Once I have a couple of weeks to recover, I know I’ll feel better, more steady, but if Owen was to kneel in front of me right now and beg me to let us retire from public life…
Despite my earlier declaration to him when he first arrived at the hospital, I might just say yes.
* * * *
Home.
It’s two a.m. Tallahassee time when our security detail pulls up in front of the townhouses. They know Owen’s staying at “his” townhouse tonight, and probably will the next several nights, at least. So once Carter literally carries me inside and sets me on the sofa, the officers on duty tonight set up a cordon to keep the press out and away.
Dray and Gregory met us at the airport, along with a bunch of other people, state employees and the general public, but I told him he didn’t have to come back with us to the house. It’s late, and I’m exhausted, and I know he and Gregory need to get up tomorrow to work. Especially Dray, who’s still doing his job and much of Carter’s.
And I know Carter and Owen will sleep in a little tomorrow, even if I need to play dirty and beg them not to go jogging.
I told Daddy that he and Momma could come in for a few minutes, so their driver is waiting outside in the SUV they rode in.
“We might as well get this over with,” I say to Carter. Behind him, Owen’s gaze darts to me, then away, before he stands off to the side, out of the line of fire.
“Over with?” Carter asks.
“Yeah.” I look at Momma and Daddy. “I’m pregnant. You breathe a word of that to anyone before the general election, and I’ll ratfuck every GOP candidate I possibly can, regardless of what office they’re running for.”
Carter snorts.
For the first time in my life, I see Senator Benchley Evans truly at a loss for words. “You’re…pregnant?”
I nod. “Yeah. Due in March.”
Momma starts crying and hugs me.
Then Daddy frowns.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
He clears his throat and levels “a look” at me.
I level one of my own at him. “I’mnotdropping out of the race, so don’t eventhinkabout lecturing me to quit!”
He bursts out laughing and leans in to hug me. “I was going to lecture younotto drop out!”
A long, deep belly laugh rolls out of Carter, and even Owen starts to chuckle.
“Oh. Well, okay, then. Glad we understand each other, Senator.” I give him a sharp nod.
That makes Momma laugh. When Daddy glares at her, she shakes her head. “Don’t you start with me, Benchley. She’syourdaughter.”
“Yeah, I guess she is.” He hugs me again. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. And I love you so damn much.”
“I love you, too, Daddy. But I mean it. I don’t want this getting out yet. We’ve got more than enough juice right now to coast through the primary and the general. I don’t want it rebounding on me, that people think I should be staying home and not running.”
“Oh. Yeah, that’s a good point. I didn’t think of it like that.”
I stick my tongue out at him. “I have a good idea every once in a while. So will you stop hating Carter, please?”
“I don’t know. I’ve enjoyed having an archenemy all these years.” But he walks over to Carter, and they hug. Then he hugs Owen. “I guess if she can put up with you boys for all these years, you two can’t be all bad, huh?”
I feel a little twinge of fear that maybe Daddy knows more than he’s letting on, but he smacks Owen on the shoulder in a friendly way. “We need to get you out and dating, son.”
Owen shrugs. “I’m married to my job, Senator.”
