Richard caught her eye and gave a small nod. She slid into the empty chair halfway down, her coffee suddenly too warm in her hand.
Richard’s voice carried easily. “And as we were saying, Senator, the NorthBridge assets will be fully restructured by end of quarter. We’ve aligned valuation with your committee’s sustainability targets. The optics will be clean.”
Norah’s chest tightened.Your committee?
Senator Morris inclined her head, smile sharp as glass. “That’s good to hear, Richard. The last thing we need before an election cycle is another oversight inquiry. Appearances are half the battle in this climate.”
Richard gestured toward her. “Norah Winslow is leading our firm’s analysis on NorthBridge. Her team caught some irregularities early on—they’ve all since cleared up as the data was finalized.”
Morris turned her gaze on Norah. “Ah. You must have quite the eye for detail.” Her tone carried warmth edged with appraisal. “Good work, Ms. Winslow. I like people who notice what others miss.”
“Thank you,” Norah said quietly, still unsure what she’d just walked into.
The senator’s faint smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ve found that noticing too much can be...complicated in this town.”
Polite laughter rippled around the table. Norah didn’t join. Her eyes slid to Richard, wondering if he heard the not-so-thinly veiled threat in the Senator’s words.
The meeting rolled on as Richard covered risk matrices and clean energy optics. It was the careful choreography of money and influence.
When the session ended, Richard rose first, promising follow-ups. The end-of-meeting handshakes started.
Senator Morris turned back to Norah, her handshake cool and deliberate. “Keep up your diligence, Ms. Winslow. I appreciate people who understand when to hold the line.”
Norah smiled tightly. “Of course, Senator.”
Morris’s aide, a smooth-faced man, maybe mid-thirties with easy charm and tailored confidence, lingered a beat longer. “We’ll see you at the fundraiser next week, I hope?”
Richard answered before she could. “Of course she’ll be there. Summit is sponsoring the event, after all. It’s high time we had someone like you in the White House, Senator.”
Norah was stuck processing the ramifications of that statement when she noticed the aide still standing too close. His smile slid toward her. “Then maybe you’ll save me a dance, Miss Winslow?”
Norah blinked, taken off guard. “That’s kind, but..” Her brain scrambled for something, anything. “I’ll be attending with my boyfriend.”
The aide’s grin faltered, just slightly. “Ah. Lucky man.”
“Thank you,” she said, forcing a polite smile. “He’s...protective.” She couldn’t imagine someone less like Marshall and his carefully-contained ruthless edge than this perfectly polished political aide.
Thankfully, that did the trick. The aide backed off with a murmured goodbye.
As the group dispersed, Richard gathered his papers. “You handled that well.”
“Thank you.” She hesitated, then added, “Richard—why are we taking such a strong position on NorthBridge? The exposure’s disproportionate.”
He sighed, patient and practiced. “Because we know where the tide is heading over on the hill. Senator Morris is aiming higher. This is still not public, but this fundraiser is the first stop on her national campaign. She’s announcing her bid for President. Summit needs to be seen as an early supporter. NorthBridge is part of that.”
“Even if the numbers don’t justify it?”
He gave her a look that was equal parts mentor and warning. “In politics and finance, justification is a matter of timing. You know that. Our books are still balanced. There’s nothing to worry about, Norah. This is a good thing. You’ve seen the numbers. NorthBridge is a good buy. And Senator Morris’s connections only make it that much stronger.”
She nodded, because arguing wouldn’t change anything. “Understood.”
“You’ll attend the gala, Norah. The optics are important to me.”
“Of course, Richard. I’ll be there.”
“With your boyfriend, I assume.”
She forced a smile. “I’ll see if he can make it.”
