Candidate: A Love Story (8 page)

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re a huge asset among the female voter demographic, but your father needs to pull in more than just lonely debutantes looking for a quick ride in your sports car—”

“It’s a Porsche. Well, it used to be. She’s in the shop now.”

“She, the car’s a ‘she.’ Of course it is. No one cares.”

“Now I’d have to disagree with you there. Do you have any idea the engineering—”

“Uh huh, could you please focus? My . . .
our
plan calls for drawing attention to the depth of who you are as a person. There’s not really much to work with, but there are some little glimmers of light. I understand that we can’t spotlight Dante House, but we might be able to blow up some of these small gestures.”

“Kate, listen, people are comfortable with my current image. No one wants to hear about the twenty bucks or the few hours I spent chasing kids around. Let’s drop this, believe me, my good deeds are few and far between.”

“Well according to Amy at Big Brother—”

“You’ve already spoken to Amy? Jesus, because she has nothing better to do than chat with you about what a good guy I am? They do real work there. Move on.”

Kate kept hitting a wall and Grady could tell it was frustrating her, but that was all he was going to give her. He understood that most people he dealt with exploited every dime and minute they gave to the “less fortunate.” He had no intention of being portrayed as one of those rich, out-of-touch douche bags. He liked how the public knew him, he had crafted it carefully, and now he just had to convince Kate that pitching Grady Malendar as a concerned citizen was a waste of his father’s money and her time.

“Okay,” Kate said flipping through her notes. “How do you feel about speaking tomorrow morning at the Women’s Under-40 Luncheon. It’s a group of female entrepreneurs. Your father needs exposure with younger career women.”

“I’m sure I’d be outstanding in that capacity.” Grady smiled.

“Okay. You’re scheduled to discuss your father’s policies on small business loans and work/life balance. Are you aware of what those policies are?”

“I am.”

Kate must have thought he was joking because she handed him a stapled set of notes. “Okay, well just in case here are some key talking points. Things Stanley feels we should be pushing in this demographic.”

Grady took the papers, flipped the first page. “Well, if Stanley thinks we should, then by all means, let’s hit it.”

“Look Grady, it’s important for someone like you to—”

“Someone like me?” Coming from her, the condescension stung a little. He found himself wanting to show her, only her, who he really was, but that was not going to happen.

“I meant someone with your . . . reputation. We need to—”

“What you need to do is get me in front of the camera so I can smile and, what did you say, use what little I have to impress the voters. What I do in my free time is my business. I’ve agreed to lay low, stay out of trouble. I’m being a very good boy, Kate. Is it time for cookies and milk, yet?”

Grady was kicked back, sleeves rolled, with a taunting smile playing at his lips as he tried to dodge and distract like a teenager. He was annoying, but something about his demeanor made Kate wish she were playful. His ease was enviable.

And then, as if she’d slipped into an alternate universe, she suddenly saw her brother Ethan, “the other brother,” as he was often called, walk by the conference room window in his black cargo pants, black T-shirt, and SWAT vest.

Potentially Playful Kate ran from the building. Guarded and Responsible Kate replaced her in an instant. Grady must have noticed because he turned to look at Ethan, who was now at the glass door with a “funny seeing you here” expression.

As Kate stood and straightened her skirt, she knew in the pit of her stomach that Neil must have told Ethan about her current “project.” Ethan was sent as badass ambassador. Years of living in the smallest testosterone network in the world told her she was right.
Oh, this was rich.

“Ethan.” Kate said opening the door. “Why, what are you doing here?”

“Hey, Katie. What? I can’t come say ‘Hi’ to my little sister?”

Kate put her hands on her hips.

Ethan’s smile dropped. “Fine. I’m here making a delivery. I guess the department is donating to the Carousel of Hope Ball. Dad, er, Chief as we call him in the work world, asked me to drop this off,” he said, holding up a large manila envelope. “Anyway, I just happened to walk by and see you with . . .” He was never good at subtlety, so Ethan let himself into the room.

