Campaign Trail Read online

  Campaign Trail

  J.A. Armstrong

  © Copyright 2017 J.A. Armstrong Books

  All Rights Reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced without permission.

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter One

  May 2018

  “Mom?” Michelle Fletcher poked her head into the governor’s office.

  Candace Reid lifted her eyes from the screen in front of her and smiled. “Shell,” she greeted her daughter. “Come in.”

  “I didn’t want to disturb you.”

  Candace closed her laptop and made her way around her desk. “You’re not disturbing me. What’s going on?”

  Michelle sighed. “I…”

  “Close the door,” Candace directed her daughter.

  Michelle complied and turned back to her mother. Candace had already taken a seat on the sofa in her office.

  “Sit,” Candace said.

  “If it’s a bad time.”

  “Shell?”

  “I don’t want to disappoint you. I want to be with you next week…”

  Candace smiled. Her campaign for the Democratic nomination was kicking into high gear. She was slated to travel to Iowa on Monday for three days that would include a campaign speech, a town hall meeting, and visits to several local businesses. Michelle had left her position working under Candace’s Chief of Staff to help coordinate her mother’s campaign.

  “Let’s have it,” Candace urged her daughter.

  “Mel managed to get an appointment with the fertility specialist that your friend recommended. It’s Tuesday morning. I really don’t want her to…”

  Candace held up her hand. “Family first, Shell.”

  “I know, Mom, but this is family too, and it’s an important trip. It’s laying the groundwork and face it; Senator Keyes is revving up support.”

  “George Keyes is a personable politician, Shell. He’s also experienced and capable. That’s not surprising at all.”

  “Maybe so, but he might present a bigger challenge to you in the primaries than people expect.”

  “Which people?” Candace grinned.

  “Mom…”

  “This is part of how the game is played, Shell. George is a friend. He’ll test my resolve, and I will test his patience,” Candace chuckled. “In the end, one of us will step up to support the other. For now, we will press each other on the issues that we don’t completely agree on.”

  “You don’t seem concerned,” Michelle observed.

  “Concerned? No. I’m aware; aware that George is a formidable candidate. I’m not the only game in town, Shell, nor should I be. There’s a reason we have primaries.”

  “I should be with you.”

  “You should be with your wife,” Candace disagreed. She watched as Michelle shook her head despondently. “Shell,” Candace called for her daughter’s attention. “Campaigns come and go,” she continued. “Lots of things happen in life, and unfortunately many things and people come and then go. You need to stay focused on the one who stays.”

  Michelle sighed. She felt torn—torn between supporting the woman who had supported her for a lifetime and being present for the woman she hoped to spend the rest of her life with.

  Candace smiled. “It’s just a campaign stop.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Michelle replied.

  “It is. And, there will be many more. Trust me, Shell there will be a time when I need you there.”

  Michelle chuckled. “So, you don’t need me, huh?”

  “I’d love to have you with me.”

  “Um-hum, so that someone can keep the press away from JD?”

  “That is helpful,” Candace winked. “Believe it or not, I value your insights,” she admitted. “You look surprised.”

  “Maybe I am.”

  “I would never have brought you into this world if I didn’t believe you had the talent for it.”

  “I know.”

  “I’ve told you before; you need to trust me. This time, not just as your mother, but as your boss.”

  Michelle laughed. “I could fly in for Tuesday night.”

  “You could. You don’t need to. Go with Mel,” Candace said.

  “You just want another grandbaby.”

  Candace winked. She would never deny the truth in Michelle’s statement. She patted her daughter’s knee and made her way back to her feet.

  “Mom?”

  “Hum?”

  “Is everything else okay?”

  Candace smiled. “Everything is fine, Shell—insane, but fine; I promise.”

  Michelle nodded. She had worked in her mother’s administration long enough to have developed a sense of when Governor Reid’s mind was preoccupied.

  “Mom?”

  “There are always twenty irons in the fire, Shell. And, most of the time it isn’t any one of them that end up commanding my time. You know that.”

  “Anything I can help with?”

  “Not this time,” Candace replied.

  “If I can….”

  “You’ll be the first to know.”

  ***

  “JD?” Jonah called to his step-mother.

  “Hey, Jonah.”

  “Got a minute?”

  Jameson nodded and beckoned Jonah to enter her office. “What’s up?”

  “It’s the Mason Medical account,” he began.

  Jameson gestured for Jonah to have a seat. “What about it?”

  “JD, I don’t see any way that we can meet their deadlines.”

  “Did they push up the timeline?”

  “If Don McGillis had his way it would’ve been ready a week ago.”

  Jameson considered the information silently for a moment. She had handed the majority of her architectural firm’s business over to her step-son and daughter-in-law’s care. Jameson had not once regretted the decision. Jonah and Melanie McKenna were both intelligent and talented. Melanie was a gifted architect with a strong command of engineering principles that complimented her artistic ability. Jonah was a civil engineer with a head for business and a feel for people that made him a natural leader. While she consulted on most of the projects the firm undertook, it had been a couple of years since she had immersed herself in any one project fully. She accepted a folder from Jonah and opened it.

