. Do we objectify women? Hell yes. But, with an accomplished, smart woman like you—who’s off limits because you play for the other team—men will revere you even more. They always want what they can’t have. I know you don’t believe me, but I guarantee that’s what will happen.”

  She inclined her head and stared
at him, wondering if he was putting her on. “Yes, I’m sure Judge Grady will be duly impressed.”

  “He’s a man under that robe. Don’t believe for a second that he’s above thinking like a man. After your photo becomes public, you’ll know what I’m talking about. You’ll come away from a meeting some day and remember this conversation.”

  “Okay, Frank. If you say so. It’s going to happen anyway, so we might as well make the best of it.”

  “That’s the attitude. Do you have a communication plan in place with Chance Greyson?”

  How does Frank know all this stuff? “Someone else suggested that I call him too. I’m going to do that right now.”

  “Good move.”

  She removed her phone and hit the contact for Chance.

  He picked it up on the second ring. “Hi Amanda.”

  “How are you?” she asked.

  “Busy. Although something tells me you knew I was going to have my hands full if I represented Kara Montiago. Maybe someday we can have a drink and talk about it.”

  “Maybe,” she said noncommittally. “I’m actually calling because I need your services.”

  “How can I help?”

  She explained the mess she was in and wasn’t surprised that his analysis was the same as Tommy, Navarro and Frank’s. “It’s comforting to hear that the men in my life are all processing this the same way.”

  “There are a couple of steps we should take,” he said. “Any possibility you can marry Jen before this goes public next week?”

  She laughed. “No. I doubt Jen would agree to a ceremony at City Hall for PR purposes.”

  “Okay. Then I’ll need some professional engagement photos of the two of you. I’ll contact my photographer and get those scheduled right away. Are you doing anything this weekend?”

  “We’re busy. How about Monday?”

  “That will be cutting it close, but I can work with that. We’ll want several outdoorsy pics with you two flaunting your engagement rings.”

  “I know just the place. Casual dress?”

  “Yes. New pair of jeans and comfy shirts with down vests. The wholesome look.”

  “Jen specializes in that look,” she said.

  “For this photo session, you’re going to as well,” he said. “In addition, I’ll craft a statement we can release. You’re not giving any interviews. Those wouldn’t play well. We’ll just release a statement that the image was private and intended for only your fiancée, but was stolen off your phone—”

  “A burner phone.”

  “We’re not going to talk about a burner phone. That sounds suspicious—like ‘why would you need a burner? People use those for nefarious activities.’ We’ll just say, ‘phone.’”

  “Okay. I’m glad you’re in charge of this.”

  “Me too. You’re going to survive this, Amanda. Let’s just hope there’s a bigger news story the same day this breaks, so your situation gets pushed down in the news feed.”

  “Amen.”

  “Is there anyone you need to forewarn? If so, you need to do that in person in anticipation of the release. Or, if you’d rather keep a lid on it—just in case it doesn’t go public—then arrange to talk to anyone who should know as soon as the photo goes public?”

  “Absolutely. There are a few people I can inform now. On the other hand, if it doesn’t go public, there are a few people I’d rather not tell—like Mayor Woo. Being the penultimate politician, I’m sure he’ll condemn me for this—”

  “I wouldn’t worry about his judgment. He’s not well-liked.”

  “He was just re-elected!”

  “Barely. His numbers were way down, and he’s not exactly a barometer of public opinion—on anything, for that matter. The guy is a bureaucratic twit, and everyone knows it. He just happens to make a good mayor.”

  “If you say so. In any event, he’s one of several I’ll need to see in person when the pic goes public.”

  “Does Jen know about this?”

  “Not yet. I’ll tell her tonight.”

  “We might want her to give an interview a few days after the pic hits the Internet, especially if it gets traction in the media. Let’s wait and see.”

  “Why her and not me?”

  “She’s your one-and-only. If she verbalizes that she trusts you, then the public will trust you. She has a very credible presence on TV. Your polling numbers soared every time she appeared on TV supporting you.”

  “Hmm. Good to know.” Amanda envisioned marrying Jen as soon as possible.

  “Listen, I have to go. Let’s stay in touch this weekend. I’ll text you the details about the photographer.”

  “Sounds great. Thanks Chance.”

  “Here we are,” Frank said, pulling into her driveway at Sea Cliff. “Will you be needing me anymore tonight?”

  “No, thanks. Jen and Kristin are coming to get me. We’re going down to my parents’ house for the night.”

  “Sounds like fun. I’ll wait to hear from you about Monday morning.”

  “Thanks for your advice. Have a great weekend.” She got out of the car and took the keys from him.

