Kate Galloway didn’t remember buying apple Toaster
Strudel. She could have sworn all the boxes were cherry,
but biting into the fresh-out-of-the-toaster goodness,
she definitely tasted apple.
It didn’t matter though, because she was going to be late
if she didn’t find her other black pump in the sea of
partially unpacked boxes that littered her apartment.
It was to the point now that she was using the boxes as
furniture and storage, moving them around to create
spaces. So, her shoe was probably thrown back into a
“closet” box, somewhere. She was trying to get her
earring clipped, while wobbling on one heel, when she
noticed the time. If she left within five minutes, there
would still be time for coffee. Her boss had called at
5:30 this morning, something important, could she be in
by seven? So yeah, coffee was essential.
Finding the errant shoe behind her bedroom door, Kate
took another bite of her strudel and walked to the
bathroom to tackle her hair. Grateful that messy buns
were still in, she wrapped an elastic around the mass of
damp curls, grabbed a yogurt from the kitchen, and her
keys, phone, purse, and a folder off her bed. By the time
she finished shoving the folder into her briefcase, she
was at the front door. Twirling around one last time, she
surveyed the chaos of her apartment and told herself, as
she had almost every morning for the past two years, that
she would start unpacking when she got home. Kate licked
a last bit of frosting from the corner of her mouth and
left for her morning pilgrimage.
“Kate, we’ve retained a new client as of last night, and
I’m assigning a large part of the project to you. While
I’m sure your colleagues here would love this one, you’re
the best person for the job—we all agreed, right guys?”
Her boss Mark turned to the rest of their staff at
Bracknell and Stevens, his fear well masked behind a
smile, and they all nodded in turn.
Kate had a feeling she wasn’t going to like what Mark was
about to say next.
Mark continued, “So just let me finish before you judge
or say anything. I really need you to not judge, okay?”
he pleaded as he sipped his coffee.
Kate took a seat, looking puzzled, and waited for him to
go on.
“Senator Malendar’s—”
“I voted for him. He’s great, why—” The caffeine had
kicked in and she interrupted anyway.
“Kate, please.” Mark took a breath and gave her a pointed
look as if he needed her to focus. “Senator Malendar is
running for re-election, as you know. He has hired us to
bring a fresh perspective to his campaign. Truth be told,
his opponent Jeff Driggs is giving him a run for his
money. This guy’s a Republican, mid-thirties, and from
what I was told last night, he’s drawing a lot of votes
from the younger demographic. The senator’s office would
like us to help him with his PR and outreach to these
same young voters.”
Kate was still listening, but not sure where he was
going. Mark took another deep breath. Javier and Max both
reached for another doughnut across the conference table,
and when Kate looked to them for a clue, they just
smiled. Big Cheshire smiles. This was not going to be
good.
“There are several components to this, the most
challenging being revamping the senator’s son’s image.”
“Mark—” Kate’s eyes narrowed.
“Grady Malendar is a direct link to the demographic the
campaign is looking for, but he needs reining in. There
have been a few situations lately, but he seems to appeal
to—”
Kate couldn’t hold back any longer. “Situations? Are you
joking, that man’s a walking situation. Which underage
debutante did they find him with now?” she said, setting
her pencil down as warmth crept up her face. This was a
joke, right? Was it April first?
“Kate, this isn’t funny. From what I hear he’s an asset,
has a good relationship with the community, but needs—”
“To grow up?” Kate said, leaning back in her chair and
biting her thumb. It was a nervous habit. She caught
herself and put her hand in her lap.
“Probably, but he’s willing to campaign. We just need to
work on his image, play up . . . ”
Kate raised an eyebrow.
“Play up whatever we can, and help turn that into
something for the campaign.” Mark said, and then looked
to the rest of the table, hoping someone would chime in,
throw him a lifeline, as Kate’s face grew more and more
suspicious.
“I . . . I will be working on the social media
components, younger voters, you . . . we’ll get to work
together,” Javier added, chomping into his second
doughnut.