  Jameson laid out the copies of the initial architectural sketches and studied them thoughtfully. Sensing that Jonah was both concerned and frustrated, Jameson took considerable time in her study of the drawings. She toyed with her bottom lip between her teeth and reached for a pencil. Jameson shook her head, made a few notes on the papers in front of her, tapped her pencil against her forehead, and jotted down a few more notes. She placed the papers back in the folder and handed it to Jonah.

  Jonah opened the folder and scanned Jameson’s notes. He smiled and looked across the desk at Jameson. “JD, we need you on this one.”

  “No, you don’t,” JD disagreed.

  “Yeah, we do. Look at this. In less than ten minutes you’ve reset three issues that we’ve been haggling over for a week.”

  Jameson shrugged. “I’ve been at this a while,” she reminded him.

  Jonah shook his head. Jameson’s statement was true. Jameson’s humility was not false, but Jonah wondered if his stepmother realized just how talented she was. James
on Reid was an exceptional architect. She was also a savvy businesswoman; something that Jameson rarely gave herself credit for. Jonah ran his hand over his face in frustration.

  “Jonah,” Jameson called for his attention. “You don’t need me on this.”

  “Yeah, JD; I do,” he looked at her.

  Jameson took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Talk to me,” she implored him.

  “It’s not the plans.”

  “Okay?”

  “It’s McGillis. No matter what we throw at him he’s not satisfied, but he still wants it fixed yesterday.”

  Jameson smiled. “He’s testing you.”

  “I’m failing.”

  “Let me see everything you have,” Jameson said. Jonah looked up hopefully. “All of it. I’ll look it over this weekend and see what I can come up with.”

  “JD, I…”

  “Just get it to me before I leave at four.”

  Jonah nodded and made his way to the door.

  “And, Jonah?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m not doing this because I think you need me.”

  Jonah nodded and left Jameson’s office.

  Jameson groaned. “Shit.”

  ***

  Marianne laughed the moment she walked into the living room. Spencer and Cooper had constructed a fort of some type. Marianne could not imagine what the rickety display was meant to resemble. She was confident that they would explain their creation soon enough.

  “Aaaheeem,” Marianne cleared her throat, determined to keep a straight face. Her determination was immediately tested when Cooper emerged wearing a hard hat that was too big for him.

  “Hi, Marianne!” Cooper greeted his big sister.

  Marianne lifted a pale eyebrow at the youngster. “Coop,” she addressed him. “I see you and Spencer have been hard at work.” She covered her mouth to keep from laughing when her son emerged from behind his friend. “Spencer?”

  “Hi, Mom!”

  “Hi, Mom?” Marianne raised her brow a tad higher. “Just what are you two up to in here?”

  Cooper looked at his feet. Spencer stepped out in front of his mother and held her gaze. “We is building a hospital.”

  “You are building a hospital?” she asked.

  “Yep,” Cooper answered.

  Spencer held up a finger, dove into the mess of blankets, pillows, and bed sheets that were precariously secured to the corners of the couch, a chair, a loveseat, and two end tables. Marianne waited for him to appear again. He peered out from under a dinosaur bed sheet and handed his mother some papers.

  Marianne accepted them and grinned.

  “What on earth is going on in here?” a voice carried into the room.

  Cooper’s face immediately lit up and he ran toward the sound. “Mommy!” he yelled.

  Candace was glad she had managed to set down her bag before Cooper landed against her with a thud. She leaned over and kissed the curls atop his head. “Hello, sweetie.”

  “Nana!” Spencer slid in his socks toward his grandmother.

  Candace chuckled. “I thought I was in the wrong house for a minute,” she teased them, referencing their creation.

  “It appears we have a hospital taking shape in our living room,” Marianne explained.

  Candace nodded. “I see.”

  Cooper and Spencer looked at Candace proudly. “Yep, Nana,” Spencer said. “Me and Coop built it.”

  “All by yourself?”

  “Nope,” Cooper replied.

  “No? Did Marianne help you?” Candace guessed.

  “Nope,” Cooper shook his head. “Momma did.”

  “Momma did?” Candace was surprised. She had just spoken to Jameson on the phone. As far as she knew, Jameson was at least a few minutes behind her.

  Marianne held up the papers the boys had given her for Candace to inspect. Candace stifled a chuckle. Jameson had given Cooper and Spencer some of her old architectural drawings to play with. The boys loved to visit Jameson’s office and sit at the drafting tables, pretending to design buildings like Jameson did. They had apparently decided to take their skills to a new level.

  “My goodness,” Candace said. She followed Cooper and Spencer to their makeshift hospital. “Look at this.”

  “See, Mommy?” Cooper pointed to an opening. He pointed to Jameson’s drawing. “That’s the door!”

  “Come on, Nana!” Spencer pulled on Candace’s hand lightly.

