“I love this work,” she says. “And doing it for my best friend, who I believe in with all my heart, is a huge bonus.”
I take her hand and squeeze it. “I’d be lost without you.”
The high school doors burst open, and an excited woman comes out to greet us.
“Representative Preston,” she says, pumping my hand in a handshake. “I’m Tracy Tyler, the government teacher. We aresohonored you accepted our invitation.”
“I’m so happy to be here,” I tell her. “This is my campaign manager, Lexi Grant.” I look over my shoulder. “And that’s my campaign consultant, Tom Harbor.”
She shakes Lexi’s and Tom’s hands and then says, “Mr. Titan just arrived. I’ll take you to the classroom.”
On the way, she rattles off all the units she’ll be teaching this year.
“Oh, local government?” I say, my interest piqued. “That’s a great idea. I wish more teachers would do that.”
Tracy’s beaming as she leads me into a large classroom, its fluorescent lights bringing me back to my own high school days. There’s a low whistle from one of the students as I walk in.
Jude, who stood up from the chair he was sitting on in front of the class, shoots a glare in the direction of the whistle.
My heart is pounding as our eyes lock. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him. He’s wearing a pale blue dress shirt, the top button open, and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. With gray suit pants on and his jacket and tie slung over the back of his chair, he looks casually sexy.
“Representative Preston,” he says in the low tone I fantasize about. “Nice to see you.”
When I shake the hand he’s holding out, the breath escapes my lungs in a whoosh. It’s been so long since we touched.
“Mr. Titan,” I say, my confident tone belying the way my insides are melting. “Nice to see you, too.”
I stand in front of the other chair at the front of the classroom and smooth down my dress and hair. Jude stands in front of his and watches me, waiting until I’m seated to sit down himself.
“Representative Preston,” Tracy says, “Can you tell us about yourself?”
I smile at the gathered students, most of whom look totally disinterested.
“It’s Reagan,” I say. “And a question I often get asked is whether I’m named after President Ronald Reagan. I am. My father has been a senator for twenty-four years, and even though he’s a Democrat, he admired Reagan’s style and integrity. I think our elected officials have to be able to work with and get along with everyone. I’m thirty years old, and I went to law school after college. I only practiced law for a few months before I decided to run for the state house, so if you need legal help…don’t call me.”
That gets a few laughs. When it’s Jude’s turn, he tells the students he went to high school in downstate Illinois, then attended the University of Illinois on a scholarship, and signed up for the Marine Corps. He doesn’t mention any of his military accolades.
“You know how people ask you when you’re a high school senior what you plan to do with your life?” he asks the students. Some of them nod. “I didn’t have a clue. And it’s okay if you don’t know yet, either. Give yourself time to figure it out, but I highly recommend you either attend college or join the military to help make your decision.”
There’s a girl in the front row of the classroom staring at him with a dreamy expression. When he turns to me with a sheepish smile, I feel the same way she looks.
“So are we ready to cage fight?” he asks me. “You’re definitely gonna win, because I don’t hit women.”
“Fighting in politics is so yesterday, don’t you think?” I say.
“I do. I say maybe you tell them a little bit about a day in the life of a state rep or senator, since you’re the more experienced one.”
His deference touches me. I have to turn away from him, or I know my feelings will show. I tell the students about my life in and out of session with the state house, and then Tracy opens up the floor for questions from the students.
A girl in the back shoots up her hand immediately. “Do you have a girlfriend?” she asks Jude, drawing nervous laughter.
He smiles. “Nothing official, but I do have someone special. My Facebook status would be ‘working on it.’”
When he turns to me, I feel such warmth that I have to cross my legs a little harder.
“What about you?” a male student asks me. “You want to go to homecoming with me?”
“Ah…” I tuck my hair behind my ear and clear my throat. “I’m kind of in the same place Jude is. Every part of my life is so public that I keep that relationship just for me.”
