Conservative Affairs (6 page)

He’d like to know if Madeline needed anything too, for that matter. He’d been on the mayor’s staff for three years now, and he’d never seen her as distraught as she had appeared during the glance he had stolen as Jo ushered her out the office. With an election coming up in just over a year, there was little doubt that her tensions would have been high anyway. But, given this added stress, Madeline was entitled to a breakdown. Jo was simply helping Madeline out. He felt his protective instincts emerge.

“She’s not a bitch, and we can’t talk about each other that way. You know that, Jacquelyn. Jo was probably freaked out, like the rest of us are. She took the bullet for you, remember, since Ian was out of town? She stepped up, way above her pay grade, because neither of us wanted to be the fall guy.”

Gabe had tried time and time again to smooth things over, but Jacquelyn was angry, jealous perhaps that the new girl was in the loop and she was not. Jacquelyn wasn’t accustomed to being on the outside. As communications director she was the staff member who spent the most time with Madeline. Unfortunately, she also was the office gossip.

“I know,” Jacquelyn conceded. “But she didn’t have to yell at me. I mean, can you imagine having a staff member yell at you in front of everyone in the office over an issue that you brought to the forefront of everyone else’s attention? I mean, if it weren’t for me, no one would have known, and Jo couldn’t have rushed in and come to Stratton’s rescue. I just think it’s unfair, that’s all.”

“Enough!” Gabe had heard this argument at least ten times already and couldn’t take it anymore. “Jacquelyn, listen to yourself. Of course, it’s unfair. It’s an unfair situation and not just for you. Don’t forget that a woman we all respect and admire had her world turned upside down today, okay?”

Even though he knew better than to take the side of one staffer over another, he couldn’t help but come to Jo’s defense. “Besides, Jo was doing what she felt was right, and I think her actions were admirable. Should she have yelled at you? No, probably not. But she was the one who had the courage to walk into Stratton’s office and do what neither you nor I wanted to do. She was also the one who had the insight to take Madeline out of the office and make sure that she was going to be okay. And for the record, when she ‘yelled at you in front of everyone,’ she did so in your office with the door shut and there was nobody in there but the two of you. Otherwise you wouldn’t need to be telling me about it. So maybe you should just get off her case and get back to work or you should just go home.”

“Fine, Gabe. Take her side.” Jacquelyn glanced around the empty office. They had sent everyone else away in order to frustrate the media, who had started turning things into a circus after hearing an on-air teaser from Channel 15 about a bombshell report that it would be airing on the evening news. It hadn’t revealed the nature of the story, but it had featured a picture of the mayor and her husband.

The two of them had handled the media queries, providing reporters with the mayor’s “no comment” statement as well as doing what they could in “off the record” conversations to protect Madeline—maybe even build some sympathy for her. Until they heard from Ian, her chief of staff, or Madeline herself with more detail or direction, there was little else they could do.

Now, in the quiet of the office, it was as if they were the only two soldiers standing on the battlefield.

Gabe watched Jacquelyn slam shut her laptop and pack her briefcase. He hoped she would go home soon. He would stay. He wanted to be here in case Jo came back, something which looked increasingly unlikely with each passing hour. He wanted to see if she was okay. She had seemed almost as upset as Madeline when they left, and he couldn’t understand why. Before today, there had been times when he wasn’t even sure that she liked working for Madeline. Today, though, things had been different—as if Jo felt protective toward Madeline. Whatever had happened during that breakfast over the weekend that Jo had mentioned had caused them to bond. It didn’t matter, he supposed. He was just thankful that Jo seemed to have made that connection to her job now, that she wanted to be a part of the team even if it meant babysitting an upset mayor.

Glancing at his BlackBerry for the hundredth time since she and the mayor had left, he sighed.

“She’s not going to call you back, you know.”

“Who?” He asked the question, knowing Jacquelyn didn’t really need to answer.

“You know who. Don’t play dumb with me, Gabe. You’ve had it bad for that girl ever since she came to work for Stratton.”

“She’s not a girl. She’s twenty-seven, and I don’t ‘have it bad for her,’ Jacquelyn. You don’t have to always butt into everyone else’s business.”

