Her Perfect Candidate Read online

  “Do you feel that you really know me now?” he asked in a low, deep voice that sent goose bumps down her arms. This man was driving her insane, and she didn’t know how much longer she could stand having his voice in her ear.

  “Overall.” She put down her pen and notepad as Percy jumped into her lap. “I’m sure I’ll learn more in the months to come. But I just thought of something else. When I was online looking at pictures of you, I only saw you with a bunch of females. There were only a few family pictures and some of you giving speeches during your last campaign. However, there was nothing with you and the good you do for the communities in your district such as the center and the gardens. Why is that?”

  “Well one reason is that all the media and gossip blogs tend to care about is who I’m dating. Plus, I do what I do for my community because it’s my passion. I’m not doing it for the publicity. I do it because I care, and I’m in the position to make a change. Everyone wasn’t born wealthy like me, but it doesn’t mean they can’t have the same advantages. There’re some articles out there though, about some of the things I’ve done, but unfortunately my past lifestyle outweighs the good.”

  “We’re going to change that, Steven. It’ll help with cleaning up your image. They need to see you playing the guitar with the children and getting dirty in the community garden. They need to see your philanthropy side not the philandering one. I have a reporter friend at one of the local news stations. I’ll see if she can come to the fund-raiser.”

  He laughed. “Wow. Are you an interior decorator or an image consultant?”

  “I’m the woman who believes in you and what you stand for.”

  “Thank you. That truly means a lot to me. Out of all of the women I’ve dated, including my ex-wife, you’ve been the only one to say that, and you’re not even my real girlfriend. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you when this ends. Promise me we’ll always be friends.”

  “Of course.” A lump formed in her throat. She didn’t want to think about the end. Clearing her windpipe, she glanced at her notepad to see was there anything else she forgot to ask.

  “I read somewhere that you don’t drink alcohol. Is that true?”

  “I may have an occasional glass of wine or champagne, but only when I’m in the comforts of my own home. I wouldn’t want the media to snap a picture of me holding a drink. Then I’d be labeled as an alcoholic.”

  “Makes sense.” I guess he already has enough labels.

  “And you?”

  “Occasionally a glass of wine or some girlie drink like Sex on the Beach.”

  “You like having sex on the beach? Me, too. I own some beachfront property if you ever want to...” Steven said in a teasing manner although she knew he meant it. She tried to ignore his comment even though a picture of them making love on the beach popped into her head.

  “Steven, if we’re going to do this, you have to refrain from flirting so much.” Because its making me want to jump through the phone and onto your lap.

  “I can’t help it. If I can’t flirt with you, who am I going to flirt with? You’re my girlfriend, but I’ll try to keep it to a minimum if it’s making you want me.”

  “Want you? Who says I want you?”

  “I know you have to be attracted to me to even do this and that goes both ways. I was going to ask you out anyway. Who knows? Maybe this is a way for us to be a couple and get to know each other in the process. You know, skip the courting part. Besides, you don’t like dates.”

  She laughed sarcastically. “You know, you’re funny. If you don’t get the nomination, you can always go into comedy. Anyway, a little about me. I was born and raised here in Atlanta. My dad is a high school principal and my mother is a first grade teacher. My hobbies are reading suspense and romance novels, going to the movies and comedy shows. I also listen to most music genres and my favorite singer is Beyoncé. Anything else you care to know?”

  She was ready to get off of the phone. She had three meetings all before noon the next day. Plus his low, sexy voice in her ear was starting to wreak havoc on her thought process, and she was beginning to wish he really was her boyfriend. And his sex-on-the-beach comment had made her rather hot in a certain area, and she needed a cold shower. Fast. He was quite flirtatious all of sudden, and she didn’t know how she was going to make it the next few months if he was constantly flirting with her. He may just receive a special bonus after all.

  “What’s your favorite flower?” he asked.

  “Pink roses and red tulips.”

  “Why tulips?” he asked curiously.

  “My grandfather used to plant them in his garden when I was a little girl. When he died, they bloomed so beautiful that year. But after that they stopped coming back,” Megan said getting teary eyed. “Please continue with your questions. I get emotional sometimes thinking about him.”

  “I completely understand. What’s your favorite color?”

  “Pink but I also like purple.”

  “You are such a girlie girl. And favorite perfume?”

  “Amarige by Givenchy.”

  “Is that what you were wearing the day I met you?”

  “Yes, it was. That’s all I ever wear. Anything else? I really need to get going to type up a budget proposal for a client.” She really didn’t mean to get that personable with him. She’d never even told her ex the reason why she loved tulips. Perhaps because he’d never asked.

  “Yes. That’s all for now. Have a good evening, Megan.”

  “The same to you, Mr. Monroe,” she answered hanging up the phone quickly.

  A minute later, the phone rang again. What now?

  “Yes?” Megan answered in an annoyed tone. She was lying on her bed still trying to get the image of sex on the beach out of her head. However, all she kept fantasizing about was lying naked with Steven on a beach towel with those strong hands of his roaming over her body and his lips placing hot kisses on her neck.

