Solid Foundation (By Design Book 3)

by J. A. Armstrong

  SOLID FOUNDATION

  By Design Series Episode Three

  J.A. Armstrong

  Text © Copyright 2015 J.A. Armstrong Books

  All Rights Reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced without permission.

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter One

  “Well, Daryl...I would have to say that Senator Fletcher is the logical choice for the Democratic candidate. New York loves her.”

  “I agree with you. She is extremely popular in the party. But, the question is; how will that play out for them down the line? She is out in front by twenty points in early polls for the governorship. You have to think that the party will want more from her sometime in the future. But, why would she leave Washington? One would think that she could position herself just as well from her current position in the Senate where she has considerable influence.”

  “There could be personal reasons,” the female pundit offered.

  “And those personal reasons could be a hindrance down the line for Senator Fletcher and the party.”

  Candace grimaced and clicked off the television.

  “Candy,” Dana called gently. “No one in the party believes that.”

  “Yes, they do,” Candace laughed. “And, they would be right.”

  “Look, I’ve heard all of your arguments. I have. I just don’t understand this hesitancy of yours. J.D. supports you. The party wants you. Christ, Candy; the people want you to run,” Dana said.

  Candace flopped into her office chair and sighed. “I know.”

  “All right? We’ve been going round and round this for months.”

  Candace looked at her friend. “I promised the president I would give the party my decision by April 1st.”

  “That’s less than a month away,” Dana observed.

  “I know.”

  “Candy? Look, I know you think we are all pushing you.”

  “You are.”

  “You’ve worked your entire career to be in this position. I don’t get it. I’m sorry, but I don’t. J.D. will be thrilled for you. She’s proud of you; you know?”

  Candace smiled. “I know.”

  “You seem to be saying that a lot. For a woman who is so in the know, you certainly are indecisive.”

  “I guess that is true,” Candace laughed. “I promised to make a decision and I will.”

  “Will you..”

  “When I know; you’ll know,” Candace said. She closed the laptop on her desk, packed it in her briefcase, and made her way to the coat rack in her office. “Now, I am heading home for five days. Away for this chaos.”

  “You know, if you were governor, you would be in New York most of the time. Close to home. Close to Shell. Close to J..”

  “I know,” Candace laughed. “Someone paying you under the table?”

  “No,” Dana answered. “I just want you to be happy.”

  Candace paused in the doorway of her office. “I don’t need to be governor to be happy, Dana.”

  Dana nodded. “I know.”

  Candace shook her head. “I’ll see you on Wednesday morning.

  “You will. Any big plans?” Dana wondered.

  “No. No plans at all, and that is exactly what I need.”

  ***

  Candace drove down the winding driveway that led to her house, thankful to be home. She needed to escape Washington. She needed to escape politics. She needed to be Candy, not Senator Fletcher, not potential candidate Candace Fletcher. Candace’s time of waffling, debating, protesting, and avoiding making any career decision was coming to an end. She’d attempted to sift through her reservations quietly. She’d discussed the pros and cons with her lover and her family. She’d listened to the pitches and arguments of her colleagues. She’d paid attention to the fervor of the pundits. No amount of time, reasoning, listening, or debating seemed to have brought Candace any closer to a resolution. For a moment, she would think she had come to a decision only to change her mind the next day. Right now, she needed to step away from it all. Perhaps she was grasping at straws, but she hoped a quiet weekend would put life in the proper perspective.

  Candace looked up toward the house and her heart stopped. She could see Jameson’s father, Duncan standing on the roof. He was looking up and Candace followed his line of sight through the branches of a large oak tree that hung over the house. What was he looking at? Jameson? What was Jameson doing in the tree? Candace had learned to deal with Jameson’s acrobatics. She’d seen Jameson on ladders, the roof, and crawling into tiny spaces countless times over the course of the last year. It was part of who Jameson was. Candace had learned that while Jameson Reid was a talented architect, there was nothing her lover enjoyed more than construction. Jameson like working with her hands. That thought would have brought a smile to Candace’s lips normally. Jameson above the roof in a tree produced a different reaction.

  “What in God’s name are you doing?” Candace called out as she exited her car hurriedly. Jameson and Duncan both looked down at the senator as she approached.

  “Hey!” Jameson called out excitedly. “You’re home early!”

  “And, you are in a tree!”

  “Can’t fool you,” Jameson tried to joke.

  “What are you doing in a tree? Get down from there!” Candace said a bit harshly.

  Jameson was puzzled. She looked at her father who conveyed his silent advice to comply with the demand. Jameson moved down through a couple of branches and hopped back onto the roof. She turned for her father to unclip her safety harness and swiftly made her way down a ladder to the ground. Candace was walking toward her quickly.

  “What are you doing home?” Jameson asked. She looked at Candace, who was shaking. “Hey…What’s wrong?”

  “What the hell were you doing?” Candace asked.

  “In the tree?”

  “Yes, Jameson; in the tree,” Candace answered.

  Jameson looked at Candace with curious concern. Candace was afraid. Jameson had only seen that look in the senator’s eyes once in over a year. “Candace,” Jameson said softly. She took Candace into her arms. “What’s going on? I’m fine, honey.” Jameson could feel Candace trembling. “Hey. I was perfectly safe; I promise.”