“Whatever, man. She isn’t interested. I can tell you that much. But if you hear from her with an update on Stratton, let me know.”

Gabe wanted badly to protest, but deep down he knew that Jacquelyn’s words were the truth. Jo had no interest in him, and that didn’t appear likely to change.

“Fine. Have a good night.”

“Yeah, you too,” Jacquelyn replied and left the office.

Alone with his thoughts, he couldn’t help but wonder what Jo’s type was. Was it something he could become? Not that he believed in changing for someone, but maybe Jo wanted someone who made her laugh or someone who made romantic gestures or someone with a high-paying job or someone who went to the gym religiously. He made her laugh and he liked romantic gestures. He could focus on making those attributes more apparent and work toward improving the other traits. Whatever Jo needed, he would try to be it. Which is why, after sending another text message saying “Let me know if you need anything,” he eyed his watch and sat back on the office couch. He would stay another hour, just in case, and then go home. Wherever he was, though, if Jo called, he would go to her. Just as she was Madeline’s shoulder to cry on, he would be hers.

* * *

Jo shook her head as she refilled Madeline’s glass with Jameson on the rocks. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined having Madeline Stratton sitting on her couch, six drinks in, a lit cigarette in one hand and the other petting Jaws.

She stole a glance at her from the kitchen. Madeline’s tears had stopped, but her words had not. Apparently, she was the kind of drunk who told endless stories. Stories of the past and stories that she probably shouldn’t be sharing with a staff member.

Jo was thankful that Madeline was a talker, though. Otherwise Jo might have been tempted to share some uncomfortable stories of her own. Luckily she was nowhere near drunk enough for that. Madeline had insisted that Jo drink with her, but she had sipped back only two drinks so far. She was not going to get sloppy tonight. She couldn’t afford to slip in front of Madeline—even if there was a chance Madeline would forget everything by morning.

Her BlackBerry dinged. She checked Madeline one more time. Deciding she would be all right alone for a few seconds longer, she checked the message.

It was Gabe—big surprise. He had been texting ever since she and Madeline had left this afternoon. She debated about replying. She didn’t want to instigate further conversation, but she felt she should at least give him a sign that he didn’t need worry about them.

“We’re fine. Thanks!”

She typed the response and sent it before she could allow herself to reconsider the move.

Almost immediately, she received three new text messages.

“You’re still with her?”

“Are you okay? Do you need help?”

“Where are you? Can I bring anything?”

“Shit,” Jo muttered. This guy was becoming a royal pain. It was clear from this and his earlier messages that this was more than matter of him doing his job. She needed some breathing room. There was no way she would ever go out with anyone that needy—guy or girl.

She decided not to reply. She didn’t want to say whether or not she was still with Madeline. Would it look suspicious that she was? Or would it make her look like a loyal employee, someone intent on sticking with her boss through the good and the bad?

She hoped it was the latter, but at this point, she wasn’t sure how much it mattered. It wasn’t the best of circumstances, but Madeline had proved to be a lot of fun and Jo was thoroughly enjoying spending the evening with her. The best part was that Madeline appeared to be enjoying it too. She was also smiling, laughing and seeming to have a good time.

The way Jo saw it, Madeline really needed a friend right now. Contemplating her own loneliness, she realized that she was in no place to turn one away either. Despite the age difference and the fact that Jo worked for her, Madeline seemed to have decided that Jo was, in fact, a friend. That alone was making Jo’s night a great one.

As she rounded the corner back into the living room, she found Madeline leaning over her DVD rack, examining the offerings there. She felt as if the air had been knocked out of her. There was no telling what Madeline might find there. She cleared her throat loudly, hoping to distract her. “I’ve got your drink.”

Madeline glanced up momentarily and then looked back down immediately.

“I’ve never heard of this show,” she said, pointing to a DVD box.

“Oh…um…it’s not that great. Did you want to watch a movie?” Jo tried desperately to sit Madeline down. “Have a seat, and I’ll put one in for us.”

It was too late. Madeline had removed the box from the shelf.

