Page 44 of The Senator: Raphael

“I’m not drooling,” I say defensively, like a teenager caught lusting over a girl.

“Yes, you are, and I can’t blame you. She’s gorgeous. But right now, you have to focus on the veterans waiting for you in the other room.” He doesn’t even bother to glance at me as he attaches an American flag pin to my suit.

“I was just making sure she’s comfortable. She’s asking a lot of questions.”

Matthew sighs and finally turns his stern look on my face. “That’s just Silver. She asks a lot of questions because she wants to be prepared about what will happen in a few minutes. She’s asking about their names, their backgrounds, everything. When you picked her, you didn’t choose a trophy wife who just smiles at your side. You got me a fucking pain in the ass to handle.” He scowls at me, and I can’t stop a smile curving my lips.

“You’re welcome.” I grin at him, and he flips me off.

I walk toward Silver and when she notices me, she smiles, making my heart skip a beat or two.

“Are you ready?” I put a hand on the small of her back and guide her toward the doors.

She nods. “Yes! It’s a lot of names, but I think I can handle it.”

“You know that you’re not expected to know every single detail about them, right? Nobody will blame you if you don’t remember their names.” I try to reassure her, but she pins me with her stern look.

“I’ll be disappointment in myself if I don’t remember their names. They served our country, and they deserve my respect. Learning their names is the least I can do.” Her words are so heartfelt that the only thing I can do to express my pride in her is cradle her face between my hands and softly kiss her lips.

When I let her go, I find her stunned expression staring back at me.

“What was that for?”

I lean in close to her ear and whisper, “For being the perfect future fake wife. You are gorgeous in this dress, but your brain and your heart are what make you the most incredible woman I have ever met.” And I mean every single word.

Strangely, I don’t feel like I’m betraying Kelsey in saying this. She was my sweet fiancé; we were high school sweethearts and I loved her. But we were young and hadn’t yet experienced life as adults. We both needed to grow up, a lot. Silver is a woman any man would be proud to have at his side, not just as a wife but as an incredible human being.

She blushes at my words and looks down at her feet before looking up again and smiling. I glance at Matthew waiting for us at the door, and his expression is a mask of worry and doubt. I stare him down to determine what is going on in his head, but his face relaxes, and a sad smile appears on his lips. I don’t know which of his moods is more unsettling, but I don’t have time to ask because he opens the door for us and we walk into a room full of veterans and journalists waiting for us.

All eyes are on Silver and me. There are a lot of uniforms in here but also a few journalists. I sense her hesitate for a heartbeat, take a deep breath, and then exhale slowly and relax next to me. She is ready and I feel more confident when we walk forward and start to shake hands.

Many of the people in uniform have been on a battlefield, and their bodies show signs of it. But some of them have no idea about what war is, and they’re the ones who approach me first. They flash their perfect smiles, trying to convince me they’re the ones I should be talking to.

Indeed, they’re the ones who pull the strings of everyone in this room, so I need to engage as they boast of their accomplishments, nodding and smiling to appease them. What they don’t know and underestimate is that I’ve asked Silver to do my job and greet those who need this encounter the most.

I keep an eye on her as she moves around the room, then pauses to talk with a small group of guys including one in a wheelchair, one with a prosthetic leg, and another with a brutal scar across his face. The four are engaged in a conversation, and they seem enchanted by her as she asks questions, listens, nods, or offers a sympathetic smile. She has them charmed not even twenty minutes into our visit, and I’m completely amazed by her ability to make other people feel at ease. You can see them relax after a few words, something Silver does even with me. She has a calming, grounding presence about her.

“What are your plans for the future? After becoming senator, are you aiming at something more?” The colonel in front of me is not one for subtle, political banter. You can tell he’s used to handling situations that require a clear vision of your surroundings to survive and, in his case, keep your men from being slaughtered. The black glove disguising his two missing fingers and the scar on his neck tell me he’s not someone who climbed the military ladder sitting behind a desk.

“Isn’t everyone aiming for more?” I reply with a hint of amusement, and his lips curl up in a grin.

“You’re ambitious.” He seems to press further in order to determine for certain whether I’m aiming for Washington DC.

“I know what I want and I’m not afraid to get it. What about you? What are your plans for your future?” I ask while keeping an eye on Silver. She’s surrounded by more people now, but she seems not to mind it one bit. On the contrary, she appears almost happy to be here.

The colonel chuckles and I divert my attention back to him. “I will enjoy my retirement with my wife. I already gave a lot to this country,” he says, waving his gloved hand in front of me.

I doubt he’ll retire soon, or he wouldn’t be here, talking with a politician about his future. There is a reason he wants to know, the same one every powerful person in this room has: what I’ll do for them if I get elected.

I decide not to play his game and take this chance to excuse myself. “Well, in order to enjoy my retirement with my wife in the future too, I should go and rescue her.” I motion to where Silver is surrounded by a dozen veterans.

He chuckles. “Are you sure she wants to be rescued?” he teases.

“That’s the point. They’re handsome, in uniform, and they can fight. I don’t stand a chance against them!” I wink at him, and he laughs heartily.

I reach Silver and she turns toward me with a smile when she feels my hand on the small of her back. “Here you are! We were just talking about you.”

“Good things, I hope.” I smile back at her.

---