The Woman He Married (48 page)

* * * *

The small special events room was crowded with cameras and reporters. Patrick had scheduled the press conference for the morning, hoping it would air on both the lunchtime and evening news. Unfortunately, the major networks had gotten wind of the story as well. Why NBCs Brian Williams would be interested in a local judicial race, scandalously juicy as it may have been, Josie couldn’t fathom.
Aren’t we at war? Has poverty been obliterated? Has global warming ebbed?
 
The shallowness of the average American would never cease to amaze her.

After dodging hotel security, Josie and Gina edged along the dark blue-curtained wall heading up to the stage and podium where John stood, addressing the media.

“That’s my statement. I wrote that.” Josie beamed proudly at Gina when they finally made their way up, stopping just shy of the stage.
Waiting.
Listening.

Gina grinned at Josie. “I thought I recognized your work—good job.”

As she watched John finish off reciting her words, Josie’s heart started to flutter. His deft eyes scanned the crowd, and she knew he was assessing the acceptance of his statement. His strong jaw was set defiantly—he was ready to defend his position as a viable candidate. His hair, slightly mussed, was tickling his forehead and looking very sexy.
That’s my husband
.

He opened the floor to questions.

John’s shoulders dropped slightly when the first inquiry came up from the audience.

“Rumor has it your wife is planning to file for divorce as soon as the election is over. Can you confirm or deny?”

John glanced around the room, obviously searching in his mind for an appropriate response. As he scanned the faces, he caught sight of Josie and Gina standing off to the side.

Josie’s breath caught in her throat when she encountered his gaze. She bit her bottom lip as the corners of her mouth turned up in encouragement.

John studied her face an instant before saying, “Maybe my wife should be the one to answer that question.” Motioning with his hand, he said, “Jocelyn, why don’t you come on up?”

Josie’s mind ran frantic as John stepped to the side, making room for her to take the podium.
Oh, I don’t think so. This isn’t my press conference. Is this even allowed?

Giving her a little nudge, Gina said, “Looks like you don’t have much choice. Give ’
em
hell. You know what to do.”

Josie’s last thought before closing the space between
herself
and a hundred bloodthirsty reporters was:
Why didn’t I think to grab my blazer on the way out?

Patrick and Andy shot dubious glances at one another before nodding encouragingly at Josie. John looked hopeful while Josie wished she could rethink the decision she made not fifteen minutes ago.

Gripping the sides of the podium, she tried to hide the fact that her body was trembling. She stalled by leaning toward the microphone and saying, “Could you repeat the question, please?” Her voice sounded foreign to her as it boomed through the audio system. By the time the question had been repeated, Josie desperately needed a drink…of water.

She swallowed hard and then plunged on. “The answer to that question is—absolutely not. At no time in the present, or the future, do I plan to file for divorce from my husband, John Bearden.” Behind her, Josie heard John breath a sigh of relief.

Then, from the audience, someone said, “And what words of encouragement do you have for the voters of this district?”

Say what?
Josie thought she was done, but then no one was moving forward to rescue her. She took a deep breath and said the first thing that came to mind. “Well, as a voter you may wonder how you can trust a man to dispense justice from the bench when he hasn’t shown that he can be trustworthy in his personal life. I say, leave his…our…personal life to us. As a voter, you have one task and that is to…”

Josie stopped and looked over her shoulder at John. He’d made so many mistakes that had hurt a lot of people. But then, so had she. Now he was faced with losing something he had worked his entire adult life to achieve. They couldn’t go back and fix the past; they could only move forward, learn from their mistakes, and handle things better. Isn’t that what marriage and commitment was all about?

She turned back to the crowd. “You know what? How many of you are married, or have been married?” She paused while hesitant hands went up around the room. “Then you know that marriage is difficult, fragile—it can break easily. When a marriage becomes broken we can either throw it away, or we can work to fix it. John and I have not had a perfect marriage.
Obviously.”
Josie rolled her eyes playfully and heard a low roar of laughter roll around the room.

The severe mood in the hall relaxed to curiosity.

“We have
both
made mistakes. Now his integrity is being questioned. I stand before you today not
only
as John’s wife, but as a voter. And I ask you—what is integrity if not when a man is willing to take responsibility for his mistakes and do everything in his power to make things right again?” Pausing, Josie allowed the press to digest her words. “John Bearden has been doing just that. And, I can say that, without a doubt, he has not only my love and respect—but my vote, as well.”

Applause followed by flashes of light and Josie began to feel surprisingly comfortable standing in front of a crowd again. Looking around, she thought,
What
else have you got? Bring it on!

John advanced forward and put a hand to Josie’s back. He leaned over to the microphone, and said, “She’s something else, isn’t she?” That was code for,
“Thanks
Darlin
’—I’ll take it from here.”

She relinquished the microphone and stepped back. Patrick adjusted his position to make room on the stage for her. Leaning to her ear, he whispered, “Good job, you may have just saved your husband’s campaign.”