“What exactly is
The L Word
?” Jo saw Madeline’s eyes widen as they took in the picture of naked women, covering their breasts with their hands, on the DVD box.

Jo searched for words, as her scariest nightmare played out before her eyes.

“It’s…it’s…”

“‘Explores the lives of a group of lesbians,’” Madeline read aloud from the back of the box before looking up at Jo inquisitively. It was comparable to the look she got from Jaws whenever she opened up a container or package of anything that smelled or sounded like it might be a snack—confused, yet intrigued.

“It belongs to a friend of mine. She recommended I watch it.”

“Is that why you have six seasons of it?” Madeline’s smile grew.

“Uh, yeah. She wanted me to see all of them.” Jo hoped Madeline couldn’t hear the tremor in her voice.

“Okay,” Madeline replied, putting the box back in the rack, but her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Jo had left the television off all night, anxious to avoid having Madeline catch sight of footage of John and the little blond he had apparently been seeing. She knew that one glimpse of her husband with another woman and Madeline would revert to the sobbing mess she had been earlier in the day.

It had taken her an hour—and several strong drinks—to calm Madeline down after they reached the apartment and then everything in her power to keep Madeline’s mind occupied with something other than the day’s revelations.

Turning on the set seemed worth the risk now, though, if it could prevent Madeline from asking more questions about the nice little lesbian DVDs she had just found. She grabbed the remote. “Do you want to watch anything?”

“Sure,” Madeline answered, then a dark look passed over her face. “But can we watch a movie instead of TV?”

So Madeline had been avoiding the television too. Using it to change the subject had essentially smacked her in the face again with the fact that her husband had been having an affair, Jo thought regretfully.

“What would you like to watch?” Jo asked.

“What all do you have? I’d prefer something funny tonight, if that’s good with you.”

Jo considered the options. Madeline must have gone through most of the offerings on the shelf if she had made it to her
L Word
collection, which had been carefully tucked behind her other movies. Having nothing more to hide—as far as movies were concerned anyway—didn’t make picking something to watch tonight any easier.

Nothing romantic. Nothing about a breakup. Nothing that will remind her of why she’s here—as if she could forget.

“How about a mindless comedy?”

“Sounds great. What do you have in mind?”

Jo held up two movie cases she never thought she would show Mayor Stratton. “
Austin Powers?
Or
Superbad
?”

“
Superbad,
it is,” was Madeline’s amused response.

Jo popped in the movie and took a seat on the couch, making sure to leave a cushion’s worth of space between her and Madeline.

Madeline brushed Jo’s hand as she reached for the remote, causing a jolt that Jo felt throughout her body.
Easy, girl.
Jo reminded herself of the perils of the situation, to no avail. She decided the only way to maintain her sanity and keep an already bad situation from becoming explosive was to admit to herself that she had feelings for Mayor Madeline Stratton. To admit it, deal with it and move on. That was easier said than done, of course.

Madeline fumbled with the buttons on the remote before finally locating the pause button. She held up her glass. “I’m going to get one more,” she said.

“Allow me,” Jo offered, wondering how the last drink had disappeared so quickly but standing to take the glass.

“Thank you,” Madeline’s response came out sounding slightly slurred, enough so that Jo decided to make this Madeline’s last drink and to water it down to keep her from getting sick.

She hurried to the kitchen and diluted the drink, stopping only long enough to send one short message from her BlackBerry, addressed to Gabe and to Jacquelyn. Madeline, she knew, had been due for a media visit the following day. And that was before this bombshell. “Cancel all of M’s appointments tomorrow. Thanks!” It was better to be safe than sorry, Jo had been taught when dealing with volatile situations in politics, and judging from how much alcohol Madeline had consumed tonight and how distraught she had been, it was a safe bet that she would not be feeling up to performing her mayoral duties in the morning.

Jo’s heart caught at the sight that greeted her as she returned to the living room. Madeline had curled up on the couch and was sleeping. Jo wanted to hold her, to tell her everything would be all right, but more than anything, she wanted to do everything in her power to make sure that everything was, in fact, all right.