Domestic Affairs Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Bridget Siegel
actually does. Jacobâs BlackBerry buzzed.
[email protected] : I can do 10:30 but I warn you I may be sleepwalking.
Keeper , he thought. He had only been on one date with Sophie but really liked her. She wasnât a âpolitical groupie,â as Jacob liked to call the girls who hung around political campaigns, willing to do just about anything to be close to someone close to the politician. He had heard DC called âHollywood for ugly peopleâ many times before, and politicians anywhere, particularly those with Governor Taylorâs status, were its stars. Jacobâs proximity to Taylor made him a prime target for the groupies, something heâd prized at first but had soon tired of.
The tricky part, when it came to dating, was finding not only someone he liked, but someone who was okay with ten thirty p.m. dates, constant BlackBerry checks, and absurdly timed calls from a candidate. Jacob was scheduled to leave New York that night after staffing Taylor at a dinner (âstaffâ being a campaign term for clinging to the principal and serving his every need), but he had convinced the governor to let him stay the night and go to a morning meeting withOlivia. âShe could really use my help,â he had said. It wasnât a lie, exactly . His help wouldnât hurt.
As expected the governor had gladly agreed to the proposal provided Jacob could be back in Georgia in time for the County Democratic dinner the next night. Brilliant plan , Jacob thought, congratulating himself, since it had left him free to meet up with Sophie, just as he had devised.
[email protected] : Brinmore?
Dates at the Brinmore were the other thing he would have to explain at some point. He could âbuyâ her fancy food and drinks as long as he wasnât actually paying for any of them. The campaign had its various perks but his salary was not one of them. The majority of his meager paycheck went to a large, rather ugly, and wholly unfurnished apartment in Atlanta in which he spent maybe twelve hours a month. I should try to rent it out. Or just give it up. I could get a hotel room for the two days Iâm in town each month. I guess Iâd need to get a storage unit for my stuff. That might cost just as much. And when would I pack?
âEverything okay over there?â Taylor asked, nudging him.
âAh, yeah.â Jacob knew how to bounce back quickly when caught like this. âYes. Sir. Just making sure I have your messages correctly.â
He smiled a bit, knowing he had just lost a round of the game he and Taylor played, catching each other daydreaming and then calling one another out on it. Time to pay up by getting him out of this meeting.
âActually, Governor, I hate to cut things short but you have to get on the press call in ten minutes.â Donors and press were an amazing pair in politics. The donors were in awe of the press and would let a politician out of anything to go talk to them. And the press were not deferential to anything except a politicianâs need to be with donors. It was another one of those things that made no sense, but worked so well in Jacobâs favor that he didnât dare question it.
âYes, yes, go,â Lori said as she put her black American Express down to pay for the meal.
The governor thanked her, making it seem like he didnât want to leave. He followed Jacob out through the restaurant, stopping to shakehands. He thanked every waiter and server and, of course, Jo. As soon as they got into the elevator, Taylor relished his win.
âNice of you to leave that little fantasy world of yours to get me out of the meeting.â
âYou seemed to be enjoying it so much I didnât want to get in the way of the fun.â
The ribbing continued as they walked to the governorâs âdayroom,â a small suite that hotels customarily lent politicians who spent the day taking meetings in their restaurant. A politician
[email protected] : I can do 10:30 but I warn you I may be sleepwalking.
Keeper , he thought. He had only been on one date with Sophie but really liked her. She wasnât a âpolitical groupie,â as Jacob liked to call the girls who hung around political campaigns, willing to do just about anything to be close to someone close to the politician. He had heard DC called âHollywood for ugly peopleâ many times before, and politicians anywhere, particularly those with Governor Taylorâs status, were its stars. Jacobâs proximity to Taylor made him a prime target for the groupies, something heâd prized at first but had soon tired of.
The tricky part, when it came to dating, was finding not only someone he liked, but someone who was okay with ten thirty p.m. dates, constant BlackBerry checks, and absurdly timed calls from a candidate. Jacob was scheduled to leave New York that night after staffing Taylor at a dinner (âstaffâ being a campaign term for clinging to the principal and serving his every need), but he had convinced the governor to let him stay the night and go to a morning meeting withOlivia. âShe could really use my help,â he had said. It wasnât a lie, exactly . His help wouldnât hurt.
As expected the governor had gladly agreed to the proposal provided Jacob could be back in Georgia in time for the County Democratic dinner the next night. Brilliant plan , Jacob thought, congratulating himself, since it had left him free to meet up with Sophie, just as he had devised.
[email protected] : Brinmore?
Dates at the Brinmore were the other thing he would have to explain at some point. He could âbuyâ her fancy food and drinks as long as he wasnât actually paying for any of them. The campaign had its various perks but his salary was not one of them. The majority of his meager paycheck went to a large, rather ugly, and wholly unfurnished apartment in Atlanta in which he spent maybe twelve hours a month. I should try to rent it out. Or just give it up. I could get a hotel room for the two days Iâm in town each month. I guess Iâd need to get a storage unit for my stuff. That might cost just as much. And when would I pack?
âEverything okay over there?â Taylor asked, nudging him.
âAh, yeah.â Jacob knew how to bounce back quickly when caught like this. âYes. Sir. Just making sure I have your messages correctly.â
He smiled a bit, knowing he had just lost a round of the game he and Taylor played, catching each other daydreaming and then calling one another out on it. Time to pay up by getting him out of this meeting.
âActually, Governor, I hate to cut things short but you have to get on the press call in ten minutes.â Donors and press were an amazing pair in politics. The donors were in awe of the press and would let a politician out of anything to go talk to them. And the press were not deferential to anything except a politicianâs need to be with donors. It was another one of those things that made no sense, but worked so well in Jacobâs favor that he didnât dare question it.
âYes, yes, go,â Lori said as she put her black American Express down to pay for the meal.
The governor thanked her, making it seem like he didnât want to leave. He followed Jacob out through the restaurant, stopping to shakehands. He thanked every waiter and server and, of course, Jo. As soon as they got into the elevator, Taylor relished his win.
âNice of you to leave that little fantasy world of yours to get me out of the meeting.â
âYou seemed to be enjoying it so much I didnât want to get in the way of the fun.â
The ribbing continued as they walked to the governorâs âdayroom,â a small suite that hotels customarily lent politicians who spent the day taking meetings in their restaurant. A politician