Chapter One
Owen
Christmas Eve
“So how’s it feel to have your wish granted?” Susa asks as she playfully nudges me with her hip.
“What do you mean?”
She’s wearing that sneaky little smile I love so much. “Kevin Markos. Weren’t you hoping for an on-air implosion?”
I snort. “Yeah, I was. Except he treated you well on that interview the morning after the election, so I wasn’t nearly as mad at him as I had been. Kind of a shame, actually.”
“Don’t feel too sorry for him,” Carter says as he walks into the kitchen with another load of dirty dishes in his hands. “He’s running Senator Samuels’ campaign for president. Wouldn’t be shocked if she makes him her chief of staff when she wins.”
Susa laughs. “Ifshe wins.”
“I have no doubt she’ll win,” Carter says.
“Really?” She arches an eyebrow at him. “Afterthathot mess on a skillet?”
She’s referring to Kevin Markos having a very colorful and emotional meltdown, live on the air, a few days after the November election.
In prime time.
Carter shrugs. “We all have bad days, pet.”
Her blue gaze narrows as she studies the bastard extraordinaire. “What’d you hear?”
I turn from the sink, where I’m scrubbing the roasting pan we cooked the turkey in, to look at him. “Yeah, what’d you hear?” I echo.
Another shrug as he sets the dishes on the counter and I move aside so he can rinse his hands in the sink. “Just that maybe he was justified, and provoked, and finally had enough of his network’s shit.”
“Never stopped him before,” I say. “You still glad we turned down her offer?” I’m only partially joking.
I mean, yeah, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t spend alittletime after the fact thinking about what might have been had I accepted Senator Samuels’ offer to run as her VP, and Carter her offer to be her campaign manager.
Except then I think about our two sons, Petey and Tommy, who are now upstairs asleep in their turkey comas. Petey’s three and a half, and Tommy’s two. Once Susa’s sworn in as governor, I plan on spending my days being a dad, making school runs once they’re old enough, volunteering in their classes—everything.
Being a dad.
I don’t give a crap that the world thinks I’m “just” their godfather and a good family friend. My sons and my spouses and our closest family all know the truth, and that’s all that matters to me.
We opted to have our private family dinner tonight, because tomorrow, after the boys open their presents, we’ll all be over at the Governor’s Mansion. It’s my last official Christmas as the governor of Florida, and Susa’s last as lieutenant governor.
And her first Christmas as governor-elect.
Tomorrow, the mansion will be full of family, friends, politicians, and other high-ranking state officials. A last photo op for me as governor before Susa’s inauguration next month.
We’re both counting the days—me until I can once again be a private citizen, and Susa until she ascends to my current office of governor.
Her dream realized in full.
Although my current dream is to be a dad, sleep in late with Carter every morning, and enjoy life out of the spotlight at home as a family.
In other words, it’s a happy ending for everyone.
The doorbell rings.
