“Thanks,” I tell her, and then I’m listening to more elevator music.
Finally, my father’s deep, no-nonsense voice comes on. “Madison, it’s great to hear from you, but I’m swamped at the moment. Can this wait until tonight?”
“No,” I tell him.
“No?” he repeats in confusion since he’s not used to hearing that word from me. If a bunch of strangers can host a fundraiser for me in less than two weeks’ time, then the least my parents can do is help me plan something with their firms.
“I don’t have much time to raise money for the campaign if I’m going to be able to get some airtime on local television stations and radio stations. I need you and mom to host an event for me, soon, by the end of the week.”
“Now, kitten, you know how busy we are.”
“I know, Dad. But you also have plenty of assistants and secretaries who could plan it and email everyone in your contact list. Just say the word, and it’ll be done without you having to raise a finger, other than being there that night.”
He’s silent for so long that I say, “Dad, are you still there?” I wouldn’t put it past him to hang up on me just to get rid of me.
“I’m here. I’m typing this all up to my assistant, Marsha. I’ll have her contact you with questions.”
“Really?” I ask in surprise.
“I have to go now, Madison. We’ll talk soon,” he says before he does hang up on me.
I take a deep breath and let it out. I did it. I actually stood up to my father and didn’t take no for an answer. All my life I’ve let my parents push me aside, but not this time. I need their help and their connections to their rich friends, so I’m glad I finally sucked up my pride and reached out.
And dammit, I wish Cannon was here for me to tell him about my accomplishment. Where the heck is he?
The rest of the afternoon is pretty hectic. Just when things are slowing down and I’m about ready to call it a day, Harlen comes into my office with his cell phone in his hand.
“Guess what?” he says.
“What?” I ask.
“Coastal Carolina’s political science department conducted a poll of registered voters for the mayoral election.”
“Oh god,” I say as my heart drops to my stomach. “How bad is it?” I ask, but then I notice that he looks pretty smug when he sits down in the chair across from my desk. “Just tell me already, Harlen!” Okay, so I’m a little tense since Cannon still isn’t back and I’m nearly ready to go home for the night. Or at least to his home.
“Okay, okay,” he says. “It’s good news. You’re only down by ten points.”
“Only ten points,” I mutter.
“Hey, you were down by thirty-six right after you announced you were running. You got one hell of a boost just from the second press conference where you called Bailey out.”
“Wow. It really was that bad?”
“Yeah, it was. This is a significant improvement, Madison. And,” he draws the word out, “Lily’s on the phone out front right now arguing over the details for a debate with Bailey’s people.”
“He’s really going to debate me in public?”
“On the local news.”
“Wow. That’s one more thing to add to my six-foot-long to-do list – prepare for a debate with the evil bastard.”
“Jeez, you really don’t like him, do you?”
“No. He sent men to attack me and just had Conrad arrested at his parents’ house last night.”
“Conrad?” Harlen asks.
“Cannon’s twin.”
“What about Cannon?” his masculine voice asks before he appears in the doorway behind Harlen.
“Hey,” I say in greeting, happier to see him than I should be. It’s impossible to look at his face, those stunning blue eyes and the rest of his more than six-foot frame and not remember everything we did together last night.
“I was just telling Harlen about the awful things Bailey has done to your brother.”
“Yeah, he’s a piece of shit,” Cannon agrees and then stares down Harlen with his jaw clenched so tight I can see it tick from my desk.
“I’ll, ah, go see if they need help out front,” Harlen says as he gets up from the chair and slips out the door past Cannon.
“You didn’t have to run him off,” I tell him.
“I didn’t say anything, did I?”
“No, but it was the way you looked at him like you wanted to wring his neck.”
He shrugs and then takes the seat Harlen just vacated. “So, what’s new?”
“Recent polls are looking good for us,” I tell him. “And Bailey may actually agree to debate me.”
“You’ll make him look like a blubbering fool,” Cannon says, his face softening.
“Well, it’s either look like a fool going against me, or be called a coward for refusing.”
“True.”
“So, where have you been all day?” I can’t help but ask.
“Here and there.”
“That’s it? Here and there?”
“I went to talk to Roman and then to tell my parents and Hannah the bad news. My mom…she doesn’t need the stress, so I stayed and hung out with her awhile to keep her company while my dad ran some errands.”
“That was nice of you.”
He shrugs as if it wasn’t.
“I’m about ready to head out. Do you want to give me a ride home?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“Don’t sound so excited,” I joke as I get up and toss my phone in my purse and throw it over my shoulder.
“It’s been a long day,” he says when he meets me at the door. “I just want to go home and pass out.”
“What about dinner? We could grab something on the way…”
“You can get whatever you want. I ate at my parents’ house.” His voice sounds tired and empty in a way I’ve never noticed before.
I reach up to touch his shoulder to ask if he’s okay when he steps back to avoid that small physical contact.
“What’s that all about?” I ask, beginning to get angry. I gave him