  She entered her once-vibrant house and found Zumba at the sliding door. She let him in and fed him, then shooed him back out, so he wouldn’t be stuck in her house until late Saturday. “I know our new routine sucks, buddy, but soon you’ll be able to play over in the Sunset District. How does that sound?”

  He swished a defiant tail at her, signaling that he was the king of this neighborhood and preferred to stay. Thank you very much for thinking of me though.

  She ran upstairs and shed her work clothes for a ridiculously tight pair of new jeans that were faded light in the front, dark on the sides, and light in the back. They even had crinkle lines at the pockets and knees. She pulled a tight, ribbed tank on and added a loose, billowy shirt. Nope. That didn’t feel right. She swapped it for a scoop-neck sweater that would suit the cool evening outdoors at Jack and Chloe’s. No sooner had she packed her overnight bag than she heard the doorbell ring. Oh yeah. Jen returned her key to me. Well, actually threw it at me during her rage.

  She ran down the stairs and opened the front door to Jen and Kristin.

  “Mommy!” Kristin exclaimed.

  “Baby!” Amanda said, bending over and picking her up. She snuggled Kristin close while searching for comfort and love in Jen’s eyes.

  Without hesitation, Jen leaned in and kissed her. “How was work today?”

  I can download my nightmare later. Don’t spoil the moment. “Fine. We can talk about it later. How was your day?”

  “Busy but good. Ready to go?”

  “All set. My overnight bag is in the kitchen.”

  As soon as Amanda and Kristin reached the kitchen island, Kristin said, “Home.” She wiggled out of Amanda’s arms and hit the floor running. They watched in amusement as Kristin circled the kitchen island then ran through the living room, screaming and flailing her arms.

  “I had no idea,” Jen said, covering her mouth with her hand.

  “Me either,” Amanda said. “Guess she liked living here.”

  Jen’s eyes found Amanda’s, and Amanda could’ve sworn that Jen was on the verge of suggesting she and Kristin move back in, but she just smiled and kissed the side of Amanda’s head. “We should get moving. We don’t want to be late for dinner.”

  “Yeah. I’m sure Jack and Chloe are over-the-moon excited to have all of us together. We’re going to pop the roof off their house with kid noise. Come on, little girl,” Amanda said, clapping her hands. “Let’s go to grandma and grandpa’s house!”

  They made good time down the Peninsula, Amanda choosing not to tell Jen about the blackmail scheme yet.

  As soon as Jen, Amanda and Kristin rolled into the Hawthorne driveway, Jack came out to greet them.

  “He must’ve been keeping a lookout for us.” Amanda hopped out of the car and unbuckled Kristin from her car seat.

  “Hello ladies!” Jack said with a broad smile. “
How’s my granddaughter?”

  Amanda set Kristin down, and she bolted into Jack’s waiting arms.

  “I love how she’s so excited to see him,” Jen said to Amanda as she came around from the driver’s side. “Hi, Jack. How are you?”

  “Great, Jen. So good to see you.” He kissed both Kristin and Jen on their cheeks.

  “That’s quite the house you remodeled for Amanda,” Jen said.

  “Thank you. We’ve had so much fun, and we’re almost done. I think we’re ready for her to buy it from us.”

  Amanda hadn’t had time to bring Jack and Chloe up to speed on her proposal to Jen, and their decision to move in together, so she jumped in. “Good news, Daddy. Last night, Jen and I decided to get married, move in together, and buy the house together.”

  “Terrific!” he exclaimed. “Welcome to the family, Jen. And, can I say, ‘It’s about time!’ Have you two set a date yet?”

  “Ah, no, but we’re working on it,” Amanda said.

  “I’m so happy for you. That house is the perfect size for you and has a sizeable yard for Kristin to play in.” His eyes drifted down to Jen’s hand where her new ring was sparkling. “Is that an engagement ring?”

  Jen looked down as if she had forgotten it was there. “Yes. Amanda gave it to me last night. Isn’t it beautiful?”

  Jack took Jen’s hand and admired it. “Very. Congratulations!”

  “Thanks Daddy. We can’t wait to move into our new house,” Amanda said.

  Jen shot Amanda a look that conveyed she knew full well they were getting the ‘family discount’ on this incredibly expensive house that she couldn’t afford on her own. His tone sounded so innocent, giving the impression they were doing an arm’s-length transaction, if not for the fact that she sensed Jack had already settled on a number with Amanda that coincidentally would be very affordable. Neither had even mentioned a purchase price!

  Amanda gave Jen a smile full of love and happiness.

  “Let’s go inside and tell the others,” Jack said. Without further ado, he turned with Kristin in his arms and went inside ahead of them.

  Amanda noticed Nate and Heidi’s minivan parked in the driveway. She wasn’t surprised they got here first, because they lived close by.