Candidate: A Love Story (26 page)

Grady let her go and ran his fingers through his hair. He was laughing, frustrated . . . hell, he wasn’t sure what he was. Kate looked like she was just trying to breathe.

“What do I want you to say? I want you to tell me you have feelings, any feelings at all. I want you to say that when I look into your eyes and feel alive, that I’m not alone.”

“Grady, I’m sorry. I can’t be what you need me to be.”

“Don’t you get it? You already are everything, everything I need and damn it of course you won’t have me. Figures, typical, really. I spend most of my life trying to avoid women who want any type of conversation, much less commitment, and here you are pushing me away. Karma!” he laughed, and they continued walking.

When they got to the car, Grady put the blanket in the trunk. Kate stood looking back at the beach. He was beside her, quiet. Then she turned to him, looked at him for a little more than a beat and he knew it, she was falling too, but not enjoying the ride. Kate dropped her head to his chest and breathed a sigh.

“Don’t.” He lifted her chin. “Don’t stop looking at me like that.”

Kate didn’t say anything. Grady kissed her lightly and then opened the car door for her.

They drove back to the hotel in silence and Grady realized the look in Kate’s eyes, the glistening of the moonlight along the water as he kissed her, would have to be enough. For now, anyway.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“S
tanford University opened in 1891,” the perky brunette tour guide in the tan shorts and snug polo with the Stanford seal said, as she masterfully led the group while walking backwards.

A woman with short dark hair asked about the church looming ahead, and Mrs. Malendar asked Brandy, the tour guide, about the different columns.

“Great question. The columns are all sandstone, but each is unique because they were all hand-carved. Now, if I can get everyone to look down as we walk this way. You’ll notice each graduating class gets a class plaque in the main quad.” She stopped at the class of 2006 and looked at Grady. “Since we have an alumnus in our group, Mr. Malendar, could you tell the group what lies under each plaque?”

Grady smiled. “Sure, each class puts together a time capsule before graduation. Those capsules are held below each plaque.”

“That’s right. Thank you, sir.”

Kate looked around at the great quad, in awe of the history, the beauty. The group moved on to get a better look at the columns and then on to Hoover Tower.

“Did she just call me
sir
?” Grady fell back in step with Kate and asked in genuine shock.

“Sure did.” Kate laughed. “How’s that making you feel there, old timer?”

“It’s only been seven damn years since I was a senior here. She’s what? Twenty-two? I could date her.”

“You could. Not sure she’s into you, sir, but you could sure try.”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Grady hit the brim of her baseball cap.

“Hey, cut it out. Don’t damage the Columbia Blue.” Kate fixed her hat. “What was the question? Am I enjoying watching our young adorable tour guide refer to you as
sir
rather than,
Wow, he
’
s so hot
? Yes, yes, it’s refreshing. Smart girl.”

“Did you have to wear your damn Columbia cap to my alma mater?” Grady asked as they caught up with the group.

“Um, sure did. Are you crazy? I have to represent the Ivy.”

“Oh Christ. Stanford is just as Ivy.”

“Eh, but not quite, not officially, now is it?”

“It’s better than Ivy. Better weather, better school, minus that pompous East Coast snobbery.”

Kate laughed. “Whatever you need to tell yourself. There’s definitely not a bit of snobbery on this campus. I wonder if that’s why Stanford has that green tree in their logo. Trying to push something green. Ivy envy. You think?” Kate was enjoying toying with Grady, who was still shocked that he could even remotely resemble a
sir
.

“You’re insane. Stanford lets in just slightly over 5 percent of applicants. We don’t need green. Look around, Ms. Galloway. We’re the shit. The wind of freedom blows!”

Kate shook her head. “It blows all right.” Kate laughed so hard, the rest of the group turned around. Senator Malendar and Mrs. Malendar made their way to the back of the group.

Grady leaned in. “Oh shit. You’re in trouble now, lioness. Dad’s a Bruins man.”

