“Look, Zach. I don’t… I can’t love a man I just met,okay?”
I nodded, about to tell her it was fine, I’d wait, but she went on, leaving me blinking. What did she just say? Did that even justhappen?
“Those babies, when I’ve got them in my class. They’re four or five and they’re hungry to learn. Playing is learning, you know, and they’re smart. They want to read, they want to count. They want it all so badly. But if they’re malnourished, if they haven’t eaten a veggie in two weeks? If they don’t have asinglebook in their house? If their parents can’t read enough to decipher their field trip permission slips—much less pay for that field trip?Well…”
“I’ll bet you pay for them to go, don’tyou?”
She cry-laughed and nodded against me and I rolled into her, wrapped both arms around her and held her. I wanted to do more, give her more. I wanted to fixeverything.
And I would, dammit. I’d do whatever it took. Give her whatever sheneeded.
“You’re amazing. You know that, right?” I askedher.
When she started to shake her head, I held her tighter, and rested my chin on the top of her head with a sigh. “You are some kind of magic, Veronica Cruz, waltzing into my life like this. I know it’s cheesy to say, but I feel like the luckiest man in the world rightnow.”
I soaked in the happy sound she made and listened to herbreathing.
When she fell sleep, I peeled her warm, lush body from mine, slipped into my jeans, and padded my way quietly down to the basement, where I sat at my terminal and startedtyping.
It was time to ramp thingsup.
I hated doing it this way and I had a feeling she wouldn’t like it, but I had no choice. The wrong person was winning this election and I knew, without a doubt, what my mission was—it was easy. Take care of my girl. Keep her safe and happy. And do whatever it took to make sure she won thisseat.
Veronica
It wastwo days before the election and I was tired, but buzzed. I was standing in the middle of a group of hyped up four-year-olds, which added to my overall dizziness. Add to that the three events I had to attend after school, and I wouldn’t see Zach for hours. But I’d see him. I’d spent every night but one at his place for the past few weeks and, even so, I missedhim.
Which wasridiculous.
And scary. Because I was so head over heels in love that I didn’t think I’d ever get overhim.
But, God, he was perfect. He cooked for me, took care of me, made me feel coddled and beautiful and then, in thebedroom…
I let out an inappropriate sex-sick sigh before glancing guiltily at Betty, who was holding her favorite book up, and saying, “Weed, weed Miss Ronica. WeedPweese.”
I grabbed the book, with a glance at theclock.
“The day’s done, Betty. Time to clean up and go outside.” I put a hand on her head. “But we’ll look at this tomorrow,okay?”
“‘Kay.” The others stampeded to their cubbies and waited for me to let them out thedoor.
Once the last kid was out, I pulled out my phone and turned iton.
Holy shit. Somebody’d blown up my textmessages.
O’Neal, asking me to call her early this morning, which was totally unlike her. A couple from Zach, checking in, and then a slew more from my campaign manager and variousfriends.
Everything good?The last one was from Zach, who’d sent more than usual. Also weird. Something a little off slithered down myback.
Great. Just off. Headed to Southwood for a Meet and greet. Town Hall afterthat.
His response dots appeared and I switched over toO’Neal.
What’sup?
Back toZach.
There’s a car for you outside. Blue Audi in the teachers’ lot. You can’t make it on thebus.
