to give you lessons on how to be more refined?”
“I thought you were going to teach me how to be a queen bee. Leading by example should take you pretty far. You should have seen the way your intern reacted when I accidentally called you Chrissy. Priceless.”
Christine gave her a hard look. “In all seriousness, you probably do have to watch that.”
“I know. Does Tom have to call you Representative Sullivan too? While he’s in your office, that is.”
Christine actually blushed. “He calls me Dr. Spencer sometimes. As a joke.”
“While he’s doing political stuff with you?”
“Yes.”
“In front of your staff?”
“He only does it when they’re within earshot.”
Caroline laughed. “Good for Tom. But that was never your title. Was it?”
“I gave some serious thought to keeping my name when we got married.”
“You’re a bundle of surprises, Chrissy. I would have never guessed that.”
“My life is a rich tapestry, Caroline. And it’s delightful when you and Tom use that…term for me but please, not in public.”
Caroline laughed. Christine couldn’t even say her own nickname out loud. “I know. Your reputation and all.”
“It’s not only about me. You’re quite intelligent but you’re also very colloquial. It’s a useful skill to have, and it’s a big part of why the electorate responds to you. But you have some especially critical eyes on you now and they might not find you as charming as those of us who know you well.”
She’d been hoping to escape that part of being more high profile. “Why wasn’t this an issue when I was the keynote speaker? I was all over the media map last year.”
Christine shifted her gaze. “You were very angry back then, and it showed. But you handled yourself a lot better than you thought, even with your occasional lapses in discretion. The spotlight on you is considerably brighter now than during and after the convention. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Caroline thought of the tabloid photographers who had camped out in front of her house in Rockville the day she returned to work. She never thought they’d pay that kind of attention to a low level politician but she clearly misjudged their nerve. “You have a point.”
“You’ve got to be more self-aware. Your default is to be open and friendly as opposed to guarded.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“It’s a wonderful thing. I’m thrilled that you’re so happy. But it makes you susceptible to predators.”
“What am I, Bambi?”
“No. You’re a marvelous person and I don’t want to see you get raked over the coals by opportunists and doomsayers.”
Caroline was touched by Christine’s concern for her, but it was still contradictory. It would be impossible for her to retain her identity while keeping her hackles up all the time. “So, stop being so trusting?”
“A smidge of bitchy wouldn’t hurt.”
“You can teach that too? Your process sounds complicated. How much is this program going to cost me?”
“It cannot be taught. It is known.” Christine grinned. “And deep down inside, Representative Caroline Gerard is a giant bitch. The force is strong in you, my dear. I can feel it in my bones.”
“Then let’s start this instructional series.”
“It’s going to take a lot of work. I don’t know if I can get you into shape by next January.”
“Jack will appreciate any efforts you can make.”
Christine grimaced. “Yes, he’ll be thrilled if you start acting more like me.”
“As will all the fine residents of the Commonwealth, I’m sure.”
“My approval ratings are almost as high as yours, smart guy.”
“That’s because you’re best friends with America’s Political Sweetheart, Dr. Spencer.”
Christine was trying to keep a straight face, which was why it was even more amusing when she laughed. “Oh, Punky. You could afford to have a bit more humility. But the first goal is for you to stop cursing so much.”
“Fuck that,” Caroline said. “You’re failing miserably.”
“I haven’t even started yet.”
“That’s because you know a lost cause when you see one. Move on to goal two.”
“Just wait. I’ll have you sipping tea and lounging gracefully in a Victorian dress by the time we’re done with the campaign.”
“Not likely.”
Christine pressed her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose, a sure sign that she was getting frustrated. A bit unsettling, the way she drifted from entertained to annoyed so quickly. Jeanine had her work cut out for her. “I worry about you, Caroline. You need to have more than just a flip reaction when you’re tested. Many, many politicos have no sense of humor, particularly when it comes to women. Some of these bloggers and pundits