Read Online Someone To Believe In by Kathryn Shay - Free Book Online

her palm. “You’re
not God. You can’t control everything. Anyway, are you so sure
you’re right?”
    “Yes.”
    She rolled her eyes. “What was I thinking,
letting you come here? It hasn’t helped.”
    “No, it has. I see dedicated, smart people
working hard. I just think your talents should be put to better
use. Something controlled by the government.”
    “Oh, yeah. You guys have done a great job
stopping gangs so far.”
    He glanced at the phone where the light
blinked. “Is that why you’re hooking up with Lawson?”
    She actually blushed; the crimson flush rose
from the scoop of her white shirt to her face. “I think Eric Lawson
would make a good senator.”
    That angered him, though he didn’t know why,
because he knew she felt that way. “He’s not experienced enough for
my position.”
    “He’s the age you were when you were elected.
He’ll learn.” She raised that cute little chin and now her blue
eyes sparked with challenge. “And maybe he won’t cop out like you
did.”
    Clay felt his hand fist. “We’ve been over
this before.”
    “You’re right. “ She swiveled to the
computer, away from him, trying to shut him out, he guessed. “We’re
spinning our wheels. It’s probably best you leave.”
    “Probably.” He jammed his hands into his
pockets. “Tell me one last thing.”
    “What?”
    Though he ordered himself not to go there, he
asked nastily, “Are you involved with Lawson?”
    “What?”
    “The date, on the phone message. Is it his
politics you support or are you sleeping with him?”
    She came off her chair like a shot. “You
bastard. How dare you...” She sputtered. “Get out of here right
now, Senator. This little experiment is over.”
     
     
    FOUR
     
     
    JON WAINWRIGHT SAT in the back of the
crowded, stuffy room and stared at the man who hoped to put Jon’s
father out of a job. This preliminary meeting was to start
mobilizing workers for Eric Lawson’s bid for the next Democratic
primary. Lawson was just finishing his speech and things were
winding down.
    Thank God, because Jon felt like a shit being
here. True, he and his father were eons apart on everything these
last few years, but when Jon called him, his dad had agreed to
speak at Bard, then asked to spend the day with him. His totally
indestructible father had seemed—what was it?—vulnerable. So Jon
had changed his mind about working on Lawson’s campaign. Then his
mother had called him this morning and whined about his father. It
resurrected a lot of old baggage, and Jon found himself heading
here despite his decision not to work against his dad. Not to do
what he knew would wound Clayton Wainwright big-time.
    It had been a stupid idea all around. He
hoped nobody saw him. There was no official sign-up yet so maybe he
could claim that he was a spy if anybody found out he’d shown up
here.
    With old anger at his father fading, Jon
clinked back into the shadows when the socializing began. Damn it,
how did he keep getting into these positions with his family? He
remembered when Clayton Wainwright had been his hero, when he’d do
anything to please the man. He remembered when he’d really
believed in his father. Now, sometimes his resentment at his dad
was so great he wanted to howl at the moon. And sometimes, it just
evaporated.
    “Hey, Jon, nice to see you.” Lawson had
approached him; the guy was always so friendly. Of course getting
the son of your opponent to work for you would be a coup. Jon’s
insides twisted at the thought.
    “Hi, Mr. Lawson.”
    He had a pretty, dark-haired woman with him.
“I’ve got somebody I want you to meet.”
    The woman studied Jon intently. “You look
familiar.”
    Lawson chuckled. “Probably because he’s the
son of your nemesis.”
    Her brows arched and there were questions in
her nice blue eyes. “My nemesis?”
    Lawson continued, “Jon Wainwright, meet
Bailey O’Neil, the Street Angel.”
    Jon shook his head; he knew the stories. “You
sure give my old