  Marianne smiled as she watched her mother drop to her knees and follow the two boys inside their makeshift building. She was certain few people would imagine a candidate for President of the United States climbing through blankets and furniture on the living room floor—in a business suit no less. “No one would believe it,” she muttered affectionately.

  “Believe what?” Jameson asked as she walked in from the kitchen.

  “Your wife,” Marianne turned to Jameson.

  “Where is my wife? She said she was almost here when I talked to her a few minutes ago.”

  Marianne had just started to point toward the fort on the floor when Candace’s head poked out.

  Jameson smirked.

  “Hi, honey,” Candace greeted her wife.

  “Uh-huh,” Jameson replied. “Do I want to know?”

  Cooper crawled out beside Candace. “Hi, Momma.”

  “Hi, Coop.”

  “We built your hospital,” he told her.

  “You built my hospital?” Jameson asked. Marianne handed Jameson the drawings in her hand. Jameson nodded. “Wow. You followed these all on your own?”

  “Yep!” Cooper said. “Me and Spen.”

  “I see. Is Mommy your patient?” she asked.

  “No,” Cooper giggled.

  “Nana is Gubenor, Jay Jay,” Spencer emerged from the other side.

  “Oh, then why is she in the hospital?” Jameson asked.

  “Cause she has to in’pect it, Jay Jay,” Spencer said with a roll of his eyes.

  “Ah, I see,” Jameson nodded. She held out her hand to Candace. “So, Governor?”

  Candace made her way to her feet and smoothed her skirt. “Excellent job,” she praised the construction team.

  Cooper and Spencer offered each other a high five.

  “In fact, I think we should celebrate and all go out for pizza,” Candace suggested.

  Jameson was genuinely surprised by Candace’s overture. She tipped her head in questioning. Candace offered her a wink.

  “Pizza!” Cooper jumped up.

  “Okay,” Marianne stepped in to calm the boys. “Let’s go upstairs and get you two builders ready.”

  “Pizza?” Jameson asked Candace, taking a step closer. Candace shrugged. “What are you up to?”

  “Well, we have to do something to ensure the demolition team is ready,” Candace replied.

  “Bribery?” Jameson shook her head playfully. “I thought you were above that, Governor Reid.”

  “Did you?” Candace asked, stepping into Jameson’s arms. “You are the one with all the plans,” Candace gestured to the boys’ creation.

  “What do you think of my plans?” Jameson flirted. “Are they up to snuff?”

  Candace considered the question for a moment. “They did manage to get me down on my knees,” she teased her wife. Jameson nearly choked. Candace laughed. “You are so easy sometimes.”

  Jameson pulled Candace closer. “Oh, yeah? We’ll just see how easy I am.”

  Candace looked in Jameson’s eyes and sighed. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you too,” Jameson replied, placing a tender kiss on Candace’s lips.

  “Mmm. Have any other plans that need inspecting?” Candace asked.

  “I’m certain I can come up with something.”

  ***

  Jameson walked into the bedroom and found Candace sitting on the bed perusing some papers. Candace was lost in contemplation, and Jameson was content to observe from a slight distance. She had enjoyed the evening with the family over pizza
. Candace had only begun to travel for her campaign and Jameson already missed her. Between the obligations of being the governor and the structuring of a presidential campaign, it seemed that Candace’s work schedule had gone from eighteen hour days and twenty-four hours on call to twenty-five hours each day. Jameson sighed.

  “Worried that wall isn’t secure?” Candace asked without looking up from the paper in her hand. She heard Jameson sigh again and looked up over her glasses. Candace smiled, placed the paper in her hand beside her and patted the bed.

  Jameson made her way over and plopped down beside her wife.

  “Want to talk about it?” Candace asked.

  “Not really.”

  Candace moved the papers that sat on the bed to the table beside it, took off her glasses and placed them on top of her work. She turned and hovered over Jameson. “Is there anything I can do?”

  Jameson’s eyes twinkled with mischief. She reached up and brushed Candace’s hair aside. It continually amazed her; the way that Candace could make her heart race with nothing more than an exchanged glance. She smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Thank me? What did I do?” Candace wondered.

  “I think you know,” Jameson answered. She guided Candace’s lips to hers.

  Jameson lost her breath instantly. She had intended to place an affectionate kiss on Candace’s lips. The moment she felt Candace draw closer, Jameson lost herself. She lifter her hands to hold Candace's face as their kiss deepened gently. Jameson’s hands moved from Candace’s face to her back, pulling her closer with urgency.

  Candace gentled the kiss and pulled back slowly. “I missed you too,” she whispered. Jameson’s eyes were still closed. Candace softly ran a fingertip over Jameson’s eyelids. “Jameson.”

  Jameson opened her eyes and smiled up at Candace. “I love you.”

  Candace smiled back. “I love you.”

  Jameson touched Candace’s cheek and her eyes closed again. Candace watched, overwhelmed by the love that coursed between them. There were many moments when Candace found herself wishing that life were less hectic—simpler. She studied Jameson’s features as if looking at her wife for the first time. She leaned in and claimed Jameson’s lips with a possessive kiss.