Kate tried to meet his eyes, but they averted, and she
looked to Max, who cleared his throat.
“Right, this is a really exciting project. I mean, a
state senator’s campaign and the youth vote.” Max looked
back at Javier for words. “That’s, um, cool and Grady
Malendar is important.”
Christ, this was ridiculous. What is going on, and who
turned their staff into puppets? Kate thought.
“And let me guess, the son, Grady. That’s my all-
important, call me at zero-dark-hundred this morning part
of the job? Why me?” Kate tried to remain calm.
“Because you can do this and you’ll do it well. Grady
Malendar is extremely popular and charismatic. You can
channel this into a winning re-election bid for his
father, I know you can. Remember Randy Nelson, coach at
UCLA who was caught selling pot to his players?”
Everyone nodded at the table and Kate could feel Mark
winding up for his You Can Do It speech. “You got him a
medical marijuana license, convinced the entire
university board that he was helping them, for medicinal
purposes. Remember that, Kate.”
Kate nodded. It was a great save.
“He agreed to cut it out, close up his shop once the dust
settled. The man retired last year with full benefits.
That was brilliant work. Tough assignment, but those are
your speciality. Listen, I know this is going to be a
challenge. I’ll admit that from the media coverage, Grady
is tough, but you’re good at this. You know you are. So,
that’s that.” Mark picked up his notes and Kate could see
him trying to finish strong, and hand down the order.
“Kate, you will head up the Grady Malendar part of the
campaign. You will work with Javier and Max, be with Mr.
Malendar for the next six months. The senator has
specifically asked for someone dedicated to Grady’s
relationship with the community and voters. You will help
him prepare speeches, manage his media exposure, clean up
any messes, and accompany him to campaign events to
ensure the public sees him in the best light.
Congratulations, Kate. This is a big assignment.”
The other people sitting at the conference room, her
colleagues, as Mark put it, snickered and clapped.
“This is just great. Thank you so much for your
confidence in me.” Kate stood up and bowed as the
clapping now evolved into cheers and whistling. “All of
you, I can’t wait to work on this very important project.
Where is the spoiled little—”
“Kate!”
The room grew quiet and all gazes were now fixed on the
door behind her. Javier and Max stood. Without turning
around she sensed something, someone was there.
Mark looked panicked. “Kate, I believe you already know
Senator Malendar.”
She put on her very best PR smile and turned around.
Standing just outside the conference room and taking up
most of the doorway was a good-looking man in a perfectly
cut navy-blue suit. He wore a red tie that complemented
his salt and pepper hair. Kate recognized him immediately
as Senator Patrick Malendar of California. Through the
glass encasing of the door, she could see a group of
other suits, not as expensive, standing behind the
senator with various electronic devices.
“Yes, of course. So good to see you, sir, and a pleasure
to be working with you,” Kate said, extending her hand.
The senator, who had either not heard the beginnings of
her jabs at his son, or chose to ignore them, smiled,
stepped further into the room, and took Kate’s hand in a
warm and firm handshake.
“Great to see you too, Kate. You guys seemed like you
were having fun. Did I interrupt? Are we early?” The
senator asked, and Kate turned to Mark hoping he had an
answer.
“Not at all, senator. We will be going just down the hall
to the larger conference room. It should be all set for
our meeting. Your staff can head in there, and we’ll meet
you in a moment,” Mark explained.
“Sounds good.” The senator hesitated and turned to the .
. . what was the right word? Dashing, yes, that was it,
the dashing younger man standing just outside the
doorway. Kate had seen photographs of Grady Malendar,
often of him doing something completely asinine, but they
didn’t do him justice. He was tall, broad shoulders,
short honey brown hair, and he had—hands down—the most
stunning, ice-blue eyes she’d ever seen. Kate had sworn
off men for the rest of her life, but this man was at
least fun to look at. His father gestured, and Grady
walked into the conference room. Grady nodded to Mark,
whom he’d obviously already met, shook Javier’s hand, and
then turned to Kate.
