Capitol Promises

by Rebecca Gallo

  We arrived to applause, and I felt myself begin to cry as I trailed Jameson. The campaign staff and volunteers lined up, and he made his way regally down the middle, shaking hands and hugging the staff. I did the same. I couldn’t help but feel proud of him. Of us. We suffered through so much in such a short amount of time. Now, we finally had the chance do exactly what we said on the campaign trail.

  Jameson stopped and turned to face them all. I swiped at the tears that had strayed from my eyes. I stood with his staff and volunteers because I felt more like one of them; I wouldn’t be there if I didn’t believe in him.

  He looked unbelievably handsome in his two-piece navy suit, white shirt, and bold red tie. His dark hair, inky black with a smattering of white, was perfectly parted back, and his icy blue eyes were filled with warmth and gratitude. Jameson raised his hands, signaling he wanted to speak.

  “I want to thank each one of you for your hard work and dedication to this campaign. Thank you for standing by me when I’m sure many of you were ready to give up. There were definitely moments when I started to think that maybe being president wasn’t my destiny. But something always renewed my faith in the decision to run. Sometimes it came from the voters, sharing their stories with me, and sometimes it came from you, both paid and unpaid members of this campaign. You were out there, day after day, spreading my message, and I am grateful for your service. I hope to see some of you in the White House.”

  There was a brief pause because everyone began to clap again. Avon and DeWayne arrived shortly after Jameson started talking, and Avon snaked her way through the crowd toward me. She grabbed my hand and looped it through her arm. DeWayne now stood next to Jameson, who acknowledged him with a handshake.

  “DeWayne and I are looking forward to serving you and tackling the problems that need to be solved. We have a vision for America that we know you share, and we hope you’ll continue to support us now that the campaign is over.”

  It was heartening to watch them all vocalize their continued support because these people didn’t care that Jameson asked me to pretend to be his fiancée, and they didn’t care if he was single, married, or other, because they had been with him from the beginning. They believed in him right from the start. And they welcomed me without any questions because they believed in me too.

  Hands on my back propelled me forward, and I knew that Jameson was beckoning to me. It was time to take my place next to him, and the moment I stepped by his side and his hand slipped around my waist, drawing me close, I felt it. Some kind of official magic that signaled I was now a part of his dream. I finally felt like the first lady.

  “I chose this woman. I’ll be honest, I was afraid that our arrangement would ruin everything we had worked so hard to achieve. I know that Georgie shared that same fear. But the moment I met her, I knew she was this campaign’s missing piece. She fit in so easily, diving headfirst into this campaign. And you welcomed her. You showed her what to do and taught her. Seeing her work side-by-side with you to win this election was a dream come true. That’s probably why I fell in love with her. I know I couldn’t have won this election without her or without any of you. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

  I turned my body to Jameson and stood on tiptoe with my face upturned. I slid my hand up his chest and around his neck, bringing his face down closer to mine so I could kiss him. Firmly. His grip on my waist tightened, and while I wanted to wrap my legs around him and kiss him some more, I had manners. There was another round of applause along with a chorus of hoots and hollers. Our kiss ended, and I promptly buried my face in Jameson’s neck.

  “Let’s go, little darling,” Jameson said, leading me toward the front of campaign headquarters. “We’ve got to get reacquainted with America.”

  Jameson

  I gave a speech, similar to the one I delivered to the staff and volunteers, in front of the ancient brick building that had housed my campaign’s offices from the beginning. Both speeches were almost identical to the speech I gave last night in the hotel ballroom, and I was sure that I was going to keep on saying similar things over the course of the next few days. Luckily, I was engaged to an English teacher who wouldn’t dare let me repeat myself over and over.

  “America doesn’t like the non-answers,” Georgie said to me more than once, so that meant fine-tuning answers and speeches to be vague yet specific.

  I returned to my office a few minutes after the speech ended to make my call to Elias Garcia.

  “If I recall, I already called and gave you my concession speech last night. I can’t imagine you’re calling to gloat,” he said when I was finally connected.

  “Of course not, Elias. I’m not going to rub this in your face because you were just a by-product of some very misguided members of your party. I’m not even sure you truly wanted to run.”

  “That’s a conversation for another day, Jameson.” He was brushing me aside. He didn’t want to discuss his unusual behavior at the debate or his quick concession. That didn’t mean I was done expression my own thoughts.

  “I think you do want to be president, though. Are you considering switching parties, Elias?”

  On the other end, Elias sighed in annoyance. “Why are you calling, Jameson? Are you having second thoughts, and now you want to concede to me?”

  I barked out a laugh. “Not on your life. I’ve called to offer you a job.”

  “I’ve already got one. They didn’t give away my seat in the Senate just yet.”

  “I realize that you’re still a member of the Senate, and you can turn me down if you want, but the fact is, Elias, no one is better qualified to serve as my Secretary of State.”

  There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end and then silence. Long, awkward silence. “Jameson.”

  “Elias.”

  “I’m not entirely sure that this is the right move for you to make.”

  “This isn’t some calculated move, Senator. That’s not my style, and you know that.”

