Letting Go (4 page)

Dean sat back and took a long drink.

They all knew Grant had no tolerance for intrusions into his personal life. It had been a deal breaker when the two elders asked him to run for office. “No. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea.”

“If you keep showing up to these events alone, people will get the idea you’re gay,” his uncle said in a low voice, leaning forward as if quiet words lessened the insult.

“I’m not.” His voice held an edge.

“We know that, but they don’t know you. You need to start bringing a female to these events to prevent talk.”

Grant met his uncle’s challenging stare. “Are you saying people are talking about me and my sexual orientation?”

The man’s face tightened at the implication. “No, not yet. But it’s just a matter of time. Look at me. Your Aunt Wanda and I don’t even live in the same house, but we understand appearances must be kept in public. When we need to come together for the common good, we put all else aside. You must do this as well.”

“So telling me that I don’t need to be happy with a woman, to use her for the common good, your definition of common good, is supposed to bring me on-board. Really?” He shook his head at the arrogance. “You expect me to do that after what I went through with Priscilla? I can’t believe you said that.” He placed his hand on the table to push off and leave. “Before we started this I told you what I refused to do, you agreed. I meant it then and I mean it now. Stay out of my personal life, once was enough.”

No one spoke. His uncle’s cheeks reddened until he threw his balled napkin on the table. “Stubborn. I’m trying to help you.” He tapped his forehead. “I know how these old bastards think, I’m one of them.”

“That’s enough, Ray,” his dad said without raising his voice. “I told you to leave it alone. If the time comes when Grant needs to make changes to win the race, he’ll do what any one of us would do. We are all in this together, one hundred percent behind you, Grant.”

The undercurrent of the threat jumped at him. He leaned forward in his chair and met his dad’s hard gaze. “Let’s be clear on a couple of things, shall we?”

His dad sat back, unbuttoned his coat, and nodded. “Let’s.”

“At no time will I turn into a whore or a pimp for this family. I’ve done that before and it didn’t end pretty. I am not going to drag a woman into my life at this time for any reason, family or political. Something is going on, I can see that. You don’t want to tell me, not my problem. But I am not running for office as your puppet. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. We need to be real clear on that fact.”

His uncle shook his head and looked away. Silence greeted his declaration, but his father’s clenched jaw spoke loud and clear. He glanced at his watch, time to leave.

“Some things you said are correct, others wrong. But that does not surprise me. You were always an ungrateful child.”

Grant stood, the scrape of the chair against the floor loud in the crowded restaurant. He’d heard this song so many times during his life he knew the chorus by heart. He nodded and stepped away.

“I’m not done,” his dad snapped. One thing the old man hated, being ignored.

“I am. Sing the ungrateful song to your background singers.” He nodded to Dean and his uncle. “I’ve heard it enough times.” He strode away from the table, out the door, and down the sidewalk toward his parked car.

“Grant. Grant!” His Uncle Ray called.

He stopped, closed his eyes for a few seconds, and then turned to see the older man huffing toward him at a fast clip. When he reached Grant, he glared, bent forward, took a deep breath and then pointed.

“You two are too much alike, I… I swear.”

Since he had heard that most of his life, he crossed his arms over his chest and waited for his uncle to make his point.

“This thing, you running for the state legislature…it’s big. Big for us. We have a lot riding on you taking that seat. It cost major bucks to get you on the ballet. We need, no, I need, you to get your head into the game and take this more seriously.”

Grant’s brow rose and steam blew out his nose. His uncle had no idea. “More serious? Do you realize it’s after seven in the evening and I have been working the campaign since five this morning while you slept? And you want more. I have a kid at home who hasn’t seen me in two days because I work twelve and fourteen hour days to get damned elected.” He pointed at the old man. “And here I am standing on the sidewalk debating my commitment with you instead of getting six hours of undisturbed rest to re-start this insane schedule in the morning.” He threw up his arm. “I’m in this all the way, but I told you and dad when you brought this opportunity to me, I refuse to allow this to consume me. I don’t want to play dirty, I’ve done dirty, and that always comes back to kick me in the ass.”

His uncle frowned and gave a dismissive wave. “You’re an adult. Politics is the dirtiest game in town. There’s not a politician in a high position who doesn’t owe someone for being in that spot. Everybody, from the President to the local mayor has been bought and paid for by someone. It’s the way things are, the way the game’s played.”

“I’m not in office. The election is seven months away and you’re telling me I already owe someone. Someone who makes dad nervous.” He looked at the guilty stain on his uncle’s cheek. “You’re nervous too. What’s going on?” he asked. Getting information from his uncle required less work than from Dean or his dad. Sending his uncle had been a calculated move so he could learn what he needed to know without either of them sharing. His dad always said if you want someone to know something, tell Raymond.

“Nothing big, a few promises have been made that we need to come through on but can’t if you don’t win. So the focus is on you winning the seat. Whatever it takes, we need to win.”

A sliver of unease slid down Grant’s back. He’d gotten embroiled in one of his dad’s borderline ethical deals before and got burned. Never again.

“I made a promise to my kid to stay sober and clean. I wasted years of my life after the accident and Blair paid for it. I don’t know or care what you and dad are into, but I want no part of it.” He ignored the tightening around his uncle’s eyes and lips and continued. “If I win this seat, I want to stand tall and proud with my kid at my side. If that can’t happen, find someone else. I am not going down any more rabbit holes. When it comes to the shady stuff coming out of the old man’s office, the only family I care about is me and Blair.”

