Page 36

I can barely see anymore because of the tears filling my eyes. Everyone seems to be working on the fliers, but I swear I can feel them watching us out of the corner of their eyes. I try my best to choke back the tears and smile in the vicinity of all the blurry blobs currently in my living room.

“Hey, David and… everyone! I’m Odette. It’s a pleasure to meet the dream team.” I muster up the best smile I can give and then dash down the hallway to my room.

Madden follows me and puts his foot in the doorway to keep me from closing it. “Wait, Odette, please. Come join us. We were just printing fliers and putting together yard signs.”

“That’s okay. I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll just head to bed.” I do my best to ignore his handsome, pleading face.

He tries to say something else, but I shut the door before I can hear what it is. Alone in my room, I collapse on the bed in tears, finally allowing the disappointment to wash over me.

Madden

I feel like the world’s biggest jerk as I head back out to the living room. David gives me a skeptical look, but the rest of the team seems oblivious to my marital woes as they continue working on the signs.

David comes into the kitchen and whispers, “What was that all about?”

I rub the back of my neck and sigh. “Odette and I have hardly seen each other all week, so I told her that we could hang out tonight, just the two of us. Obviously, I forgot.”

“Dang, Madden. That’s pretty bad.” He grimaces.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” I slug him in the shoulder. “I already know I was an idiot, okay? What I don’t know is how to make it better.”

David shrugs his shoulders. “Don’t look at me. I’ve never even had a serious girlfriend.”

“Probably because you end all of your text messages with ‘Calc-u-later.’” I cross my arms and give him a knowing look.

“Shut up. Mom says that chicks dig CPAs.” He smirks. “And at least I didn’t forget my own wife five days after I married her.”

I shake my head. “This is all new to me. I’m still learning here. Obviously, though, I’m way out of my depth.”

David pushes past me. “Get back to work. I refuse to stay a minute past ten.”

Over the next few hours, we finish up the signs to deliver to my supporters this weekend. I was distracted the entire time, knowing I upset Odette, but I couldn’t abandon my team and make them do all the work themselves.

After everyone leaves, I walk to her door and gently knock. She doesn’t answer, but my knock gently pushes the door slightly ajar. I step inside.

I’m hoping she’s awake so we can talk, but as I step further inside the dark room, I see that she is fast asleep on top of the covers, still in her clothes and surrounded by tissues. My heart clenches.

I did this to her. I made her cry herself to sleep.

This is a disaster. I haven’t even been married for an entire week and I’m already screwing this up. Feeling angry with myself, I ball my hands into fists. I always become so focused on work that I’m blind to everything else around me. I know it’s a weakness of mine, but it didn’t really matter until now. My dad was always a work-a-holic too; maybe that’s one reason why he and Mom aren’t happy.

This is probably why Jen ended up with Bryan. He was actually there for her. For the first time, it hits me that Jen probably didn’t hate the idea of me being a politician as much as she hated how I always put my aspirations first, even above her. Odette didn’t marry me for love, but I definitely don’t want her to be miserable.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a fluffy blanket folded at the end of the bed. I gently pull it up over Odette’s sleeping figure and then quietly creep out of the room, closing the door behind me.

Once I’m in bed, I try to think of a way to fix things and come up with nothing. This must be why most newlyweds go on honeymoons: so they don’t spend their first weeks of marriage bickering.

The next morning I shower and get dressed quickly, then start planning my apology to my wife. I can smell fresh coffee from the hallway, so I expect to see her when I walk into the kitchen. But to my surprise, she’s not in the kitchen, dining room or living area. Nervousness takes root, and my stomach drops. Did she leave?

I check my phone and see a missed text from her.

Odette: Left early this morning so I could have breakfast with my parents. I left some coffee for you. See you tonight.

My shoulders relax and I let out a sigh of relief as I type out my response.

Me: Thanks for the coffee. I’m sorry again about last night. Raincheck for Sunday?

If I had more time, I would drive straight to her parent's place and talk to her in person. I’m supposed to meet my campaign team in less than an hour, though, to dispense the signs and fliers we finished putting together last night.