Chapter Five
Then — After
I slowly swirl the chilled gin in my glass. “Lowe, if you’re trying to talk me into running for your seat, can you spare us both, please? I have zero desire to spend literally half my life suffering through the rubber chicken circuit while fundraising to remain in office. Besides, I thought you were happy on the hamster wheel?”
US Representative Marlowe Effings is both a friend and coworker of mine.
Sort of.
We’re currently sharing a late-evening drink in his home office on this chilly mid-October evening. For the past hour, I’ve sensed he’s been working up to a rather large ask. I’m thirty, and he’s twenty-five or so years older than me. His name still graces the law firm where I just made junior partner, even though he’s working full time representing the people of his Congressional district in Massachusetts. He still keeps close tabs on what happens at the firm and knows the names of everyone who works there. When I first started there he took me under his wing. I value his insight and wisdom.
“I’m not talking about you running formyseat, Liam.” He motions at me with his glass of scotch. “Williams’ seat.”
I’m certain I misheard him. “What?”
He arches his right eyebrow at me in the infamous way that’s made plenty of paralegals and congressional aides duck and scurry in his time. “You heard me, young man. You’ve talked about running for office before. I’ve heard you.”
I take another sip of my Aviation gin to buy me a moment because I don’t think I’ve ever discussed this with him. It makes me wonder who’s been talking to him about me. “Senator Alex Williams’ seat?”
He slowly nods. “Yep.”
“The election’s next year. That’s not nearly enough time for me to build a war chest. And he’s the incumbent. A popular incumbent. That’d be an impossible win, especially when I have practically zero name recognition with the general public.”
Not to mention I’m terrified as fuck over the thought of running against a popular four-term politician as my first contest.
“Not the next election. He wants one more term. He would officially endorse and back you as his successor.”
I take another sip of the cold gin, my mouth—my entire body—suddenly feeling a little numb despite the sharp bite of the liquor grounding me. “Why me?” I finally manage.
“You’re clean. Nothing in your past to trip you up. Knowing you’re his preferred successor gives us time to build your reputation in smart waysnow. Introduce you to the people who really matter and get your name in their heads. When you’re ready to file to run for his seat, most everyone will already be thinking of you as his obvious replacement. Hopefully to the point that there won’t be a primary challenger.”
Settling back in my chair, I let his words swirl inside my brain. “Doesn’t matter that I’m gay? I’m not going into a closet. I’m single, and I’m not dating beards.”
“Nobody honestly gives a crap about that. This is Massachusetts. Maybe if you were from Oklahoma or something, that might be a problem. Anyone tries to use that against you, they’ll immediately be painted as a bigot.”
“Why me, specifically?”
“Because you’re smart, you’re hungry, you’ve got a good rep, you have an even better backstory, you look damned good on camera, and you make no apologies for your spiritual beliefs. That means you’ll help sweep in conservatives who might have wanted to vote GOP, but who are one-issue voters, so they’ll hold their noses and vote Democrat for you.”
I know what that means. “I’m pro-choice. I don’t agree with abortion, but I also think it’s a decision between a woman and her doctor, and should be safe and legal.” Hell, I realize I sound like a campaign poster, but it’s the truth. “I’d rather do things to help reduce the need for abortion in the first place. There will be plenty of abstinence-only voters who won’t like that position.”
“But there will be plenty more who will. Especially if you emphasize the part about not agreeing with abortion.”
Another slow sip of my gin. “I’m not sure I like being used as a token.” I am under no illusions that the people and their machinery who throw their support behind me now to get me elected will have asks of their own later down the line. That’s just how this works.
He rolls his eyes at me. “We’re all tokens, Liam. Your decision is who you let play you at the craps table.”
“I don’t know if I want to give up the income I’m pulling in.” I cleared $1.2 million last year, and I’m on track to earn double that this year. Thanks to me, my parents now own their house free and clear, as do my brother and his new wife. I take care of my family, because they’ve supported and loved me all of my life.
“Which is another reason why I’m approaching you now. To give you time to put your affairs in order in a way to allow you to do this. You are already the frontrunner in the minds of a lot of people who matter.”
That sort of creeps me out a little. “Is that supposed to be flattering?”
“It’s supposed to be telling—that you’ve already drawn notice. This will open doors for you. A lot of doors. Doors you don’t even know exist in the first place.”
“Why don’t you do it?”
He shrugs, smiling. “I don’t want to run for the Senate. I don’t want to be locked in for six years at a stretch at my age. But Alex personally asked me to talk to you.”
