“Yeah.” She clears her throat. “Yes, I’m here.”
“All of this is bigger than you and me,” I admit. “Yes, I’ve seen the tabloid rumors, but it’ll die down in a few months. President Taylor has requested that Canada host this, so if it’s because you don’t want to see me, I’ll send someone in my place. I want you to be comfortable, but most of all, you deserve the credit for bringing international attention to the issue.”
“Ned Collins here,” a man chimes in. “Ms. Harris will be in attendance.”
“I’ll what?” Livy gasps.
“I’ll have polling done, and if it’s in her best interest to attend, she’ll be there.” A wide grin splits my face as he continues, “But we’ll need to ask that you refrain from any social media marketing or announcements until after she’s sworn in… and no more coffee deliveries.”
“Consider it done.”
As we wrap up the call, I ensure my team will coordinate with her security and administrative staff to handle everything for her arrival. We hang up and I sit back in my chair, feeling more alive than I have in over a decade. I’ve been complacent over the years, letting advisors do most of the heavy lifting. We need to expand our national school food programs, and feeding our kids is one cause nearly all of Parliament can get behind.
At Nikki’s suggestion, I wait a few hours, then send off a text to Olivia. I keep it harmless, in case someone on her team is monitoring her phone.
Thank you.
She doesn’t respond for at least fifteen minutes—which can now be clocked as the longest fifteen minutes of my life.
Livy
You’re welcome.
While I’d hoped for more of a reply from her, I’ll take what I can get.
The rest of the day is spent meeting with various policy and economic experts to see how feasible it is to expand our current program. We’ve outlined a plan with qualitative and quantitative research, which is a great start. It’ll need the buy-in of all provinces, as well as Inuit, First Nations, and Métis governments, but we should be able to have it fully funded in less than five years.
After a long day at the office, I get in a quick workout and shower, then climb into bed. As I’m plugging in my phone, there’s a new message from Livy that catches my attention.
Are you sure this is a good idea?
I contemplate my reply for precisely two seconds. There’s no harm in a little innocent banter.
I thought you don’t call boys.
There are little dancing bubbles at the bottom of my screen for entirely too long, and I’m moments away from double-texting when her reply appears.
I’m not calling, I’m texting. And once upon a time you insisted you weren’t a boy.
I give her a chance to tell me why she’s messaging me so late, even if it’s only 8 p.m. her time. Just as I’m about to brave another message, her name pops up with an incoming call. My fingers move faster than they should, answering on the first ring, “Hey, Livy.”
“Hey, I…” She sighs out a long breath. “I really don’t think it’s a good idea for me to come.”
“Why not?” I know the answer, but need to hear it.
“Because of this. It’ll hurt too much.” There are a few beats of unbearable silence before she asks, “Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened if things were different?”
Not wanting to assume anything, I hedge, “Doesn’t everyone?”
“I just mean…”
“I know what you meant, Olivia.” My voice comes out a bit more flirtatious than intended, making her breath catch. “What exactly do you wish was different?”
“What if I had gone to grad school in Canada?”
“Well, you probably wouldn’t be Governor,” I counter.
“I know. And you wouldn’t be Prime Minister.”
