Page 125 of Hurry Up And Wait
Red winced. “We don’t have to go, do we?”
“No, but I have another job for you.”
Eli shook his head immediately. “I’m not talking to your girlfriend.”
“I don’t need you to. I need eyes on everyone who attends tonight. I need to know what their stance is on the military and veteran issues.”
“What are you thinking?” Eli asked.
“I’m thinking that if enough of them could be swayed to throw their support behind a special veteran funding bill, it might be just the push I need to end this fiasco.”
“Hit ‘em hard with the numbers,” Red surmised.
“Exactly. It’s perfect, considering that I already ran off stage the other day,” I grumbled. “Not that I want to use my personal issues for gain, but you saw how the senator twisted my own past to his advantage. He’s already laid the groundwork for such a bill, which means if we can get him to support it, he’ll gain huge numbers in the military community.”
“You seriously want to let the senator use his fake concern for you during his campaign?”
“I don’t give a shit,” I snarled at Red. “The only fucking thing I care about is getting him a big win so I can get the hell out of this job and get him to turn over the information we need.”
“Why are you so sure he’ll do it?” Eli asked.
“I’m not, but it’s a good opportunity for us. And not many candidates put out big proposals like this in the beginning. It would give him an edge, and since everyone already knows I ran off the fucking stage, I won’t be expected to show up at any more rallies.”
“You hope,” Eli pointed out. “That’s a huge fucking gamble. The senator may decide to rope you into more rallies so you can throw your weight behind it. And once you bring it up with him, there’s no way to know for certain that he won’t try to manipulate you later with it.”
He was right. There was no guarantee that by offering him this that he would hand over what I needed or stop trying to use me. But it was a risk I had to take. If I could get that information, I could stop this whole charade. Everything would go back to normal, and I could get back to my life and, hopefully, still share it with Isla.
“If it works, this could all be over by the end of the week.”
They both nodded, but it was Red who delivered the final blow. “Yep, and if you’re wrong, we’ll be working for the senator for the next fucking year. And your engagement could become the real deal. It’s a hell of a gamble.”
“It’ll work,” I grumbled.
“I really do hope so,” Eli chuckled. “Suits aren’t really your style.”
I hadto get out to the party. People had already started to arrive, but I couldn’t put this off any longer. I didn’t know if Isla saw the news and was ignoring me or hadn’t seen it and was just giving me space on the job. She hadn’t called me once the entire time I was gone, and that shouldn’t bother me because it showed a great understanding that I couldn’t be disturbed.
But it did bother me.
I dialed her number and held my breath as I waited for her to answer. After five rings, I was about to give up, but then she answered. Relief poured through me. I wasn’t even sure why. She hadn’t said a word and neither had I. But she answered.
“Isla,” I said breathlessly, tugging at my hair nervously. “You answered.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?” There was an edge to her voice, but she hadn’t hung up yet. That was a win, right?
I swallowed hard, trying to figure out how to tell her, which probably would have been easier if I had considered that before I dialed. “I don’t know if you’ve seen the news…”
“You mean about the senator?”
Shit. “Yeah.”
“I had no idea he wanted to be president,” she said conversationally.
“Yeah, I didn’t either.” I waited for it, sure it would come at any second, but she said nothing. “Um…listen, we should talk.”
“Sure. What do you want to talk about?”
She knew. Fuck, she knew and she was going to make me say it. “I didn’t know.”