Kate tried to look as professional as she could in shorts and a baseball hat.

“Kate, I love those sandals,” Mrs. Malendar said as they approached.

“Oh, thank you. On sale, Nordstrom Rack.”

Grady smiled, leaned into Kate and whispered, “If I wasn’t already falling desperately in love with you, that comment just sealed it.” Kate shot him her best “be quiet” look, and Grady fell back a little, in step with the senator, and anxiously awaited his mother’s response.

“Really? Well I didn’t know Nordstrom had a sister store.”

“It’s fantastic really. Everything that doesn’t sell, or is out of season in the regular Nordstrom eventually moves to The Rack.”

“I’ll bet there are some great deals there. I’ll have to check that out.”

Grady and his father both looked at each other, amused that his mother was trying to relate. She’d never been to an outlet store in her life.

“So, Kate. I gather you went to Columbia,” the senator prompted.

“I did, sir. Go Lions!”

“Actually, I’m pretty sure Grady is the
sir
today.” He nudged Grady, who was shaking his head while Kate laughed.

“Indeed he is,” Kate said. “That’s a smart girl, our tour guide.”

“Glad to see you’re giving him grief about that.”

“Oh, yes. It’s all part of the service at Bracknell and Stevens.”

The senator laughed as they caught up with the tour group at White Plaza just in time to hear the tour guide ask if anyone would like to explain or participate in the tradition of fountain hopping. The entire group looked expectantly at Grady.

“Right. Fountain hopping is a tradition dating back long before my time,” he started.

Kate laughed as Grady still tried to validate his youth.

“It is where students basically fall into the fountain. It’s fun. Yes, I’ve done it. No, I will not demonstrate.”

The group laughed and they moved on toward the Cantor Arts Center.

“So, Kate,” the senator said, “I wanted to thank you for agreeing to be the point person for Bracknell today. I know Mark was supposed to be here, but it’s nice having you.”

“You are very welcome. I’ve never been to Stanford’s campus, so this is a treat for me too. It’s beautiful.”

“We’ve actually never been on the campus either,” Grady’s mother added. “I mean we’ve been to the stadium, when Grady graduated, but it is nice to see the campus now that my husband is speaking here.”

Grady flashed Kate his big cheesy grin, the one normally saved for jokes or people he could barely tolerate, and she felt as if she should tread lightly.

“Oh, I . . . well I thought Grady went to Stanford,” she said.

“He did,” Bindi confirmed, taking the senator’s sunglasses from him and cleaning the lenses with a cloth she pulled from her purse.

“So, being senator, I’m sure you just never had the time,” Kate continued carefully.

“We had the time.” Senator Malendar chimed in, putting his glasses back on. “Grady was supposed to go UCLA. He was accepted into their honors program, but he decided to go to Stanford instead. I went to UCLA, and my father before me and his father before him. Malendars are UCLA men.”

“Except for me,” Grady said, putting his arm around his father. Something he clearly didn’t do much of these days. Kate wasn’t sure what to say.

“Except for you, that’s right. So in protest, I never set foot on this campus until he graduated,” the senator finished.

“With honors,” Grady added.

“Right, with honors, but a damn history degree.”

“You know what they say. How can we ever lead into the future—”

“Oh, Grady. Stop harassing your father. He’s here now,” Bindi spoke up.

Grady shook his head, looking around and forward. Kate suddenly felt desperately uncomfortable and prayed no one asked her for her opinion, because she was pretty sure it wouldn’t be welcomed. Thankfully, they had reached the end of the tour. The senator shook hands, took pictures, and Stanley arrived to take him to the law school for his speech. Senator Malendar was gracious and the crowd loved him. Kate felt good about that. Grady had bowed out of watching or participating in his father’s speech. He kissed his mother and agreed to meet back at the hotel for dinner.

