CHAPTER FOURTEEN
TAYLOR
Taylor smiled because of the way Victor looked at her. No matter what, he always made her feel beautiful. It was way beyond telling her how special he thought she was. Every time he looked at her, he expressed an appreciation and a longing for her. To Taylor, it was like no other feeling in the world. No man had ever come even close to making her as happy as Victor did.
If she were smart, Taylor would have kept her eyes on her beautiful man, but she ruined the moment by looking behind him.
“Ugh!” Taylor grunted.
Victor frowned curiously. “What is it, babe?” he asked.
“Ruth Buchanan,” Taylor muttered under her breath.
Victor chuckled and kissed Taylor’s forehead. “Behave,” he warned playfully.
Taylor would behave. After all, Carl and Ruth Buchanan were invited guests; Invited by Victor, but invited none the less.
“Smile, sweetheart,” Victor whispered as he turned in the lieutenant governor’s direction.
For Victor, Taylor would play the game. She did her very best to make her smile appear sincere. And it was hard. She couldn’t stand Ruth. The woman was a snob, and Taylor would bet a finger that she was racist as well. When Victor first introduced Taylor to lieutenant governor and his wife, Ruth’s greeting was less than enthusiastic. It was as if she’d been forced to say hello against her will. Since that moment, it was Taylor who had to be forced against her will to speak.
“Taylor, you’re as beautiful as ever,” Carl greeted with a smile.
Taylor held her hand out to shake his hand, but instead of shaking it, Carl placed her hand to his lips. The look of disgust on Ruth’s pasty face was almost worth the wet spot that he had left on her hand.
“Thank you, Carl. It’s nice to see you. I’m glad you could make it,” Taylor replied, wiping her hand on Victor’s pants leg.
She would smile and be polite, but she had no absolutely no intention of being the first to speak. His stank-ass wife would have to humble herself enough to greet thelittle people.
For seconds, there was an awkward silence. Victor and Carl seemed to notice that neither woman was going to speak. Victor placed his hand in the small of Taylor’s back and chuckled softly. Admittedly, Taylor was proud when Victor didn’t try to fill the silence by speaking to Ruth. No matter what, the man had her back.
Carl cleared his throat nervously and asked. “Well, are you ready for Monday’s press conference?”
“Hmm, let’s see. Am I ready to be crucified for trying to fix the state’s budget deficit by placing a bullshit tax on shit that people are addicted to? Yeah, sure, I’m stoked,” Victor scoffed.
“What lies are you gentlemen over here telling in this corner?”
The voice came from behind. Ruth’s dead eyes awakened instantly. As a matter of fact, they even sparkled a bit. Taylor turned, sure that she already knew who was putting a rose to Ruth’s saggy cheeks. It was Jack Storm, of course. His good looks could wake the dead. Hence, Ruth Buchanan.
“Jack Storm,” Victor greeted with a smile. “How the hell are you?”
The two shook hands.
“I can’t complain. Taylor, you look amazing. I see that you’re still slummin’ with politicians.”
“Says the slimy one percenter,” Victor scoffed.
Jack released a hearty laugh and rebutted with, “I see you managed to squeeze your way into the percentile.”
“Lies!” Victor blurted. “Jack, you know Carl and Ruth, don’t you?”
“I do. Carl, Ruth, hello.”
Before Carl could return the salutation, Ruth stepped forward with a big smile and placed her hand on Jack’s arm. “Jack, it is so good to see you again,” Ruth crooned.
She was rubbing Jack’s arm as if he belonged to her. Taylor couldn’t believe Ruth’s inappropriate behavior, and right in front of her husband. Carl’s face turned beet red with embarrassment.
Jack’s smile fell. He looked down at Ruth’s hand on his arm and frowned. At that very moment, Taylor wished that she was a mind reader. But, in true Jack Storm fashion, she didn’t need the special power. Because Jack never held back.