  Candace stepped back and gathered herself. “I’m sorry, Jameson.”

  “Why? For worrying?”

  “For overreacting. I just…I didn’t expect to see you in a tree.”

  Jameson chuckled and finally felt Candace relax. “Well, I didn’t expect to see you home. What are you doing home so early? Not that I am not happy to see you.”

  “Sometimes, you just have to hit pause,” Candace said.

  “Needed the break, huh?”

  “Needed to be home,” Candace answered.

  “We were close to finishing for the day. Give me about an hour to get this mess cleaned up,” Jameson offered.

  “The yard doesn’t look too bad,” Candace replied.

  “I meant me,” Jameson said with a kiss to Candace’s cheek.

  “You don’t look so bad either; now that you are on the ground.”

  Jameson laughed. “Go get settled. Pearl will be glad to see you,” she said before kissing Candace softly. “I’m happy that you are home.”

  “Me too,” Candace agreed. She waved to Duncan and headed for the house. Jameson watched as Candace walked through the door.

  “Everything okay?” Duncan asked as he approached his daughter. Jameson just shook her head. “J.D.?”

  “No, everything is
definitely not okay.”

  “She mad?”

  “No. It’s not that. She’s home early. She’s on edge. Something is on her mind,” Jameson observed. She turned and looked at her father.

  “J.D., you were pretty high up in that tree. I have to say if I didn’t expect to see that; it might have knocked a couple of years off my life too.”

  Jameson sighed. “Yeah, I know. It’s not just that, though. I could hear it in her voice last night on the phone.”

  “Work?” Duncan guessed.

  “Partly.”

  “The kids?”

  Jameson laughed. For once, all seemed quiet on the family front. “No. Everything has been pretty quiet with the three of them for a bit; which I am thankful for.” Duncan looked at his daughter curiously. “It’s this governor thing. I’m sure of it.”

  “Think she is going to do it?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Does she want to?” he wondered.

  “I don’t know,” Jameson answered honestly. “I think sometimes she does and sometimes she doesn’t. Something keeps holding her back.”

  “Any idea?”

  “Yeah, I have a pretty good idea,” Jameson admitted. “I just haven’t figured out what to do about it yet.

  “Why do I get the feeling that is not entirely true?” her father asked knowingly.

  Jameson huffed. “All right, maybe I do have an idea. I just hope I’m not left hanging in that tree when I share it with her.”

  Duncan grasped his daughter’s shoulder. “Based on the look I saw on her face? I’d say your tree swinging days are over.”

  Jameson laughed. “I hope you are right, Dad.”

  ***

  “Well, look what the cat dragged in!” Pearl greeted Candace. Candace sighed and plopped into a kitchen chair. “You feeling okay?” Pearl asked. “You look a little pale.”

  “Mm. I think I just lost five years off of my life.”

  “You lost me.”

  Candace raised a brow. “Jameson missed her calling.”

  “Still lost.”

  “She should have joined the circus or maybe taken up residence in a zoo,” Candace said. Pearl waited for the explanation. “She was up in that damned oak tree when I pulled in the driveway.”

  “You know her, she can’t help herself,” Pearl laughed. “She’s careful, and besides, Duncan would never let anything happen to her.”

  “I know. It still makes me nervous,” Candace confessed. Pearl studied Candace closely. Candace looked tired. Pearl couldn’t help but chuckle when the senator bent over and lifted the small black cat at her feet into her lap. “I thought you were going to keep an eye on her for me,” Candace scolded Jinx.

  “You should be thankful he isn’t,” Pearl said. “Last time Jinx got in the mix of Jameson’s climbing she ended up bleeding on the floor.”

  Candace looked at the cat. “That is true, you know?” She put Jinx back on the floor and looked at Pearl. “It’s just; it’s so risky.”

  “Are we talking about Jameson’s climbing?” Pearl asked. Candace groaned. “That’s what I thought,” Pearl said. “All right, Candy; let’s have it.”

  “I promised a decision by the first of the month.”

  “About whether or not you’ll launch a campaign?” Pearl guessed.

  “Yes.”

  Pearl took a deep breath and considered her response. “I think you should do it; if that matters.”

  Candace was stunned. Pearl seldom offered an opinion about Candace’s career choices, wisdom yes, motherly guidance yes; a point blank assessment? No. “You do?”

  “Yes. I do.”

  “Why?” Candace asked.

  “You want to,” Pearl saw Candace opening her mouth to speak. “Oh, I’ve heard it all. I know you, Candy. Better than anyone, except maybe Jameson,” Pearl added. Candace smiled. “You spent your life listening to your Granddad. You loved it; all the people, all the debate. You loved it when you were ten and you never outgrew it.”

  “Things aren’t like they were when I was ten,” Candace noted.

  “Nope. Sure aren’t.”

  “It could get…Pearl, it could get ugly at points. You know how the press can be. You know how the trail can be. I haven’t had a target on my back for a while in an election. Believing I will win will only make them come at me harder this time.”

