Page 32 of Not the Plan

“Thank you for being a friend,” she said.

“Travel down the road and back again,” he answered. “So how did things go with Sexy Pants yesterday? Sorry I couldn’t call when I got home last night. I passed out.”

Isadora waved away his apology.

“It went well. If a little too flirty for our own good. He asked if I was going to be in the district this weekend.”

“Maybe for a little date?”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, RJ.” She turned her attention to the files on her desk, gathering the things she needed for the meeting she had in half an hour. “As much fun as it might be to joke around, and even if we skirt the issue a little when we talk about Capulets and Montagues, at the end of the day, two things remain.”

“Um…not digging the super serious tone,” RJ said. “What are these two things?”

“One: Sex is not how I get my business done. Which I know you know, but it doesn’t hurt to repeat because people will always think that sex is somehow involved if a woman is advancing in her career in politics. And two: Straight men ruin everything. Look at the life of the person I just got off the phone with. I—”

“You are not your mother, Isadora,” RJ said.

“I know that. But life provides us with cautionary tales. I pay attention.” She stopped messing with the things on her desk and sat back in her chair. She made eye contact with her friend, and he raised an eyebrow. She held his gaze.

“Again, you’re not your mom. You aren’t, I don’t know, predestined to go through the same shit that she did.”

“I know, I know,” Isadora said, waving a hand in the air as she rolled her eyes. But did she know? She sighed. “I just want to be careful. Careful here at work with my reputation, and careful in my personal life. Yes, I will definitely enjoy some delicious eye candy, and I can be honest and say that he is interesting and intelligent and skilled and is probably a great legislative director, and it’s a shame that we didn’t recruit him first. That’s as far as it can go, though.”

“Bullshit. Well. Only half bullshit. Straight men usually do ruin everything. But there are some unicorns out there, and this Karim might be one of them. The only way to find out is to get to know him better.” He stood and returned to the door. “I’m taking those magnolias with me. God only knows how much worse your reaction could get if you’re near them for an extended period of time. Besides, Helena will like them.” He opened her door.

Isadora nodded. “Tell Senator Scalzi I said hi. And Daniel may call her this evening. Thinking of having a couple off-campus meetings in the coming weeks.”

“Will do,” RJ said, winked at her, and left.

—

Thursday, Daniel called to ask about her weekend plans.

“Nothing in particular, why?”

“Melissa won’t be able to come with us, so I need you to head back.” The San Diego senators and assembly members were guests of honor at the inauguration of a new stadium complex. Melissa, Daniel’s in-district legislative director, was supposed to go to answer any reporter’s questions, and to reiterate Daniel’s appreciation of the support he’d received while promoting the project.

“Can you be here for Saturday night?” he asked.

“Sure,” Isadora said, already tasting the metallic anxiety of the flight.

“It’s supposed to be a fun time. We get to listen to a bunch of pompous windbags—yours truly included—and then dinner and dancing. Come on, it’ll be a blast.”

“ ‘A bunch of pompous windbags.’ That does sound like a blast. Can Melissa send me her notes?”

“On the way now. Would you like to ride with us?”

“If there’s enough room.”

“No problem.”

Isadora hung up, wanting to strangle Daniel. She’d been home the previous weekend, now she had to fly back. While she was at it, she might as well strangle herself too. She should have said no.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Karim

On the plane back to the district Thursday evening, Karim allowed himself to return to his disappointment that Isadora was staying in Sacramento as he flipped through some journalist information Christina had emailed him. He was going to a stadium inauguration gala to shadow Drew, Julian’s in-district legislative director. The event gave Karim the chance to learn the office modus operandi in the face of the press, and to be introduced on the San Diego political scene as a member of Julian’s staff.

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