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Kate: Good morning. ;) How was last night?
Me: Hot and steamy… thanks to the best shower of my life. The hot water in this apartment is outstanding.
Kate: Not funny.
Me: A lady never kisses and tells. Anyway, I need to acquire the wardrobe of a politician’s wife. Will you style me?
Kate: I’m seeing pantsuits. Lots of pantsuits. A rainbow of pantsuits!
Me: How about less Hillary and more Michelle or Melania?
Kate: Gotcha. Let’s go this week since I’m still on Christmas break!
Me: That’ll be perfect. Sophie flies back to North Carolina on Friday. So how about Thursday so she can come with us?
Kate: I have it in my calendar! We’ll have you looking like Jackie O. in no time.
With no reason to look sexy, I throw on some black leggings and my comfy Liberty University hoodie from college, then stride back out into the living room. Madden is on the sectional with the remote in-hand and a bowl of freshly popped popcorn on the coffee table in front of him.
“Today is the calm before the campaign storm, so why don’t we enjoy it and watch some TV?” He asks.
I bite my bottom lip and think about it for a few seconds. “How about Parks and Recreation? Or is that too silly?”
His face lights up. “I love Parks and Rec. Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson make the perfect team.”
“Agreed!” I snuggle onto the sofa at an appropriate distance from Madden and grab a handful of popcorn.
After watching a few episodes in comfortable silence, Madden turns to me abruptly. “If you were a combination of any two Parks and Rec characters, which ones would you be and why?
I take a moment to ponder, looking up at the ceiling. “Man, that’s a difficult question. Probably Anne, because I like to think I’m a loyal friend like her. And also Leslie Knope because she’s super organized and loves politics.” I smile. “How about you?”
“I’m definitely an even mixture of Leslie and Tom. Leslie is your classic overachiever, and Tom is charismatic and loves the finer things in life.” He smirks.
“Oh, you think you’re charismatic, huh?” I raise an eyebrow and then smile to show him that I’m teasing. “That seems pretty accurate, at least from what I’ve seen so far.”
He laughs. “Neither of us are Ron Swanson, though?”
“Unless one of us secretly hates the government, I think not.”
“Good point. From what I can tell, though, Anne is pretty accurate for you. Maybe you should treat yourself once in a while, like Tom or Donna.”.
I realize at this moment that, compared to his mom and girls like Heidi, I must seem very low maintenance. “Yeah, I’m definitely not great at treating myself.”
“Maybe you can teach me to be more humble, like Anne, and I can teach you to spoil yourself once in a while, like Tom?”
I eye the personal massage chair sitting next to Madden’s sofa. “Yeah, it doesn’t appear that you have any trouble treating yourself.”
He bursts out laughing. His laugh is big and fills the entire room, and I can’t help but laugh right along with him. If I saw a picture of Madden smiling, I’d be able to hear his laugh ringing clearly in my head just from the photo.
We spend most of the day binge-watching the entire first season of Parks and Recreation and eventually order takeout.
As relaxing and enjoyable as our day has been, my heart squeezes when I think that there will never be more to our relationship than this. But isn’t that what I signed up for: a loveless, transactional arrangement? I suppose I’m lucky that we even get along at all.
Chapter 15
Odette
The next morning, I’m seated shotgun in Madden’s Audi while we drive to the city courthouse for Madden’s campaign announcement.
