“We’re not arresting you, sir,” a third policeman, a female officer, said. “But we want a chat with you. Once we talk, you can go on your way. Deal?”
“You’re not arresting me?”
“No, sir,” the female officer said. “We just want a chat.”
Once he was confident the cops had the situation under control, Josh drifted through the groups of bystanders and press to stand nearer to Ashley. She’d completed the speech part of the informal meeting at The Viaduct in central Auckland and was now speaking one-on-one with the locals.
“Who chooses your wardrobe each day?” an elderly woman asked.
Ashley smiled. “I do, but I also get advice from my female friends.”
“I don’t hold with hair dye and cosmetics. You should be satisfied with what God gave you.” Her querulous voice carried to everyone in the vicinity.
Josh flinched on Ashley’s behalf.
“Don’t listen to Grandma,” a teenager whispered to Ashley. “Your hair is rad. I’d do something similar to mine if I got the chance.”
Ashley smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate the compliment.” She leaned closer to the teenager, but Josh was near enough to overhear. “I like it. Every time I look in the mirror, seeing the blaze of sunset colors makes me happy.”
“Does your boyfriend like your hair?”
“He does,” Josh said. “Very much.”
The teenager giggled while Ashley sent him a broad smile. His heart flip-flopped, pleasure surging through him at the shared moment. Then, he thought of the sex tapes emblazoned over social media. While most had been removed, he could imagine Frog’s reaction. Not that he regretted making love with Ashley. He’d do it again in a heartbeat, but he hated lies. He and Ashley needed to talk, to decide how to handle their fake engagement. The way he saw it, no matter what they did, they’d face backlash.
From Frog or from the public and perhaps Ashley’s work colleagues.
His gut clenched. Ashley was intelligent and gorgeous, and since meeting her, he’d fallen under her spell. Despite the circumstances, she’d kept going when others would’ve stumbled or cracked under pressure. He had no doubt, she had an excellent chance of winning the election, but he couldn’t figure out how he might fit into her life permanently.
He was a soldier. One without a job.
Their political beliefs were different.
Yet when it was just them, they synced.
It was only when the outside world intruded that the doubts crept into his brain.
He trailed Ashley, gaze scanning the faces in the crowds who waited to meet her. A faint breeze blew in off the harbor, ruffling her sunset hair. Overhead a seagull sat atop the roof of a restaurant, squawking at the intruders while its beady eyes scanned for tidbits of food.
Ashley spoke to men, women, and children. Some asked for policy details, one woman asked the location of the restrooms while others had comments about her personal life. Josh had no idea how she remained smiling and pleasant.
At precisely eleven, they moved on to their next engagement. A new business had started up in the city—a cat café. Josh was a dog person himself, so he sat at a table with Nelson and sipped his coffee while Ashley spoke with the owners, the employees, and the other patrons. She stroked a purring cat while she discussed policies for businesses and the Labor party’s thoughts on shifting the minimum wage. Ashley visibly relaxed, opening Josh’s eyes to the purpose of the café.
His phone buzzed, indicating an incoming message. A groan escaped him as he saw Frog’s name.
“I need to make a phone call,” he said to Nelson. “Won’t be long.”
“No problem. If you see Gerry, tell him to grab sandwiches for lunch. I’m starving.” Gerry had received a pass on this visit because of his allergies.
“I’ll get something. Nothing you dislike?” Josh asked.
“We’ll both eat anything,” Nelson replied.
Josh left and jogged down the stairs. The cat café was off Queen Street, the main shopping street, and he found Gerry loitering at the nearby coffee shop.
“I don’t think they’ll be much longer. Nelson asked me to buy sandwiches.”
“Not in there,” Gerry said. “They’ve sold out.”