“You really think so?” she replied, feeling as if she’d grown an inch taller.

John’s demeanor exuded confidence while he fielded more questions. The two interns from the day before shot Josie encouraging smiles. Down in the audience, Barbara winked at Josie while
Lanny
gave John his full attention.

Fifteen minutes later, the press conference came to a close. The hotel security guards ushered everyone off the stage and through a side door into a secluded hallway. After hearing the click of the door closing behind them, Josie felt the tug of John’s hand on her arm. Spinning her around, he pulled her close. Their bodies melted into each other as his lips met hers with fervor. She felt as though he were kissing her for the first time.

He pulled away. “You were amazing,” he said gleefully. Lowering his grasp down around her hips, he lifted her up into the air until she was looking down at him.

“I was, wasn’t I?” she said with a giggle.

Throwing his head back and laughing, he spun her around. Josie felt flutters of delight roll up from her stomach to her shoulders and then back down again as he slowly lowered her feet to the ground.

With his forehead resting against hers, John pulled Josie’s wedding ring from his pocket and slipped it onto her finger. “Don’t ever take this off again,” he said. Then, laying a self-satisfied hand to her pregnant belly, he said, “I love you.”

Josie’s heart leapt into her throat as she returned the sentiment. “I love you, too.”

“Do you realize that’s the first time you’ve ever said that to me?” John asked, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist again, his gaze holding hers intently.

Taken aback, Josie thought surely she had—she’d
thought
it enough times. She wondered if John realized that earlier today was the first time he’d ever said
“I love you”
to her. Silently, she thanked her father for reminding her to follow her heart.

Putting a hand on each of their shoulders, Gina attempted to separate them. “Okay, before you two go off all
googly
-eyed, I have to intervene,” she said, in no uncertain terms. “I’ve seen this too many times. Couples get back together, all lovey-dovey, having the most amazing make-up sex
ever
 
for about a week, maybe a month, then when everything goes back to the way it was before they’re right back to where they started.” Giving them both a stern look, she continued. “So, Josie what do you need from John?”

Put on the spot, Josie stuttered, “Um—I need—you to stop discounting my opinions, and my feelings. And we need to make decisions together. Not just
you
 
telling
me
how it’s going to be.” She bit her lip, waiting for John’s reaction.

He agreed with a nod of his head. “I can do that.”

“All right, that’s good, Josie.
Now, John, it’s your turn.” Gina turned her attention to John, steeling her eyes with a subtle caution. “What do you need from Josie?”

“Well, I need you to stay sober,” he said. “And, I’d really like you to quit that job.” Josie and Gina’s brows ascended defiantly, and he added, “And come to work for me. I seem to be in need of a new press secretary.”

Josie threw her arms around his neck, knocking him back a step. “I accept! I’ll work for you but only until the election.” Josie had finally come to the conclusion that being a mother of
four,
and the wife of a judge, should be fulfilling enough, for this season at least. Releasing his neck, she threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled his lips to hers, with a heady kiss.

“Well, I guess my work here’s done,” Gina said, looking pleased with herself.

Andy tapped John’s shoulder. “I hate to break up this very public and somewhat
nauseating
 
display
of affection,” he said. “But John has an interview scheduled in about five minutes.”

John peeled his lips from Josie’s. “Cancel it,” he said, his gaze never leaving hers. “How much time do we have before the kids get home?”

“A few hours.”
She felt almost giddy. “What did you have in mind?”

Andy let out an impatient sigh. “Come on, John, y’all have the rest of you lives for that.”

“What do you say, Babe?” John asked for Josie’s opinion.

“Well, as your wife, I say blow it off,” Josie began with a smile. “But, as your press secretary, I say you better let go of me so I can talk to the producer and get an idea of where they’re going with this interview—prepare your responses. We have a campaign to get back on track.”

John looked into her eyes with a gaze that penetrated her soul. “That’s my girl…”

Coming in November 2011 from Whiskey Creek Press, Julie N. Ford’s next novel,
No Holly for Christmas.

As Brian McAlister struggles to move past being jilted not once, but twice by Josie, he’s all but given up on relationships. Then, on special assignment for the DA’s office, he crosses paths with ex-socialite turned social worker, Holly Cavanaugh Winter—and romance blossoms.

Widowed, practically penniless, and reduced to shopping at
WalMart
, Holly is dreading the approaching Holiday Season. However, her angst isn’t due to her husband’s untimely death the previous December 25th, but because of a secret that could reveal
itself
unless she can find a way to avoid the coming Christmas.

Love at first sight quickly turns frigid for Brian and Holly when Holly gets pulled into a manhunt for an accused murderer who now has his sights set on her. His case unraveling, Brian finds himself tasked with keeping Holly and her two
daughters
safe while bringing an assassin and the powerful man who hired him to justice.