  “I sometimes wish caller ID hadn’t been invented. That way you wouldn’t have to answer the phone with such an attitude,” Steven said jokingly.

  “But answering machines do exist,” Megan said impatiently getting up and walking over to her sewing room. She needed to get away from her bed especially with his voice in her ear.

  “You still have an answering machine?”

  “No.”

  “I won’t keep you on the phone. I just wanted to tell you thank you for helping me. I sincerely appreciate it.”

  “You are a good man and an honest politician despite your jaunts with women. The only thing I ask of you is that you remain honest with me,” Megan said to him seriously.

  “That’s a promise I can keep. However, by the end of this, you’re not going to want to let me go. Good night, Megan.”

  She sat at her sewing machine and dropped her forehead on it. His words played in her head like a broken record. What I have I gotten myself into?

  * * *

  Megan was supposed to be working on a project board for a presentation next week. However, she’d found herself unable to concentrate at home, so she’d headed to the office thinking that her thoughts of Steven wouldn’t follow her there. But as she sat in her office staring at a blank board, she was so wrong.

  It had been a week since Megan had agreed to be Steven’s girlfriend. She hadn’t seen him and a part of her was happy about that. However, she found herself missing him and that scared her. Whenever the phone rang, she hoped it was him and in some instances it was. He was out of town on business, but they spoke every day because she was planning a Jazz Wine Down Wednesday fund-raiser for the community center. She was able to reserve space in Braxton’s restaurant, which was donating the food and wine. She was also able to invite people from the media. She had secured eight of the undergrads from her sorority, and six undergrads from Steven
’s fraternity had signed up to volunteer during the summer. Megan had negotiated that the fraternity and sorority members wouldn’t be paid, but Steven would write letters of recommendation when they graduated from college, and he would attend a voter’s registration drive on campus sponsored by his fraternity.

  Megan hadn’t told her parents she was dating Steven yet. But she figured they would know by tomorrow morning considering that night’s fund-raiser event would be their first outing in public. She did tell Jade, Tiffani and Sydney that she was helping Senator Monroe plan a fund-raiser for the community center. She also casually told them she was his date for the evening. They were excited for her especially since they were invited. Jade only went to A-list events and Tiffani was glad to get out of the house and away from her four-year-old son and his recent tantrums. Ever since Tiffani’s husband died of a heart attack almost a year ago, her son had been acting out. Sydney even voluntarily cancelled the date she had set up for Megan to go on the following week, much to her relief.

  Megan sat at her desk contemplating her decision to date Steven. While she was indeed attracted to him, the fear of falling for him had weighed heavily on her mind since the day she accepted. Every time she thought about him, her heart thumped hard against her chest and her mind wandered to a place of lust and fantasy with him.

  Lucy tapped on the ajar door interrupting Megan’s amorous thoughts.

  “Ms. Chase, you have a special delivery!” Lucy excitedly announced zooming into the office with her bouncy red hair and blue eyes sparkling brightly. She took Megan by the hand and pulled her out into the reception area. On Lucy’s desk, were two dozen pink roses with red tulips scattered throughout in a sparkling crystal vase with a pink-and-lavender chiffon ribbon tied around it.

  “Open the card. Open the card.” Lucy jumped up and down like a little schoolgirl.

  Megan remained speechless. Jade tapped her foot impatiently and placed her hands on her hips giving Megan a “hurry up” look.

  “Girl, open the card and stop looking surprised! You know it’s from the senator!” Jade demanded handing Megan the card from the bouquet.

  Megan really wasn’t sure if she wanted to open it in front of them. Why is he sending me flowers in the first place? This isn’t a real relationship! But she opened the card anyway, if only to appease Lucy and Jade.

  “Can’t wait to see you tonight. Yours truly, Stevo.” She giggled at the way he’d signed his name. I guess he liked the nickname after all.

  She tried to act overwhelmed in front of Jade and Lucy even though she really didn’t have to act at all. She was flattered.

  “Oh, these are so beautiful. He remembered my favorite flowers,” she said, pleasantly surprised by his gesture.

  Now she realized why he asked what her favorite flower was. She was rather pleased that he had sent them and was even more elated of the added extra details of the color of the ribbons. For once, she had found a man that knew what she wanted. Too bad he’s not really my man, she thought. Too bad her ex never thought like that. She remembered when he sent her yellow roses for her birthday after the fact because he was too busy with patients. She later discovered he was rather getting busy with his nurse at a hotel downtown.

  Blushing, Megan took the arrangement to her office and placed it on her desk.

  “Ms. Chase,” Lucy called after her, “You have a phone call holding on line three. It’s Justine Monroe from the Fabulous Living Channel.”

  Megan ran out of her office and collided with Jade as they immediately locked wide eyes, and then headed straight to the conference room and closed the door.

  Jade sat down and stared at the phone. “Girl, this could be it! I’ll pray while you answer the phone.”

  Megan took a deep breath before answering. She pushed the speaker button so Jade could hear, as well.

  “This is Megan Chase here also with Jade Whitmore.”

  “Good morning, ladies. This is Justine Monroe with the Fabulous Living Channel. I have some fabulous news to share with you.”