  “I know Jameson, but what if it isn’t the right thing for me?”

  “Elias, I have a great amount of respect for you, and I am proud of all the work we accomplished together while I was in the Senate. It would be my honor to have you as a member of my administration. If you want to think about it, then think about it.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  “Can I ask your opinion about something, though?”

  “Of course.”

  “Georgie wants me to nominate Maxwell Edison for Secretary of Education.”

  On the other end, I heard Elias suck in a sharp breath. After being in the Senate for eight years, I knew that sound, and I could picture the face he was probably making. “Maxwell…Edison. That is a bold choice. Almost makes me want to accept your offer ’cause people might think you’ve lost your mind when you nominate him.”

  “When I nominate him? Did you become psychic, Elias?”

  “No, but I’ve seen the way you look at your girl. You’ll do just about anything for her.”

  He was right. If Georgie asked for the moon, I’d find a way to give it to her. And I promised to make her dreams come true. If that meant adding Maxwell Edison to my cabinet, then that was a price I’d have to pay.

  “He’s still a qualified candidate. He’s overhauled the public education system in California, and he did it without bankrupting the state.”

  “But he’s a spoiled, rich asshole.” Elias Garcia always had a kind word to say about everyone, so hearing him call Max Edison an asshole shocked me.

  “So you don’t like him?”

  “No, because he gets his way by bullying people. I will not deny that he has done some amazing things for education, but just look closely at how he got there.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “You’ll have your answer soon, Jameson. I won’t keep you waiting.”

  I looked down briefly at my desk, making a note on the desk calendar that had one too many rings from overfilled mugs of cof
fee. When I glanced back up, Georgie waited in the doorway. She smiled and indicated for me to finish my call.

  “Please don’t. I want to get this nailed down.” The overachiever in me wanted to demand an answer now. I wanted to start day one with a full cabinet. Or at least a full cabinet ready for confirmation hearings. Elias assured me again that his deliberations would only take a day or two. Satisfied, I ended the call and looked up at the woman leaning against the doorframe.

  “You’re a sight for sore eyes,” I murmured, leaning back in my ancient desk chair.

  She smiled brightly and walked over to my desk, where she perched herself on the edge. “I just came to tell you that I was leaving.”

  “Leaving?” I had no idea what was on the schedule, so I had no idea where we were supposed to be, or if she was supposed to meet with someone while I did…something.

  “Yes. Avon and I are set to meet with interior designers. We only have two months before we move into the White House.”

  “That sounds boring. I just had an interesting phone call with Elias Garcia.”

  Her brows lifted, and I could tell she was interested. “What did you discuss?”

  “I asked him to be the Secretary of State.”

  “And did he accept?”

  “He’s thinking it over.” She smirked, and I could tell we were having similar thoughts about Elias Garcia’s tendency to wait.

  “So that’s what was interesting?”

  Shaking my head, I explained more. “He said that Max Edison is a spoiled asshole who bullies people to get his way.”

  Her lips immediately pursed, and she brought her thumb to her mouth. This was something she did when she was thinking. “Maybe public education needs a bully.”

  That wasn’t the answer that I expected from her. “I promised we would vet him, Georgie. But if I feel like he’s manipulating you in any way to get this position, I’ll pull the plug on him.”

  Georgie shifted away from the desk and leaned over me, her hands firmly on my shoulders. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”

  Her lips tantalized me. I was poised to become the most powerful man in the world, but this woman’s mouth could bring me to my knees. “I’ll arrange a meeting with him.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  “Georgie...” I growled. Her fingers trailed down the front of my shirt to the waistband of my pants. She gripped the leather of my belt tightly between her fingers as she sank down to her knees.

  “I have a few minutes. Maybe I can convince you to let me join that meeting,” she said with a devious gleam in her eye.

  This woman was a monster. A sexy-as-hell monster who literally had me by the balls. With her mouth wrapped hotly around my cock, I’d give her anything.

  “You win,” I conceded as I exploded all over her tongue.

  Georgie

  “I apologize that Jameson isn’t here, Mr. Edison,” I said politely after I welcomed Maxwell Edison into our Boston townhouse. We were meeting in the formal living room on the main floor. Lewis and Jenkins lingered around the room like a set of creepy twins. They were my constant bodyguards when Jameson wasn’t around. And right now, they were staring down Maxwell Edison, sending two sets of death glares his way.

  “That’s all right. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me,” he responded.

  Maxwell Edison was tall and lean with a head of sandy brown hair and a pair of striking blue eyes that caught me off guard the moment I opened the door. Seeing his picture on the cover of a magazine was one thing; seeing him in person was something else. He was dressed very casually in a pair of slim-fitting khakis and a light blue button-down that was rolled up to his elbows. I felt almost overdressed in my fitted black dress.

  “I admire the work you did in California. When Jameson allowed me to voice my opinion about his pick for Secretary of Education, I knew he had to consider you. I’d…I mean, we’d love to take some of the programs you created for a state system and expand them.”

