Billionaire Trent Sherbrooke
works hard and plays harder. He’s never once cared what the media or society
says about him, until now. In order to
make into the United States Senate Trent needs to clean up his reputation and
Addison Raimono is just the woman to help him. But soon what he assumed would
be a relationship to salvage his reputation turns into so much more. But can a
relationship started on a lie ever survive?
Excerpt
Marty
folded up the sleeves of his shirt. “It’s all a matter of importance. The who
doesn’t matter. The wonderful opportunity it presents does. Now, I need to know
everything. How did you meet her? How long have you known her? Have you slept
with her yet?”
Trent
pinched the bridge of his nose. Christ, couldn’t he have a cup of coffee
with a woman without someone assuming he’d slept with her? “I met her just
before we met last week. I bumped into her on the sidewalk and spilled coffee
on her. When this picture was taken I had stopped in the bakery and when I saw
her again I said hello. We talked for a few minutes before she left.”
As
Marty chewed he jotted notes down on a legal pad. “That’s it? You didn’t ask
her out to dinner? Get her phone number?”
Did the man think he asked out every attractive female he
met? “More or less.”
Marty
looked up at him. “More or less, I need to know everything. And when I say
everything, I mean it.”
“I
told her I wanted this office redecorated and asked if she might be interested.
Shirley called and set up an appointment with her.” After giving Shirley the
instructions, he hadn’t thought anymore about it.
“Excellent.
When?”
“I’ll
have to check my calendar.”
Marty
tapped his pen against his pad several times before he spoke. “We might have to
change our time table a little, but I’d like to keep to it if possible. A
wedding at the end of next summer is ideal. That would give you a solid year of
marriage before the actual election.”
Caution
flags jumped up as he listened to Marty. The advisor’s original plan had been
acceptable. A marriage to a wealthy socialite who viewed their relationship as
a way to achieve her own goals was one thing. What Marty proposed now was
entirely something else.
“Perhaps
we should stick with what we originally discussed. Why don’t I go through these
and pick a candidate.” Trent reached for the binders Marty had put together.
“Then they’ll be no need to adjust our timeline.”
“You
hired me because you want to win.” Marty pointed his pen at the picture of Addison.
“She’s your ticket to the Senate.”
Trent’s
eyes focused on the picture. What had she just said to him when the picture was
taken? It must have been funny because he had a huge smile on his face. Come to
think of it, he’d smiled through much of their conversation. She’d had an
easygoing nature with a great sense of humor. There had been no awkward moments
or long gaps of silence. Under different circumstances he wouldn’t mind getting
to know her better.
“The
women in here may help repair your reputation.” Marty pointed to the binders
he’d put together of potential wife candidates. “This one though will win the
hearts of voters.” He nodded toward the newspaper on the table. “I don’t
understand the problem. She’s beautiful and well-educated.”
Marty
had him there. Addison was attractive and, from all he could tell, intelligent.
Even with that knowledge, a corner of his conscience prickled at the idea.
Across
the table Marty popped a pickle in his mouth and chewed as he waited. “If it
helps look at it this way. Her involvement with you will put her business on
the fast track. The whole thing will still more or less be a business
agreement.”
Trent
nodded. Marty had a point. If he and Addison became romantically involved it
would do more for her business than an ad during the Super Bowl.
“If
you’re going to make it in politics you need to learn to do what’s right for
your career, everything else comes second. Trust me, I’ve been around long
enough to know that few politicians make it with their conscience intact.”
Marty pushed the paper closer to him. “So what’s it going to be?”
Addison’s
face beamed up at him. “We’ll try it your way, but if it’s not working we will
fall back to our original plan.” Sure, they’d had an enjoyable conversation
over coffee but he was not prepared to wager the rest of his life on that. He
picked up his untouched sandwich. “I’m assuming you made sure she’s not
involved with anyone.”
The
look Marty gave him said it all. “Unless she’s got a secret lover tucked in her
closet, she’s single and has been for over a year.”
“Okay,
I’ll let you know how things go. But in the meantime, keep working on who
leaked this picture.”
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