“It is,” she called out.
He laughed, not really a real laugh. “You know, I’m feeling so good. I’m going to tell you something that I’ve never told anyone. Do you want to know why those Pesky Penguins are penguins and not, say, toucans or parakeets or some other bird?”
A buzz started in the audience. To be the first to know! A Washingtonian’s dream.
“Yes? Well then, it was all because I had a crush on a pretty American girl who’d come over to Finland as part of an exchange program. She made me take her to the zoo, and went on and on about the penguins. She knew so much about them! She was so impressed by how clever they were, and how committed to each other. They mate for life, you know. But one thing she was not impressed by was me.”
“I was a bit of a—how do you say?—slacker, right? A lazy-ass. And she had plans, and dreams, and well, you know how it goes.”
“But I never forgot her, or her blasted penguins. And when we needed a cute but not-too-cute animal to boomerang all over creation, what did I come up with? You guessed it. And have you guessed the girl, as well? Senator Lindell, what do you say?”
Heads swiveled, looking for the petite senator. The spotlight found her by the time she was in the front of the room. Beaming that TV-melting smile, she stepped onto the stage and gave Beau a big politico hug. Then she took the microphone.
Edmondsson had gone still, a deer frozen in the social headlights. Sadie’s eyes were wide. The senator nodded to them both.
“Beau, Beau, Beau. What can I say? I was blind.” She mimed a face palm, and the crowd chuckled. “If only all our unrequited loves could grow into such successes, we would never need bailouts.” Half the crowd tittered.
“But I do love penguins, and I’ve been a longtime supporter of the Foundation. In fact, my fiancée, Sadie, works for them. Don’t you, dear?”
May could not believe her ears. The Senator had outed herself, here?
The room went silent as if no one else could believe it, either. Then phones started snapping out of pockets and purses as people rushed to be the first to get this bombshell out. The Senator took a shell-shocked Sadie by the hands and kissed her briefly on the lips. At least two dozen camera flashes went off.
The Senator led Sadie off the stage, front, and people started crowding around them. Beau clicked the mic off. He stepped forward to hand it to Edmondsson, but the other man turned and stalked off. Beau shrugged.
“He wanted some publicity, didn’t he?”
May wanted to jump up and down, and then realized she was already, and stopped.
“That story about the penguins and the senator, that’s not really true, is it?”
“You doubt a well-told story? Sure, it’s true. I tried cranes first, because of my name, you know, but they bombed in the focus groups. But everybody loved the penguins.”
“Lucky break for them.”
“And for me.”
“And for me.” May followed him off the stage, suddenly shy. “Can I apply for the job, then?”
“Which job?”
“Whatever you call it. Media specialist.”
“Sure. Just send a letter and your c.v. to my assistant.”
“Your assistant? When I have your own email address?”
“That address is only for people seeking the other open position.” He leaned in and whispered, “You might consider applying for that one, as well.”
May smiled to herself. “Personal assistant?”
“Partner.”
Her heart swelled, but her head shut it down. “We’re so far apart.”
“We’ll be together for the expedition. If we can figure out how to survive that, we can figure out anything.”
He had a point. And he had her heart, as well as her hand, warm in his. May suddenly remembered the boulder that had been on top of her heart. It wasn’t there anymore.
The man beside her waited, his attention wholly on her. She luxuriated in it. She could get used to this. “Then I’ll do it.”
“Excellent. Now let’s go somewhere we can really dance.” He started for the stairs, but she pulled him to a stop.
“Just a minute.” May stepped from the stair to the stage again, looking for Sadie. The couple had made it only as far as the middle of the room. Sadie was smiling, but her eyes were suspiciously shimmery, too.
“All’s well?”
“Perfect.”
****
Seven months later
“Take a look at this.” Sadie pushed the tablet into Jane’s hand, not the one waving the toast over the countertop but the clean one.
“Another video? If it’s not Senate business I have no time for it. And this marmalade sucks.”
“Three minutes. And the marmalade is same as ever. It’s early menopause that sucks, sweetie.”
“Marmalade’s easier to change,” the Senator said, pressing the sound up on the tablet with a somewhat sticky finger.
“May Reed here, live at Penguin Station One. Coming up today, more fun with baby penguins, growing up so fast. But first, I’d like to welcome a very special guest: expedition leader Beau Kurck.”
The Senator frowned. “She’s such a doll. But why is Beau so antsy?”
“Just wait. It gets better.” Sadie wiped at the edge of the tablet with a dishrag. The Senator waved her away, intent on the screen.
“We’ve been out here for months and chatted to everybody else on the team. But you, Mr. Kurck, have been camera-shy up ’til now. What made you change your mind?”
“You did, May. No, really. That threat to never speak to me again was quite the weapon.”
Sadie pushed into Jane’s side, trying to share her perch on the stool.
“You’ve seen it.” The Senator pushed back.
“So have a half-million people, in just the first three hours.”
“You didn’t take me seriously? We’re all here in a little cabin in the snow, you know.”
“I did indeed. And I found it unacceptable.”
“He fired her?”
“Wait for it.”
“May Reed, the thought of not hearing your voice, not feeling your touch—even if it’s through four layers of Thermacloth—is untenable. You must remedy this.”
“I take it back.”
“Not good enough. Marry me.”
The last bite of toast hit the floor, marmalade-side down, of course. “He didn’t,” the Senator said.
“He did.” Though her hand stretched out, Sadie did not bend down to pick up the toast. Thirty more seconds wouldn’t cause any more harm. “Had me rushing around to get the ring resized and shipped out in Thursday’s packet. His mother’s ring.”
“How did you have it?”
“The man plans ahead; you know that. I think he measured May’s finger while she was sleeping.”
“May? Stop it, please. You’re not supposed to cry. People are watching. Don’t. I take it back.”
“Don’t you dare take it back. Lunk-head.”
“Does that mean yes?”
“Yes, yes. Now find me a tissue.”
The senator couldn’t hold back her smile. Wrapping an arm around Sadie, she squeezed tight. “So, you got your viral video.” Her voice was gruff.
“And no penguins were harmed.”
The End
www.nickypenttila.com
Other Books by Nicky Penttila:
A Note of Scandal
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High Scandal by D.C. Stone
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Evernight Publishing
www.evernightpublishing.com
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Babysitting the Billionaire Page 9