I don’t have to answer to anyone. And let’s be fair, I’m damn near untouchable right now.”
Christine smiled. “Congratulations on finally getting up to speed.”
“Do you want it? I think it might help you.”
“Why are you doing this now?”
Caroline was not about to start crying in front of Jeanine, no matter how much she liked her. She looked down at her sling, thinking of that day at the Capitol in July, of the past year and a half when Christine had helped her through all of her rough patches without question or judgment. “You know why,” she said softly.
Christine’s eyes clouded over for a moment, but she quickly recovered. “So it’s not because you ate all my favorite candy?”
Caroline threw her good hand up in the air. “For Christ’s sake. I will buy you another bag. Of nothing but caramel and dark chocolate.”
“Make sure they’re sea salt caramel.”
What a little fussbudget. “You’re so goddamn picky. Fine.”
“And I’m starting a swear jar for when you’re in my office,” Christine added.
Caroline made a mental note to put some small bills in her purse. She’d soon be shelling out buckets of cash. “In any event, if you want my endorsement, you can have it,” she said. “I’ll even campaign with you if you want.”
“You hate campaigning more than I do,” Christine pointed out.
“I’ve recently discovered that it sounds much more appealing when I’m doing it on behalf of someone else.”
Christine turned to her campaign manager. “Jeanine, what do you think of all of this?”
“It’s a phenomenal idea,” Jeanine said. “The two of you together might play well, particularly among suburban female voters.”
“She means the ladies who lunch,” Caroline said.
“Thank you for the translation, Caroline,” Christine said. “I do usually understand what my campaign manager is trying to say.”
Jeanine gave Christine a confused look. Maybe she was too young to appreciate classic Broadway musicals.
“Don’t look at me,” Christine told her. “I’m grateful any time I understand Representative Gerard’s obscure references.” She turned back to Caroline. “Would you really campaign with me?”
Christine was practically glowing. It was the happiest Caroline had seen her in weeks. “Jeanine and I came to the conclusion that it might be fun. Seeing as I’ll be unemployed in about fifteen months, I may as well keep myself occupied until then.”
Christine got up from her desk, sat down on the armrest of the couch, and squeezed Caroline’s good hand. “Well, then. Let’s figure this out.”
“How about over lunch?” She was still starving.
“That works.”
Caroline heard cheerful, high pitched voices outside Christine’s office, even with the door closed. Marguerite and Sophie had wandered in from next door. “Is it okay if the girls come along?”
“You bet.”
“What about your interns?”
Christine laughed. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Fourteen
The Past
The dress wasn’t cream colored. At all. It was barely off white. Tea length and cut to perfection, it made Caroline look positively virginal. Not the message she wanted to send during their wedding ceremony, especially when it was her second kick at the cat. She sat down on the couch in a tiny room in the church alcove trying to calm her nerves. Almost showtime. Jen and Kathleen helped her get ready, trying to keep her distracted.
“Your hands are shaking,” Jen said. “Are you nervous?”
“No,” Caroline said. She rubbed her palms together. Friction. Movement. Distraction. Maybe that would help.
“She’s going to pass out,” Kathleen said.
“I am not.” Caroline took a deep breath. “Can I have some water?”
Kathleen handed her a bottle from the mini fridge in the corner of the room. “This church has everything,” she said. “Do you think the priest blessed this bottle? Maybe some extra holiness would help you right now.”
“Hush.” Caroline took a sip and gave her a pointed look. “I am not going to pass out.”
“You don’t look all that steady to me.”
“I’m fine.” She recapped the bottle. “I’m just a little upset that Jack didn’t want to see me before the ceremony.”
Caroline made her feelings on that particular wedding day tradition well known, since it was based on the ancient belief that the husband should never see the wife before the wedding for fear that he’d find her unattractive and flee the scene. But Jack insisted that it be a surprise. He didn’t want to hear about the dress, didn’t want to know about the flowers…all he cared about was seeing her that afternoon at the altar.
“He sucks,” Caroline said. “I’m nervous as hell.”
Jen smiled triumphantly. “I knew it.”
“It’s been a long time since I did this. Don’t I have a right to