  “I’m sure that’s true. What exactly do you think the target will be or should I guess?” Pearl asked. Candace shook her head. “I’ve heard them chatting away too. So, let them chat, Candy. The kids are with you. Jameson will be all right. She’s tougher than you give her credit for.”

  “It’s not just that,” Candace said. She watched as Pearl waited patiently for her to continue. “It’s different, Pearl. I will have more security, less autonomy. That will directly impact Jameson’s life. I don’t want her to…”

  “If it doesn’t feel right to you then don’t do it. Just make sure you can live with that decision.”

  Candace could sense Pearl had more to say. “Say what you’re thinking, Pearl,” Candace said.

  “I think you are scared of losing Jameson,” Pearl said bluntly. Candace sighed. “I think you are more likely to lose her by selling her short. She’s not going anywhere. If you asked her to buy a one way ticket so that you could run hell, she’d buy it just to be with you.”

  “Maybe so, but hell is different for different people.”

  Pearl put her hands on Candace’s shoulders. “Candace,” she said softly. Candace looked up in surprise. “You need to decide if you can give Jameson what she deserves.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means exactly what I said. It’s been a year, Candy. Give her all of you, or you will lose her.”

  “I…”

  Pearl smiled. “You know exactly what I am talking about. Sooner or later you are going to have to trust her completely or you are going to have to let her go.”

  “I do trust her.”

  “Then trust yourself,” Pearl said. She kissed Candace on the forehead and smiled. “Now, I am going to leave you kids to your weekend.”

  “Pearl?” Candace called. Pearl stopped and turned back. “Thanks.”

  Pearl smiled. “You’re welcome.”

  Chapter Two

  “Hey there,” Jameson greeted Candace from the doorway to the kitchen.

  Candace turned to find Jameson holding up a large paper bag. “What is that?”

  “Dinner,” Jameson said. “I had my Dad run and grab it while I showered.”

  “Is he joining us?” Candace wondered.

  “No. This is a private affair,” Jameson answered as she placed the bag of Chinese food on the table. “Well, we do have Jinx to contend with, but I will slip him a chicken finger to keep him quiet.”

  Candace laughed and walked over to Jameson. “I missed you this week.”

  Jameson smiled at her lover. “I missed you too.”

  “Chinese food?” Candace inquired.

  “You love Chinese food. Sometimes I think you love it more than you love me,” Jameson joked.

  “Not a chance,” Candace promised. Jameson sat down across from Candace and started pulling out the various containers.

  “So, tell me…what prompted you to come home so early?” Jameson asked.

  “I had a conference call late yesterday.”

  “And?” Jameson urged. “Is that why you sounded so stressed out last night on the phone?”

  “That was part of it. I promised to have a decision by the first about running for governor.”

  Jameson nodded. “Okay. What’s the other part of it?” Candace was toying with her food. “Candace?”

  “It will change things,” Candace said quietly.

  Jameson took a deep breath. “In my experience things tend to change whether you want them to or not.”

  Candace looked across at Jameson. She was often amazed by Jameson’s candor and her view of life. Many times, it had
been Candace to reassure Jameson. Their roles had now reversed. “I know. I just,” Candace chuckled. “Maybe I just wish I had a fortune cookie that could actually predict the future.”

  “Predict the future, huh? What would you want it to say?” Jameson asked. Candace smiled but did not answer. “Well,” Jameson said with a deep breath. She fished in her pocket under the table and pushed a fortune cookie across the table to Candace. “Maybe you should try that one.”

  Candace looked at Jameson quizzically. “What are you up to?” Candace asked suspiciously. Jameson just shrugged. Candace looked back at the cookie and opened the package. She took her time and broke it open to retrieve the message. She studied it carefully for a moment.

  A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.

  Candace was lost in her contemplation of the message. She looked up and was startled to find Jameson kneeling in front of her. “Jameson?”

  “It’s true. You can build a strong, majestic ship, Candace. It isn’t worth its weight nor its grandeur if you never sail it. You can’t ever hope to see the world if you are too afraid it will sink.”

  “Jameson, I…”

  “Would you be quiet and let me do this, please?” Jameson asked lightly. Candace smiled. “I know you are afraid of what this will mean for us. I think we’ve built a strong ship. I trust it to sail across some rocky waters and still find its way,” Jameson said. “I love you. I trust you to navigate, if you’ll trust me to keep the ship safe and cared for.”

  “I trust you with my life,” Candace said.

  “Then share it with me,” Jameson responded. “Marry me, Candace.”

  “Jameson, I…Did you just ask me to marry you?” Candace asked.

  “I think those were my words,” Jameson said nervously. Candace could not find her voice and the silence began to unnerve Jameson. “Maybe I…”

  Jameson’s words were silenced by a kiss. “Yes.”

  “Yes, you will marry me?” Jameson asked in disbelief.

  Candace laughed. “Of course, I will marry you, you lunatic.”

  “Really?”

  Candace laughed harder. “Are you actually surprised?”

  “I don’t know! I never asked anyone before and I… Wait!” Jameson exclaimed. Candace jumped. Jameson reached back in her pocket and pulled out a stunning sapphire and diamond ring. “I have to do this right.”