Kate turned to Grady. “Ethan, as I’m sure you already know, this is Grady Malendar.”

Grady stood, smiled a dazzling rehearsed smile, and extended his hand.

“Grady, this is Detective Ethan Flanagan. My brother.”

Grady briefly caught her eye and then shook Ethan’s hand. “Pleasure,” he said effortlessly.

“Likewise,” Ethan said, giving Grady his best cop look. The two men locked eyes and Kate decided this would definitely be added to her most awkward moments list. They could not have been more different.

“Okay, well—” She tried to move things along.

“I voted for your father. Are you helping out on his campaign?” The now overly-friendly Ethan asked.

“Appreciate that. Yes, back on the circus tour. Kate here is helping to make me a more wholesome guy.” Grady laughed, Kate smiled, and Ethan gave a fake laugh she had never heard her entire life. It had more than a hint of crazy.

“I’m sure that’s no easy job, but our Katie’s up to the task. She’s a pro.”
Our Katie? What the hell? Was he getting ready to challenge Grady to a dance off? This was ridiculous.

“Eth, um, we’re in the middle of a meeting and you probably have to get back.”

He was still locked on Grady, who was now looking everywhere but at Ethan.

“Ethan?”

“Right. Sorry. I didn’t want to just walk by without saying hello. And, I got to meet your new friend, so that’s nice.”

“Client, my client.”

Ethan looked at her and clearly read the “you’re a dumb ass” look she was sending his way.

“I’ll walk you out.”

Grady was still standing and glancing at his expensive shoes.

“Good to meet you, Grady.” Ethan shook his hand again. Hard.

“It was interesting, Detective.” Grady returned the handshake and returned the glare.

Ethan smirked and walked out. Kate motioned she’d be just be a minute and whirled toward the door fit to be tied.

“What the hell was that? I’m at work, Eth. Save your Neanderthal bullshit for the station, will ya?”

“Did you see his socks?”

“What?”

“His socks. I saw them when he stood up. They’re colorful, with, shapes. What’s up with that?”

Kate shook her head in amazement at the absurdity of the conversation. “Argyle. They are argyle. It’s a thing, an accent. Some men are into accents, Ethan. Black is not every man’s ‘go to’ color.”

“It’s not right. Anyway, Neil told me about the accident last week. You at the hospital in the middle of the night.”

Kate rolled her eyes, but Ethan continued. “You staying out of trouble?” Ethan smiled and Kate forgot to be mad. He was closest to her in age and usually the one in trouble. Growing up, she had always been the good girl, but Ethan used to ask her if she was staying out of trouble. When she was younger it made her feel a bit rebellious, like maybe she was capable of hanging with his crowd. Even as an adult, if Kate ever felt like getting into trouble, Ethan would have her back. He often infuriated her, but brothers were nice to have.

“I wasn’t in the accident, as I’m sure you already know. I was just there to make a statement. Yes, I’m staying out of trouble. Thank you for stopping by to see me. I’m sure it had nothing to do with your need to perform your death grip handshake on my client.”

“Your ‘client’ looked awfully cozy when I walked by. I’m pretty sure there was a little hand touching there.”

“I . . . I don’t even know what to say to you. We were not touching hands. But let’s just say we were. Let’s say we had just gotten our clothes back in place when you came around the corner.”

“Oh Christ, please, I’m a visual guy, Sis.”

“Let’s say that. I was, what’s that you call it, oh yeah, ‘getting some’ with my client.”

Ethan was now covering his face with his hands to extinguish the image of his sister “getting” anything.

Kate pulled his hands down and went up on her tiptoes so they were almost eye-to-eye. “So? So what? I’m a grown woman and I do not need a bodyguard. I can do what I want.”

“So you are,” he gestured between Kate and the conference room door, “with him”?

“No!” Kate was clearly not making any progress. “I don’t have time for this. I have to get back to work.”