His uncle looked away. “It’s not more than the other politicians do, everyone promises favors in exchange for favors.”

Grant nodded. “But I haven’t made any promises to anyone. You and dad are doing that behind my back and expecting me to follow through like a boy on a pacifier.”

“You don’t understand how the game is played.”

“Then teach me. You’ve never run for office before either, someone taught you. Let me make my own choices and decisions. You claim you want me to be more committed, fine, let me into my own campaign or I’m done. You don’t make promises on my behalf. I do that or we drop this now.”

The older man shook his head and turned. “So much alike, I swear,” he mumbled, and walked in the direction of the restaurant.

Disturbed by his uncle’s defeated bearing, he watched a little longer and then headed to his car.
What had they done?
He slid into the front seat as his cell beeped. After looking at the caller ID, he sent the conversation with his family into the recesses of his mind to stand in a corner. He smiled and answered.

“Hello, Dr. Riley,” he drawled her last name, enjoying the way it sounded.

“Hi. You don’t have to call me Dr. Riley, you know my first name.”

“I do, but I want to play doctor with you.” He smiled and looked out the window. His dad, Dean, and uncle were on the sidewalk, talking. His uncle’s arms waved in multiple directions while he spoke, no doubt trying to convince the other two of something.

She laughed. “You’re bad.”

He grinned, preferring the sound of her laughter over his recent conversations. “Or we can play school. I’d love to be sent to your office.”

“Cute. You’re too large for the detention seats. I’d have to find a more suitable place to punish you.” His brow rose. He couldn’t think past the sudden visuals cramming his mind. Kelly in a closet, her ass in the air, or her on her knees with her dress pulled around her waist; the ideas rolled one after the other without a break. His dick hardened and throbbed in response.

She laughed. “Gotcha. Stop throwing out those lines, you never know when I’m going to respond and shock you.”

“No, no, by all means shock me. I love it.” He unbuttoned his trousers and moved his cock for some relief.

“You did good.”

“Huh?” His palm rested on his crotch, her comment threw him.

“Today at the assembly, you did good. Your thoughts flowed well, they were easy to follow, just the right amount of humor. You looked comfortable, like you were sharing a story with friends.”

The sincerity in her voice fed his starved ego, and eased the pressure on his dick. He grinned and looked up into the eyes of his brother. Cursing beneath his breath, he covered his lap with a golf magazine he’d taken off the kitchen counter on his way out this morning. Grant hadn’t realized the Mercedes he'd parked next to belonged to Dean. His brother watched him the entire time as he got into and started his car. Neither waved as Dean backed out.

“What?”

“Thank you. That means a lot to hear you say that.” He paused and took a chance to hear her response. “When I got nervous, I decided to pretend I was having a conversation with you, sharing a little about myself, and it calmed me. So thanks for being my muse even though you had no clue.”

She laughed. “That’s a good one.”

“I’m serious. I envisioned having a one on one talk with you, that’s how I made it through the speech.” He exhaled. “Now that I’ve confessed my great sin, you have to go to dinner with me. Tomorrow night?”

“What? No, we have to wait until the weekend.”

“Friday night?” He could wait two days. Maybe.

“Yes, okay. Friday is good, around 7:30? That gives me time to get home from work and change.”

He exhaled. His heart slowed at her acceptance. He didn’t want to deal with his reasons for pursuing Kelly Riley. He liked her forthright candor, a rare gem in his world. She had a body that made his mouth water and she was super intelligent. “Sounds like a plan. Thanks.”

“Thanks for asking.”

“Thanks for accepting.”

Chapter 4

Kelly ran into the house, hands full with purchases and work she’d brought home to finish over the weekend. Her boss had added more of his workload onto her desk. At first she didn’t mind, now she realized her mistake. In the back of her mind she could hear her grandmother warning her and Jessie, how you start a situation is how it finishes. If she’d objected six months ago, then he wouldn’t be dumping all this on her now. She sighed and strode to her room.

“Robin?” Something smelled good.

“Mom?”

Her son appeared in the hall behind her, a game controller in his hand. “You’re late.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Not yet, but I need to hurry and get dressed. I told you I have a date tonight.” She threw the bags on her bed and opened a drawer to stuff the contents from her impulsive shopping spree.

“You were serious.” The disbelief in his voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Yes. You thought I was joking?” She crossed her arms and spent time she didn’t have, not if she wanted to be on time, to make sure he understood she had a life or at least she wanted a life apart from work.

“I don’t know. You don’t date. I didn’t pay it much attention. You met a guy? Somebody you like?”

She straightened. “I met a guy, not sure how much I like him. But we’re going out and I’ll know more tomorrow. You going to be all right alone?” At sixteen and a junior in high school, he should be okay, but she needed him to answer.

“Oh yeah, yeah. I’m good, just asking.” He stepped forward, bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Have fun, Mom. I’m playing a game with my teammates, we’re in competition. I already ate, left the game to talk to you.” He gestured with the hand holding the controller.

“They’re waiting for you?” She smiled at his eagerness to get back to his game.

“Yes, we’re practicing our moves.”

She turned and waved. “Have fun, you know the rules. I’ll be home…late, so don’t turn on the alarm. I’ll turn it on when I come home.”