The Agreement (4 page)

My father's kind of man.

Not
my
kind of man.

I decided I would do the interview with Dave
Mills instead of Drake. I didn't think I'd be able to stand interviewing
someone that gorgeous. I'd send Dave a text later and see when we could meet
for the interview.

My father didn’t show up for his own fundraiser
until a few minutes before it was scheduled to end. A teleconference with
several powerful types in the Party advising him about his run for the
Congressional seat went longer than anticipated.

When he finally did arrive, I was just getting
ready to leave, saying goodbye to Elaine and Nigel. Nigel and I were able to
garner a pretty impressive amount for his pet project in West Africa, started
after we returned two years earlier. My father breezed in and was greeted by
Peter and others, who surrounded him, wanting to shake his hand and hear the
latest on the campaign.

He saw me from the doorway and came right over.

"There you are," he said, kissing my
cheek, his characteristically gravelly voice ebullient. "Have you met
everyone? There was someone I wanted you to meet in particular." After he
glanced around, he took my arm and I limped behind him to the door where Drake
and Dave stood.

"Drake, did you get a chance to meet my
daughter, Katherine? I don't believe the two of you have met."

Drake stopped and turned, his face brightening
as he saw my father. He held out his hand and the two men shook and it was
quite the contrast. My dad was on the shorter stout side, with a growing pot
belly and a grey brush cut. His several thousand dollar suit was on par with
Drake's, but it was rumpled, his eyes a bit weary.

"Judge McDermott," Drake said, shaking
my dad's hand vigorously. "Glad to see you. Yes, I did meet Katherine.
Finally
.
You've kept her pretty well-hidden."

I turned to my father. "Dr. Morgan used his
medical skills on me, father. I fell in the alley and he patched me up." I
pointed to my knees and my dad made a face but then smiled.

"Well, that's just great," he said and
shook Drake's hand once more. "I knew you’d come in handy one day."
Drake shook my father's hand again, an amused expression on his face.
"Thank you for looking after my very tomboyish daughter, Drake. She has a
tendency to take a bigger bite out of life than she can always chew." My
father winked at me, and I saw a hint of affection in that moment instead of
criticism.
For a change
. "Can't call her timid, at least. Maybe
foolishly brave."

I frowned at that and turned to him. "How
am I foolishly brave, Daddy?"

"All your life, you've been trying to keep
up with the older kids, like your brother. Going to Africa with Nigel and
staying in one of the camps is a perfect example. How many of your friends can
say that?"

I shrugged. "Lots of us volunteer, Dad. We
have to in order to stand out on college applications and for scholarships.
Dawn went to India."

He nodded. "Still, you have to admit it was
pretty brave." A thrill went through me when he put his arm around my
shoulder and squeezed. He rarely had anything nice to say about me, so it felt
great. "Thanks for looking after my baby girl," he said to Drake.

"No, my pleasure," Drake said, his
voice soft. "Thank you for inviting me. I was pleased to finally meet the
mysterious Katherine you’ve spoken so much about." Drake smiled at me.

"Not hidden," my father said.
"Katherine's been very busy with school and the student paper, haven’t
you, sweetheart?"

I smiled, feeling a little overwhelmed by the
attention.

"Of course," Drake said.

Then, Peter came by and dragged my father off to
speak with some high roller and I was left with Drake and Dave by the front
closet where our coats were hung. I took mine out and was just about to put it
on when Drake stopped me.

"Here," Drake said. "Let me get
that."

 Drake took my coat out of my hands,
holding it out for me to slip on.

"I can do that," I said, not wanting
anyone to fuss over me.

"Please, allow me."

I slid one of my arms in the coat and he helped
me on with the other arm, and for a moment, he stood behind me, adjusting the
shoulders while I pulled my hair out from under the neck, and I swore he bent
forward and smelled me – my hair. I heard him inhale as he stood with his
hands adjusting the collar.

I turned around and smiled at him, feeling a bit
awkward, not certain if I was right.

"Thank you," I said. He nodded and
just watched me as I gathered up my things and limped to my dad, who was
standing a few feet away, now engaged in a conversation with Nigel. When my dad
saw me coming, he leaned to me and offered his cheek.

I kissed him the way I always used to when I was
a girl and still lived with him.

"Good night Daddy," I said, pleased
that he seemed so nice.

"Good night, sweetheart." I saw him
glance over at the door where Drake and Dave were standing. Then Drake came
over and said his own goodbyes to my father. After another round of handshaking
and back slapping, my father turned to me.

"Do you need to use the limo service?"

I shook my head. "I'll catch a cab."

Drake made a face at that. "Nonsense,"
he said. "Let me drop you off. Where do you live?"

My father rolled his eyes. "In a hovel of a
rent-controlled apartment building in Harlem," my dad said as if it was an
affront to him. Drake pursed his lips at that.

"Don't ask," my father said. "She
could live somewhere nice, but that's my Kate. Independent to a fault."

"
Daddy
," I said, frowning. A
nice moment between us was ruined. "I have a perfectly fine
apartment." I turned to Drake. "I'm sure it's out of your way. I can
catch a cab. But thank you."

"I insist," Drake said. "I won't
take no for an answer."

I sighed and my father kissed me this time and
we were off. Drake opened the door and he and Dave escorted me into the
elevator. Dave offered me his arm as did Drake. I didn't want to encourage
Dave, but I also didn't want to pick Drake. Instead, I took both their
shoulders and limped inside.

"So, Katherine," Drake said, as we
went down to the garage. "You should watch those cuts, make sure they
don't become infected. If they do, you can go to a clinic to have them
cleaned."

