DC Affairs Read Online Free PDF Page B

replied. “Quiet as it’s kept, you don’t need to know a language fluently to live somewhere foreign, especially when there are expats, Canadians, Brits, Aussies and Kiwis about…they all speak some form of English you know.”
    “That doesn’t answer my question.”
    “I’m intermediate in both Catalan and French. I spent most of my time in Catalonia when I lived in Spain and divided my time between Paris and Nice when I lived in France,” I elucidated.
    “You see? That wasn’t so hard.” Kylie checked the cell phone in her hand with sudden interest. “Governor Coburn was concerned about the two years you were off the radar. Anything we should know about? A child you secretly gave birth to or a scorned boyfriend?”
    Now it was my time to smirk and I did so with gusto. “No, I’m actually pro-life when it comes to myself, and if I had a child, he or she would be in my life right now. I had boyfriends in both places but they aren’t scorned as far as I know. Ramon is now married to a French Canadian and I don’t know what happened to Daniel. We didn’t end on exactly friendly terms but neither of us hate one another either.”
    “What if Ramon approached you now? Still married and with children? Would you have one last fling with him?”
    I sometimes didn’t understand Kylie’s motivations though this particular time wasn’t one of them. Her inquisition of me could be seen through so easily, I had to bury a laugh I wanted so badly to express.
    “No, I wouldn’t . I wasn’t raised particularly religious but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about a relationship. Sleeping with someone who is married just seems wrong to me.”
    “If you say so.” Kylie walked off and I breathed out loud before unlocking my laptop.
    I wanted to believe the Governor had put her up to her questions but at the same time, they felt so perverse, I had a sneaking suspicion she would have asked them whether he asked her to or not.
    Time was not on my side that day. I’d barely gathered my thoughts and began working again when Russell came by and smiled brightly in my direction.
    “Sigourney Stewart? I’ve heard so much about you. I’m Russell Berkeley, Kylie’s assistant. How are you?”
    He held out his hand and I shook it firmly. “I’m doing well, thanks. How are you? Please accept my condolences. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
    “Thank you for your kind words.” He pulled out his cell phone and glanced down at it in a distracted manner. “Listen, I know Peter should be here by three. Would you like to break away for a working lunch before he arrives here in DC? I could really use you to catch me up about what’s been going on. I would also like to bounce some ideas off of you.”
    I stood and grabbed my handbag. “Yeah, that sounds great. Would you like to go now?”
    “Yes, if you’re hungry.”
    I smiled instead of confessing I’d only had coffee and water since I arrived to work. My nutritional regime didn’t really seem like anything I needed to concern a virtual stranger about.
    We walked outside together and Russell had parked near the entrance of the campaign office. I sized up the late model Chevy Avalanche thinking the vehicle didn’t suit Russell at all. Somehow, I thought he would be a latte-drinking, liberal east-coaster with a Toyota Prius. He was almost effeminate in his looks and certainly looked like he could have easily been bisexual. His truck, rugged and middle-class, certainly didn’t fit the image he’d cultivated.
    “What’s the matter?” He smiled in my direction, making his blue-green eyes light up. “Something wrong with my mode of transportation?”
    “Well, it’s a massive truck that uses up loads of fossil fuels. I don’t know, excuse me for thinking you would give a fuck about the environment. Then again, maybe that’s just me,” I snapped.
    Russell stole a glance from me with bright aquamarine eyes though he was more bemused than pissed off per se.