  The women locked eyes again, and Jade stood up above the phone and placed her hand over her heart.

  “I’m happy to say after reviewing your portfolio as well as the audition video, we would like to offer you and Ms. Whitmore the opportunity to have a segment on Decorator’s Dream.

  “Oh, Ms. Monroe, I... Thank you. We’re very excited.” Megan sat in the chair in front of the phone and tried to remain composed as she and Jade squeezed hands.

  “Craig, my production assistant and I look forward to working with you this summer in Hilton Head. I have to go, but Craig will be in contact with you within the next few days with all of the necessary information you’ll need.”

  “Thank you so much for the opportunity, Ms. Monroe.”

  After they hung up, the women gave each other huge hugs before running out to the reception area to inform Lucy.

  “Now Lucy,” Jade, began in a serious tone. “We’ll be gone for a couple of weeks this summer. Think you can hold down the fort while we’re away?”

  “Yes, Ms. Whitmore. It’ll give me a chance to do some projects on my own.”

  While Jade and Lucy conversed, Megan thought about how quickly Justine called so soon after she spoke to Steven about the opportunity. She made a mental note to call Steven and thank him. She sighed, he had already lived up to his part of the deal, but now she had to do her part. Why does mine seem so much harder?

  Chapter 5

  The evening of the fund-raiser arrived sooner than Megan realized. She left a voice mail on her parent’s home phone explaining her plans for that night so they wouldn’t be in total shock if there was a picture of her and Steven in newspaper the next day. They had seen the other pictures but once they saw the statement Steven’s team had released, her parents had admitted they felt better. She knew they wouldn’t be home because of PTA meetings, so a voice mail was perfect. She knew sooner or later they would find out about him so she opted for the later.

  Megan stood at her vanity putting the last touches of her makeup on. Steven was sending a car to pick her up, which was to arrive in thirty minutes, and she still hadn’t decided on which dress she was going to wear. She’d just gotten out of the shower, but she felt herself perspiring with anxiety. She went into her bedroom and turned on the ceiling fan even though she already had the air conditioner on full blast and tossed the bathrobe on the bed. Percy just stared at her and purred.

  “What am I going to wear?” she asked the cat who was now licking his paws. She walked back into the closet and looked at her evening wear and opted for a fuchsia, spaghetti strap dress with a flared, flirty skirt that stopped at her knees showcasing her smooth, freshly waxed legs.

  She buckled her heels and then smiled. She was glad that Jade had convinced her to go to the spa with her after Justine Monroe’s call. Megan’s toes and fingernails were freshly French manicured and her hair was straight down her back with loose curls on the ends. Her hairdresser added a few strawberry blonde highlights that matched her caramel skin and brought out her cheekbones.

  Looking through her antique jewelry box, she picked a simple gold necklace and big gold hoops. When she was done, she surveyed her classy and elegant outfit in the full-length mirror. She looked like a senator’s girlfriend should look, she thought.

  Then she decided to lose the hoops and wear diamond studs instead. She didn’t want to look too flashy and draw any more attention than necessary to herself. Megan was sure the attention would be on her more so than Steven when it came to the press. That was her only worry about agreeing to date Steven. While Megan was a people person at work, she really preferred privacy in her personal life. Megan laughed at herself as she realized that her private life was about to be flipped upside down.

  After she was completely dressed, Megan added a little bit more makeup and sprayed on
some Amarige. She looked at the grandfather clock that once belonged to her grandmother as she walked into the kitchen. She had a few more minutes, so she decided to drink a glass of cold water to calm her nerves even though a shot of whiskey would probably work better. While she was in the kitchen, her buzzer sounded. Let the games begin, she thought as she answered her intercom.

  “Yes?”

  “Hello, Megan. Are you ready to go?” It was Steven. She hadn’t realized he would be picking her up. She assumed he was only sending a car. At least the driver would be in the car, she thought. But that wasn’t good either. She would have to start pretending before the party, and she wasn’t ready for that yet.

  “Yes. Just surprised to hear your voice. I was expecting a driver.”

  “Change of plans. I’m driving.”

  Great. Now it will just be us together. I think I need that shot of whiskey now.

  “Okay. I’ll be down in a minute,” Megan answered. She ran back into her bedroom and glanced in the mirror one last time. As she walked out the room, she said to Percy, “Wish me luck!” The cat just blinked and jumped on her bed. She knew he would stay there all night.

  Megan grabbed her black evening purse and a shawl and headed down to the front lobby. When she arrived she saw Steven standing alone. He was on his cell and hadn’t realized she was there. He looked handsome in a dark blue suit with a light blue dress shirt and a paisley tie. Megan’s heart began to beat fast again, and her lips slightly parted as her stomach churned. As she watched him, she began to remember just how important a man he really was. He was a politician, a man with power and status. He was serious-minded. He had authority and a way of taking total command of any situation. Megan was impressed and it was a solid part of what made him one sexy man. Megan smiled when she realized that like her father, Steven spoke with his hands.

  * * *

  Steven was in a deep conversation with Bryce. He put his hand to his head in disbelief. Another main donor for the community center decided not to offer their usual amount for the summer program because of budget cuts with their company.