"Thank you," I said. "My best
friend is a nurse, so I'll get her to check."

"Where does she work?"

"Harlem," I replied. "She's doing
her Master's right now and only works part-time."

He nodded. When the elevator opened, he very
purposely took my arm to help me walk. I initially resisted, but finally gave
in when he kept hold of me. As we walked through the garage, I held onto his
shoulder to take the weight off my ankle. When we arrived at his car, a shiny
black Mercedes, I thought it seemed perfect for him, sleek and expensive. Drake
held the door for me and I got inside.

"Where do you live?"

I gave him directions and we drove through the
streets north and west to Harlem. Dave turned and glanced back at me from the
front seat.

"So Kate, do you feel like going out for a
drink? I'm still up for some fun tonight."

"I don't think so…"

"Come on, live a little. I've been trying
to get you to go out with me for a long time. Why not tonight?
Muse
is
just around the corner from your place. We could have a drink and something to
eat."

I shook my head and caught Drake's eye in the
rearview mirror. He was frowning a bit.

"I don't think so," I said. "I
have class tomorrow early…"

"Kate, you are just such a mean
woman," Dave said, laughing. He turned to Drake. "See what I mean?
Turned down again!"

"Maybe you should take a strong
hint
,"
Drake said, his voice low, sounding a bit impatient.

Dave made a face and turned back to me. "No
offense meant, Kate."

I shook my head, my cheeks heating. "No
offense taken." I forced a smile but saw Drake watching me in the
rearview.

Still, Dave didn't give up. "One of these
days, you
will
have to go out with me, Kate. Live a little. Nigel told
me you've been practically a hermit for the last two years."

"Final year of classes before I write my
thesis," I said. "I've been working hard trying to keep my grades
up."

We drove up to my apartment and I was never so
glad to be able to get out of a car, feeling like Dave was totally ignoring
Drake's not so subtle warning to leave me be. Dave hopped out when the car
stopped and opened my door.

Drake got out of his door and watched as Dave
walked me up the stairs to the front entrance.

"Good night, Kate," Dave said when we
reached the door. "Call me about that interview."

"I will," I said, regretting that I
agreed to it. No doubt he'd take the opportunity to hit on me once more. I
turned back to the car where Drake stood watching us. I smiled at him.
"Thank you for the ride. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to finally meet
you
," he
said and smiled back. "Take care of those knees. If you have any problems,
feel free to call me."

I turned and went inside.

Once I was in my apartment and had my coat off,
I called Dawn.

"You won't believe what happened."

"What?" she said, her voice excited.

"I broke a heel on your shoes and fell in
the alley on the way to the fundraiser."

"Oh,
God
, Kate," she said.
"Are you OK?"

"I'm fine, but your shoes are ruined."

"Don’t worry about the shoes. I got them
from my sister, and you know her. The queen of cheap shoes. She'll never even
notice they're missing."

"You won't believe who I met at the
fundraiser," I said, my thoughts turning to Drake.

"Who? Tell me!"

"Doctor Dangerous himself."

"Oh,
oh
," Dawn said, her voice
sounding hesitant. "I can smell trouble over the Ether. Don't tell me you
have a date with him or I'll have to come over there and knock you upside the
head."

"No, but he did have his hands all over my
bare legs."

"
What?
"

I told her the story of my fall and Drake's
doctoring. "Thing is, he's a big friend of my father's. His father and my
father were both Marines in Vietnam. Real buddy-buddy. My father thinks Drake
is a saint."

"You better not be getting any ideas. The
nurses I spoke to at NYP thought he was a dick."

"Of course not. I'm meeting with his
business manager to do an interview on his father's charitable foundation for
my article for
Geist
, but speaking of dicks, I don't know if I really
want to now. I couldn't do an interview with Doctor Delish, Dawn. He's far too
gorgeous."

"Keep away from him. Someone that good
looking and rich has to be a total asshole. Plus he's a surgeon. Balls of
steel. I'm warning you.
Huge
balls. Ego galore. Control freak. It's just
impossible for him to be anything but a jerk on some level."

"That's awfully judgmental," I said,
feeling a need to defend him for some reason, having faced my own share of
criticism from my friends on the left because I was born into a wealthy family.
"Don't blame him for being born good-looking and wealthy."

"This is just for safety's sake,
Kate," she said, a warning tone in her voice. "
Your
safety. He
can probably have anyone he wants whenever he wants and knows it. Stay
away."

"I doubt you have anything to worry
about."

I felt somewhat saddened. Part of me wished I
could
go out with him. He was so gorgeous, like Dawn said, that he probably would
barely even notice someone like me. On the short side, mousy brown hair,
non-descript green eyes and tits a bit too big for the rest of me which I
usually took pains to keep hidden under layers of clothes, I blended in with
the background most of the time. Except when I wore a revealing dress and had
bloody knees and a sprained ankle.

I went to bed later that night, desperately
trying not to think of Dr. Drake Morgan. Dr. Delish. But of course, each time I
closed my eyes, I remembered his mouth, his jaw, his eyes, which I could barely
stand to look into.

I tossed and turned for several hours, fighting
with my urges, not wanting to resort to Big. I did
not
want someone like
Drake – someone who was friends with my father – someone who was
the opposite to everything I wanted in a man – to invade my private
sexual fantasies. He was a Republican. Comfortable around my father's 'people'.
Suave. Filthy rich. Powerful.

Yes, he was the best looking man I'd ever seen,
but he was just so wrong for someone like me.