“Kate, could you please finish answering any questions the tour group or the press may have about the senator or Mr. Malendar, and then stay back with Mr. Malendar until this evening?” Stanley asked, and of course Kate obliged.

She was working after all. Just when things with Grady started to feel like life, part of her life, she was reminded that she was at work. Not that she didn’t like her job, it was just sometimes confusing.

Kate did as she was asked, and fielded a few more questions about the senator’s plans after leaving the Bay Area. Grady answered some questions about his time at Stanford. It was all pleasantly wrapped up, and Kate found herself walking through the Rodin Sculpture Garden with Grady. A much quieter Grady than she was enjoying earlier.

“Did you mean what you said back there?” Kate asked as they found a bench to sit down.

“About?”

“Your time here. When that woman asked you if you enjoyed your time at Stanford, you said they were some of the best years of your life. True, or the right answer for the good senator’s son?”

“True,” he said without hesitation. “I grew up here, learned who I was and for the most part what I wanted.”

“Can’t be easy living under the shadow your father casts.”

Grady shook his head. “There are far worse things in this world than being a senator’s son, Kate. I was fine, but it was nice to get away. Find my own way.” Their eyes met and as the sun began to set, all Kate could think about was kissing him on the beach, the things he had said to her.

That he was falling in love with her.

She could see it now when he looked at her and she wondered, wondered if he knew she loved him too? Kate took a deep breath.
Dear God, how did I let this in?
The election was in two months and then what? There was still a part of her that believed this whole thing was simply a product of being together all of the time. Really, would they have ever met, gotten to know each other, any other way? The whole thing was ridiculous actually. Hadn’t her brothers both said she was out of her league with him? Maybe she should have listened to them. It was too late now.

“I can hear the gears turning in your mind, Kate,” Grady said, standing up and offering her his hand.

“What’s with you and the hand holding in public? Do you ever follow directions?” she asked.

“I was never really into that.”

Kate laughed and then grew serious when she remembered what she wanted to ask him.

“So, your parents never came to Stanford? I mean, your mom didn’t drive you up to school, bring you cookies, move you in?”

It was Grady’s turn to laugh. “Kate, my life up until I left for college wasn’t exactly family dinners and game nights. My father has been a senator since before I was born. This show, the dance, is really all I know family to be, at least my family. I had a driver bring me to college. A moving company brought my stuff to my dorm. My father was pissed and he spent four years proving his point.”

Kate took his hand. She needed to touch him.

“So now you hold my hand. Huh, it’s the sympathy card that works with you.” He smiled and then pulled her behind a tree and kissed her. Urgent, his hands racing up her body, as if he craved the human contact. Kate felt the tree against her back as her hands went into his hair and she was lost in the spin of him. Photographers could have been anywhere, but he needed her, and somehow, in that moment, nothing was more important. When they came up for air, Grady took her hand and continued walking.

“My life was fine, Kate. Just different. I’m okay with that. This school allowed me the freedom to figure things out, it gave me my purpose. I have no complaints.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

T
hey arrived back to Los Angeles the following morning, and Kate had a mountain of work waiting on her desk when she got to work. She caught Mark up on the key moments during the senator’s trip and went over the new reports showing him easily leading his opponent. Mark seemed relieved, at least momentarily, and thanked Kate for handling things while he was at his daughter’s high school graduation. When she got back to her desk, Sabrina brought in a huge arrangement of flowers. Blue hydrangeas and white roses, Kate’s school colors. She smiled, and Sabrina was smart enough to say nothing, but she sighed on the way back to her desk.

Kate opened the tiny card that came with the flowers. It read simply –
For you, Kate.
How could three words mean so much? Kate touched the card to her chest and leaned over to smell the gorgeous blooms.

She knew Grady was speaking with a neighborhood watch group this morning, so she texted him:

Thank you. I suppose your Stanford trees aren
’
t so bad after all.

She plugged her phone into the charger on her desk and got to work tackling everything that had piled up while she was playing fairytale.