The Candidate's Affair (19 page)

“We got you a little parting gift.” Cricket held up a gift bag.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Well, since it seems you won’t be at the school anymore and who knows where Paxton’s career will take you, we just wanted you to remember us.” She waited for me to take it.

I tugged on the blue tissue paper, and pulled out a framed picture. “Oh, I never saw this.”

“We took it last summer at Tina’s book club. She was all geared up to start a blog and never did. Remember?”

“I do.” I nodded. It was also the first night I met Paxton. “It’s really nice. Thank you. I’ll find the perfect spot for it in the new house.”

They smiled and started shuffling toward the door. I hugged each one, knowing our paths probably wouldn’t cross again.

“Bye.” I waved and watched them filter across my lawn.

The for-sale sign had tipped over in the last rainstorm. I walked out and positioned it to standing. I looked up at the house. The perfect green grass. The wraparound porch. I had been happy here. Until I wasn’t.

It was dark. I was cold, but I could feel something warm on my palms. I looked down at Spence’s body at my feet.

“Spence! Spence!” I cried, dropping to my knees. I shoved him. “Spencer!”

I looked up just in time to see the car hurtling towards us. I threw myself over his body as it barreled into the room. I couldn’t move. The hissing from the crash was deafening. I was buried under glass and wall, pressed against Spencer.

“Audrey?” he called. His voice was weak.

I tried to move. I pushed my back against the car trying to make space.

“I can’t breathe,” he choked. “I can’t…”

“Hold on,” I begged. “Please hold on.”

“I can’t.”

“Spence!” I screamed again, but when I searched for him beneath me he was gone. I sat up. There were shards of glass around me. I was covered in blood.

“Audrey, wake up. Wake up, baby.” I heard Pax’s voice.

He held me against his chest. His arms folding me until I was in his lap.

“Pax,” I whispered.

“You’re ok. It was just a dream.”

My hand flattened against his chest. I felt his heart thumping. It had been a nightmare. I started shaking.

“I-I…it seemed so real.” I pushed back to get some air.

“That’s the third one this week. You keep calling for Spencer.”

“I’m sorry.” I pulled my knees to my chest. The image of blood was all I could see.

“Let me get you something to drink.” He walked out of the bedroom and returned with something dark. It wasn’t water. “You need something stiff to help you sleep.”

I chugged it, not caring that it burned my throat.

“Thanks.” I placed the glass on a box next to the bed. Pax had packed up most of his room.

“You want to tell me what’s going on in these dreams?” he asked.

“Not really.” I wished I had a second drink.

“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s going on.” His thumb rubbed my arm. “Let me in.”

“I don’t want to think about it.” I pulled the tank top from my chest. I threw my arms around his neck and pressed my body into his. “Help me forget it.”

He tangled his hands in my hair. “Do you think it has anything to do with us getting married next week? All the dreams?”

I kissed his neck, rubbing against his body. “No, why would you say that?”

He tugged lightly on the fistful of hair so that I was staring into his eyes. “It has nothing to do with us moving into the new house or the wedding? You sure about that?”

“It’s not a wedding.”

He gripped harder and I gasped. I closed my eyes and maneuvered so that I was on top of him.

“We are getting married next week, Audrey.”

“I know.” I kissed his chest. The warmth blurred the dream. It was starting to fade. I felt something other than bitter cold.

“I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be. Just help me forget it.”

He sighed. “It’s hard for me when you start screaming in your sleep. You scared the hell out of me.”

“Make me scream for other reasons.” I nipped at his throat.

He grabbed my wrists and held them steady. “Are you ok?”

“I need to feel alive. I want to forget the bad dreams. You make all that go away.” I began to grind against him, my hips working deliberately.

He groaned. “I make it go away?”

“Mmmhmm.” I focused on his breathing, the way his eyes had transformed from concerned to lustful. “I need you to make it go away.” I rolled to the side, and Pax rolled with me, pinning my arms above my head.

