Page 40 of Marriage (Red, White &) Blues

“I like where your mind is at. I’ve decided to work from home for a while, so be prepared to use those lips in creative ways.” He waggled his eyebrows at me and I threw my head back, laughing like a fool. Mr. Parker grunted as he passed us.

Two weeks of me settling in as a Vermont resident and Blake’s wife went by with a lot of calls between me, Pen and Sierra. Ant jumped in on more than a few just to gauge where my sanity was at given Brockton’s candidacy. It felt stupid now, remembering how I’d thought they’d abandoned me.

Blake and my friends used their own individual methods to lull me into a sense of safety where I started to think this whole presidential campaign wouldn’t be too bad. Yeah, I thought that too soon. The doorbell rang. I was upstairs inmy officesubmitting resumes for jobs that I actually wanted when Maisie knocked on the door before letting herself in, an agreement we’d come to when I’d first moved in. Unless I was in my bedroom or the bathroom, she knocked to announce herself then just let herself in. I found the wholewaiting to be calledinthingtoo… school principal for my liking. In order to get comfortable with the idea of having employees, I had to think of them like members of the household—who went home at night. One didn’t make a member of the household wait until you called them in. At least, I didn’t and neither did Blake that I ever saw. This meant Maisie was no longer allowed to address us as Miss Gloria and Mr. Blake.

I smiled at her. “What can I do for you, Maisie?”

She didn’t smile back. My stomach dropped. “Brockton’s press secretary is downstairs. She needs to speak with you and Blake about the campaign schedule.”

“I’m sorry—” I laughed at myself. “My brain did a weird thing. I could’ve sworn you said,campaign schedule.” I laughed again. Maisie did not. My face fell. “Tell me you’re kidding, Maisie.”

“I’m sorry. Blake is down there right now. I told him I’d come get you.”

No. No. I couldn’t meet with Brockton’s press secretary. I wore my hair piled on top of my head in a messy bun. I had on ripped, pink jeans and a two-tone pink-and-gray, raglan T-shirt. I looked ready to help a friend move, not meet with Brockton’s snooty press secretary. And yes, I’m aware that calling his press secretary snooty before I met her wasn’t very nice, but I’d met Brockton and Emily. I’d met Mr. and Mrs. Parker. It was a safe assumption.

Sigh. All the sighs. I could do this. I pushed up from my desk, smoothing down my shirt, and followed Maisie down to the living room, where Blake sat on the edge of the sofa with his back rigid and wearing a tight smile for the woman across from him. His whole face softened for a moment when he saw me walk in.

“Great, Ms. Kowalski, you’re here,” the woman said without even introducing herself.

I did the mature thing and walked over to her with my hand out. “It’s Parker. I’m Gloria Parker.” And I was. All paperwork had been filed.

Predictably, the woman hardly shook my hand, like she thought I had some gnarly, highly contagious skin disease. My husband stood from the sofa, walking over to me and draped an arm around my waist to steer me back over by where he’d been sitting.

“Glory, honey, this is Candice Reed, my brother’s press secretary.”

Honestly, I pulled all the way back from my third-grade school play in which I’d starred as Little Red Riding Hood to find a genuine smile, not having used my acting skills since then. Apparently, she’dneveracted in a play. She gave me nothing.

“A campaign fundraising dinner is being held next Saturday in Montpelier. The event is formal. Tuxes for men. Ms. Kowalski will have to be fitted for a dress.”

“Parker,” Blake gritted out. “Her name is Gloria Parker.”

The woman,Candice Reed, gave no apology. “We’ll be sending a car tomorrow morning to take her to the tailor’s. For family unity, only Morgan Ashley is allowed to make your campaign clothing.”

I whipped my head around to look at Blake. “Campaign clothing? What does she mean?”

“You and Mr. Parker will join the family on the campaign trail over the next several months. You’ll be receiving an official schedule within the next few days.”

“I’m not?—”

Candice cut me off by raising her hand. “Mr. Parker asked me to enquire about your mother. How is she doing?”

“Go,” Blake ordered. “We’re done here.”

“Should I tell Mr. Parker that you’re passing on supporting your family?”

“No. We’ll be joiningthe family,” I said. And trust me when I say it took everything in me to remain pleasant.

“Great,” Candice said, plastering on a very fake smile that caused her nose to wrinkle. “Then you’ll need to be ready by 10:00a.m.tomorrow morning. The car will be here promptly. Have a good rest of your day.”

That was it.

She walked out of our home.

And I had to get fitted for a dress in the morning.

What did I just agree to do?

Chapter Ten

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