  “That is something that I’ve dreamed about doing myself. I’ve been working with a lobbying firm–”

  I held up a hand to stop him. “We’re aware of your partnership with Global Education Initiatives. And truthfully, if you’re serious about what we’re offering you, then you need to end that partnership. Jameson has some very serious reservations about that firm, and so do I.”

  This information came out as soon as we started the vetting process. Global Education Initiatives promoted itself as a center for K-12 reform and claimed to help hundreds of failing schools turn around. Those claims could not be readily verified, and the waves of controversy were beginning to swirl. Their teacher training program was a hot mess, with many administrators complaining that the teachers who graduated from their program weren’t prepared for a life in the classroom. The goal was to keep teachers in the classroom and stop the high turnover rate, and Global Education Initiatives was failing. I refused to support an organization that failed at providing students with a qualified teacher who wasn’t going to leave mid-year.

  Maxwell nodded his head, indicating he understood my concerns. “Of course. That won’t be a problem.”

  The skeptic in me perked up because if his partnership with this firm was important, then severing ties wouldn’t be so easy. I recalled what Jameson said, that he bullied his way into things. My assurances to Jameson would mean nothing if I allowed this man to play me.

  “We’ve compiled a list of items that raised red flags for us. Please, take your time to get everything in order. The worst thing that could happen is all these things come back to hurt your nomination.”

  Maxwell sat forward, resting his long arms on his knees, and set his gaze right on me. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Georgie.” The way he said my name didn’t sit well with me; it made me nervous. We weren’t on familiar terms, yet still he addressed me so casually. “I don’t want the committee to reject me. I realize the enormity of this situation, and what you and the president-elect are asking of me. I am truly humbled by this opportunity.”

  My eyes narrowed automatically, and my bullshit meter was going spastic. I’d seen this guy lecture on education reform; I’d seen his passion, and the guy sitting in front of me was not the man I recommended Jameson nominate.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Edison, but I don’t think this is going to work.” I stood and extended my hand. “I apologize for wasting your time.”

  Movement from the corner of the room caught my attention. Lewis and Jenkins sprang to life and were all too eager to escort Maxwell Edison out of the room. I guess they didn’t like him either. I looked back at Maxwell, who looked surprised.

  “Wh-what do you mean?”

  “Mr. Edison, I’ve read every article you’ve ever published about education reform. I’ve watched videos of every lecture you’ve given. Your passion and drive and commitment are the reasons why I begged Jameson to consider you. The man who arrived today is not the man I expected.”

  Maxwell practically flopped back onto the couch. He looked up at me with a defeated stare. “You’re right. My nerves got the better of me today. I am committed and passionate about bringing the changes we implemented in California to the rest of the country. Let me prove it to you.”

  “Fine. You’ve got fifteen minutes to sell me on the idea that you think will work nationwide.”

  I shot Lewis and Jenkins a glare, sending them cowering back into their respective corners, and returned to the stiff armchair that I claimed earlier. For the next twenty minutes, I listened as Maxwell thoroughly explained how teacher preparation programs across the country could benefit from the changes made by colleges and universities in California.

  “That’s the heart of everything,” he said. “We constantly compare ourselves to these other countries, but there are huge, glaring differences, and one of them is teacher preparation programs. If we want our students to learn from the best, then we need to recruit the best. We need to identify those candidates and w
ork with them, provide them with incentives to become teachers, and not doctors or lawyers or engineers. Teaching needs a PR overhaul in order to retain those people.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more, Mr. Edison.” This was the man I wanted to meet, the one who captivated the entire education world with his promise of reform and revolution.

  “Then let’s figure out a way to do it. Together. And please, call me Max.”

  Our meeting transformed into something entirely different. We moved to the cozy eat-in kitchen, and I ordered dinner for us both from a Thai restaurant. The more I talked to Max, the more fascinating he became, and that was both wonderful and dangerous at the same time. The desire and passion for a career that I left behind stirred to life, like an old ghost resurrected. My body seemed to physically ache with the need to put myself front and center of all this. I wanted to be both the first lady and the Secretary of Education. Jameson’s promises to give me back a career that I yearned to resume echoed in my brain as Max talked. This is what he promised me, I told myself. Let yourself get excited because he promised.

  The teacher in me produced pads of paper, pens, and highlighters, and while we gorged ourselves on delicious stir-fry and tom yum soup, ideas quickly filled page after page. I felt lightheaded and giddy from all the ideas generated. Could Max and I save our country’s public education system? What we had were some pretty radical plans.

  “This is so fantastic! I’m so sorry that Jameson wasn’t here tonight to listen to all these wonderful ideas. I’ll share them with him when he gets back.”

  “Does the president-elect share your same enthusiasm for education reform?”

  “Yes, of course. It’s one of the reasons why I initially voted for him, and why I agreed to his proposal. I’d never support a candidate who didn’t want to invest in the American public education system.”

  “In case I haven’t already said it, I appreciate all the support you’ve already give me,” Max said humbly as we cleaned up the kitchen table.

  I smiled appreciatively. This was the man for the job. Now, I just needed to convince Jameson to nominate him.