Sitting back and studying him for a moment, Taylor added, "Oh my. What does Joules say about all this?"
"Joules totally agrees with me. She knows what it is like to lose the love of your life. I promise you, she would trade every campaign and anything else she could for just one more day with the man she loved."
"Who was that man? Did you know him? She mentioned him to me the other day but would not tell me who it was. I pray it is not Dennis Harrison. That man is not good enough for her."
Shaking his head, Bennett said, "It is not Harrison. I know who it was, but that is not my story to tell. She would have told you if she wanted you to know about it."
"I guess you are right," Taylor said as she gathered plates and bowls and took them to the sink. "She told you, but she won't tell me. Strange. I would not have thought there was anything we couldn't tell each other."
"She didn't tell me. I knew about it for other reasons. It happened a long time ago."
"And you can't tell me?"
"No, I can't, and please don't ask me to. She'll tell you when she is ready."
"You're right, but I find it all very strange. Especially after all that has happened in the last few months. What bigger secrets could there be?"
Bennett was silent for a moment and then stood up and walked to the counter. "Well, I am going to say goodnight," he said, "I have a speech I need to work on for the morning. I enjoyed tonight. Make sure you get some rest. I will stay in the guest room tonight if that is okay."
"Of course, it is okay. This is your house."
Continuing to stand by the counter, he said, "I can hardly wait to bring Ben here. He's driven by it but never been inside. I can't wait for you to meet him. He is an amazing kid."
"I would love to meet your son, but I am unsure how his momma will feel about that," replied Taylor.
"I know. Poppy is such a sweet and giving person. She is truly beautiful inside and out until it comes to you."
"I agree with you there. She is stunning. All that glorious red hair and alabaster skin. And, tiny. I didn't remember her being so tiny. Maybe because anytime I have ever been around her, she was always frowning at me. She scares me because she comes across as being very fierce. She has never liked me. I wondered what I did to her that made her hate me so much. Now, I know that it was all about you."
"Yes, she is very intimidated by you. I told you the truth before about us not sleeping together. We haven't since we were together eleven years ago. She was hung up on not being the other woman."
As Taylor loaded the dishwasher, she said, "Well, the joke was on her then because she never was. I was the other woman," said Taylor. "She was always the only woman for you from the beginning. The irony is that we would have never become a couple if she had not run off. You go to her, and you make her understand that. If you do, who knows, maybe she and I will become friends. You two will get married, and she will become the sister I never had."
Bennett had no response to that. He just nodded as Taylor walked over and hugged him good night before heading off to bed. For a long time after she left, Bennett stood rooted in the same spot by the counter in the kitchen, unable to quite believe this would be his last night as a US Senator. He spent his whole life working to get to where he was careerwise, and in one ten-line announcement, he was going to demolish his life’s work.
Chapter 25
Carrington House
Searcy, Arkansas
July 2012
Taylor and Bennett were both up early the next morning. Taylor had not slept well. She tried calling Greer several times but had not been able to talk to him. She guessed he was probably at the hospital. Today, of all days, she would have liked to have had him there with her. But she knew that was not practical.
She tried him once more as she clipped her pearls around her neck. She would forever think of him anytime she wore them. The only other jewelry Taylor wore was her new engagement ring. She had not taken it off since Greer had given it to her.
Once she was dressed in a light beige suit with a soft pink blouse, Taylor came downstairs. There, she was met by both Bennett and Joules. They were each dressed in suits and looked very somber. No one was saying much as they loaded into a blacked-out Suburban that Joules had brought to take them to the office.
A few reporters were still outside the gates, but the numbers had been significantly reduced. Most had relocated to Bennett's office, where they were waiting to pounce.
Just before the three of them got to the office, Bennett said, "Taylor, when this is over, I want you to do exactly what Joules tells you. We have planned it out to the last second to give you the best chance of getting away without anyone knowing where you are going. Promise me that you will do exactly what we say."
Taylor had gotten used to making her own decisions of late and was not exactly comfortable surrendering control. In the end, she sighed and said, "Fine. I will do whatever you ask."
Turning to Joules, Bennett asked, "Is everything we discussed ready to go?"
Nodding, Joules replied, "Yes, everything is just as you requested. I think you will be pleased."