I didn’t want to think about the dream, or analyze why the nightmares had suddenly returned. It seemed Pax thought there was a connection to our impending ceremony, but I wasn’t going to give him moments to psychoanalyze me either. The heat drove out the nightmares, and that was exactly what we both needed.

“R
ight this way, Mrs. Tanner. Over here.” I followed the assistant Paxton had hired. “Just stand slightly behind Senator Tanner while he’s at the podium. Don’t forget to smile. Not too big, but not like you’re bored either. Nod when he pauses. Clap when the crowd claps.”

“Will I need to speak?” I adjusted my pearls.

“No. This is photo-op only today. Tomorrow we have an interview lined up with a journalist from
South State
magazine. She’ll be at your house around two. I’ve already given her a list of topics to cover with you. Today, you’re all smiles.”

“Got it. Nod, clap, smile. Um, where’s my husband? Shouldn’t he be here by now?” I could see from the side door where I stood that the crowd was growing.

“He should be arriving any minute. Would you like some water while you wait?”

“No, I’m fine.” I didn’t want to sit. I had spent the morning pressing fine lines out of my skirt. It was silk. “I didn’t know there would be so many people.”

“It’s a private event, but the guest list was selective. Your husband was strategic about this.”

“He usually is.”

I texted Pax again. No response.

The South Carolina flag was being fluffed. The press was starting to congregate in the folding chairs the event staff had provided. It wouldn’t be long now before the announcement was official. My husband was running for governor.

“He’s here. He’s here.” The assistant clapped. “Ok, calm down, everyone. Let’s keep this structured.”

I wasn’t sure why the man spoke his inner thoughts out loud, but I heard him mutter and whisper while we waited for Paxton to join us.

“Hey.” I smiled.

“You look beautiful.” He kissed my cheek. “Ready to do this?”

“I think the question is, are you ready to do this?” I felt his hand slide over mine.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.”

“I know you have. I’m proud of you, Pax.”

He leaned over. “Care to show me just how proud after this little press conference?”

I blushed. “Paxton.”

“I’m completely serious. We could take the suite upstairs. I’d love to hear your reaction to the speech.” He straightened his tie and attached an American flag pin to his lapel. “Don’t tell me things will change just because you’re going to be South Carolina’s first lady,” he joked. Other than the day we got married, I couldn’t remember seeing him look this happy.

“Oh, definitely not.”

“Good.”

The assistant appeared. “Senator Tanner, it’s time.”

“Thank you, Todd.” He turned to me. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

We walked on the stage together. Paxton waved and I made sure to stay slightly behind him, but not too far. Todd had marked a little X for me on the platform.

He waited for the applause to subside before addressing the audience. “As you know, I took the office of state senate only a year ago. And during this year, I’ve had a lot of changes in my life. I got married to my incredible and beautiful wife, Audrey.” He winked at me and the room full of people clapped.

“We moved into a new home. We started making plans for our future, and I started thinking about all the other families in South Carolina. The student filling out college applications. The young couples planning their weddings. New parents welcoming a child into the world. The couple who is embarking on their retirement. And Audrey and I talked. We talked a lot.” He smiled and let the words wash over the crowd.

“We talked about how fortunate we are we could buy our dream home. That we can choose when and how to start a family. We can afford the best education possible for our children, but we know that’s not the case for everyone.” He sighed. “No, we’re the lucky ones. We’ve been blessed with a life that we know not everyone has.

“So I started thinking. What could I do to give people of this great state a little bit of this happiness? How could I share in the blessings bestowed upon me?” He inhaled. “Audrey and I sat for hours, sorting this out, trying to figure out how we could devote our lives to serving the people we call friends. The people we call neighbors. And we came up with something, folks.”

He turned toward me with an outstretched hand, motioning me toward the podium. I laid my palm on top of his and stepped forward.

“Today, I announce my candidacy for governor of South Carolina. Today, I’m promising the citizens of this state that I love, this state that raised me, molded me, loved me back, that I’m going to give back like I never have. I’m going to listen. I’m going to be here for you. I’m going to make living in South Carolina the envy of every other state in the country. I’m going to invest in its future. I’m going to invest in
you
.”