“Kate, I’d like you to meet Grady Malendar,” Mark
introduced, and Mr. Blue Eyes smiled a sort of runway
model smoldering but professional smile.
You’ve got to be kidding? Did that work? Of course it
does. Kate, look at the smile for crying out loud. She
started to roll her own blue eyes, but Mark gave her a
pleading look for best behavior, and she obeyed.
“Mr. Malendar, it is a pleasure. I’m—”
“You’re Katherine Galloway.” He shook her hand. Firm
handshake, and it served its purpose. Kate was thrown off
for a beat. He came out of the gate collected, almost
mature. The strength in his voice, his whole demeanor was
unexpected and the public relations part of her was
thrilled that there appeared to be something to work
with. It was as if there might be something of substance
behind the lady-killer smile. She saw it for just a
moment.
“Kate, please call me Kate.” She took her hand back.
“Kate it is. Thank you for meeting with us. Shall we?” He
gestured, and everyone began filing toward the large
conference room. Kate stayed behind to collect her notes.
Grady popped his head back into the smaller conference
room. “Hey, Kate. You coming?”
“I . . . I just need to get my things. I’ll be right
there.”
“Okay, because you surely don’t want to miss a moment of
how we’re going to contain the spoiled-son strategy.”
Sarcasm? No, maybe that was anger mixed with his smooth
silky voice. Either way, he was still standing there. Say
something clever, Kate.
“I’m sure our strategy encompasses much more than just
following you around, Mr. Malendar.”
“Grady, please call me Grady, and from what I hear you’ve
been assigned to keep me in line. Am I mistaken? Kind of
like a babysitter?”
So much for clever, it was time to break out the
credentials. “Mr. Mal . . . Grady, I graduated top of my
class at Columbia. I’ve been with Bracknell and Stevens
for over five years. Now clearly someone thinks you need
an image makeover, but I can assure you that I am not a
babysitter.”
He stood there with his hands in the pockets of his light
tan suit, leaning against the door and smiling.
She had just met him five minutes ago and already she was
unnerved and a little pissed. Babysitter? Just who the
hell does this guy think he is? Grady moved off the door
jam to let Kate pass, and to spite him she gestured that
he should go first. She could tell it upset his prep
school sense of propriety, and she saw first hand what
she already suspected, that Grady knew all about
maneuvering. His father clearly liked being in control,
but Grady was like an ice skater. He glided, smiled, and
moved with efficiency. As he walked past Mandy and
Sabrina, normally very astute office assistants, both
women strained for one last glimpse. Kate rolled her eyes
at both of them, shaking her head. Christ, she should
have gone for the double latte.
Grady seemed to have a way of walking that assumed people
were following him. He did glance over his shoulder to
check on her, so that was something at least. He walked
with purpose, made quick and fleeting eye contact with
those he passed, and carried an air of importance. His
laid-back demeanor was not present in his walk, and Kate
found that interesting. She wasn’t sure if this was his
“being made to do something” walk, or if he always
carried himself this way. They both entered the
conference room, and Kate moved toward the empty leather
chair on the far side of the dark-lacquered conference
table. Everyone had taken their seats as the senator
stood by the window with Mark. He looked as if he was
telling a story that required a bird’s-eye view of the
city. Kate stepped over wires and found Grady, pulling
out a chair for her.
“Let’s start over, Kate. After all, I didn’t realize your
graduated from Columbia.” Grady spoke close to her ear.
“Impressive, indeed. Allow me.”
Kate eyed him suspiciously and tried for a smile. She
failed. “That’s not necessary, but thank you,” she said
as she sat.
Grady smiled a full dazzling smile for the audience of
onlookers around the conference table, and then Kate fell
a bit forward as he pushed her chair harder than was
necessary.
She couldn’t see his face, but she was sure the smile was
now a smirk.