“Okay, I didn’t mean to get you all riled up.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll let you go, but Katie—” Kate was back at the door to the conference room, but she looked over at Ethan. “He’s not for you. Not in your league, so be careful.”

Kate laughed, a little. “That is actually quite insulting, but since you’re an idiot, I’ll let it slide. I love you anyway, now go away.”

“I love you too. Go be important.”

Kate returned to the conference room. Her face flushed with some combination of anger and embarrassment. She shut down her personal life, and that sometimes included her family, so Ethan showing up and the thought of getting anything on with Grady had thrown her off. She sat and took a sip of water.

“Okay. I’m so sorry. Where were we?” She looked up at Grady and he was blowing into a folded piece of paper. As he blew, the paper turned into a cube. He handed it to her.

“Oh wow, I left you so long that you’ve resorted to origami?”

“Very good, Kate. I only know two or three things. If you and your brother had been a bit longer, I was going to start working on a swan.”

Kate smiled and set the paper balloon down on the table.

“Do I want to know how you know origami? Family immersion trip to the Orient maybe?”

Grady smiled. “Ah, see, I love the quick wit. No, as I’m sure you already know, the Malendars have never been to Japan as a family, but I have. Didn’t learn origami there though. Picked up the art of paper folding from a girl I dated in college. She’s also the one that introduced me to table tennis.”

“Wow, important woman.”

“She was.”

“What went wrong?”

“It was,” he pretended heartbreak, “it just wasn’t meant to be. She dumped me.”

Kate picked up her pad and tried to get the conversation back on track, but she smiled and in spite of herself said, “Really? Did she see the warning signs?”

“Why, Kate?” He faked a gasp and placed a hand to his chest. “What signs are you referring to?”

Kate shook her head and ignored the question.

Chapter Nine

K
ate stepped out into the courtyard of the Pasadena Playhouse, leaving Grady chatting with his family. When he had asked her to attend the premiere of his friend Peter’s new play, she knew it wasn’t necessary. Mark said she didn’t need to attend. Nothing was going to happen at a play premiere with Grady’s family and friends. In fact, if Kate went, she would be the only member of Bracknell and Stevens in attendance. She didn’t need to be there, but he had asked, said he wanted her there, that they would have a great time. She knew it wasn’t necessary, practical, and yet she had agreed anyway. What had she been thinking? Kate stood in the night air in a gorgeous blush-bead trimmed dress she really couldn’t afford, but bought anyway a few days ago on her way home from work after Grady’s invitation. If she were honest with herself, she had been excited, but now she was just confused.

It was intermission and she needed some air. The playhouse glowed through the evening darkness. Kate wrapped her arms around her bare shoulders and looked up at the clear sky. So many stars. She took a deep breath and allowed herself to relax. Her face hurt from smiling. She moved through the tiled arched walkway, past a couple taking pictures. She didn’t want to check her phone, didn’t want to work. That was a first. Grady and his family, his friends, the bantering and teasing. What was she doing all dressed up and pretending? It felt like pretending, as if she was one of them, with him. Kate leaned against the stucco wall, careful not to snag her dress, and she saw the lobby lights dim indicating there were ten minutes until the second act.

“Kate?” Grady called out into the courtyard, since he couldn’t see her in the walkway. She watched as he put his hands in his pockets, and then her heart tripped as he too looked up at the sky, enamored by the stars. Who was Grady Malendar? Why couldn’t he just be the idiotic rich snob she assumed him to be?

“Right here,” she called to him. He turned toward her as she emerged from the shadows.

“Everything all right?”

“Yes, everything is fine. Incredible sky, I just needed some air,” she answered.

“It’s kind of cold out here, do you want my—”

“No!” Kate snapped, and Grady froze midway through taking off his jacket. “I’m sorry.”

Kate tried to soften her response. “No thank you. Please do not give me your jacket. I’m fine and besides, it’s time to go in.”