again tomorrow morning if I haven’t
heard back from them.” She handed Rory a sheet of paper with all the
information on it including the meeting dates, times and locations.
“I’m having lunch with Arness and Moore on Wednesday,” Rory
announced as she held the paper in front of her face, taking another sip from
her mug.
“How’d you manage a lunch, newbie?”
“I’m magic,” Rory said, smiling slyly.
“I know, so what kind of wand did you wave?”
“Honestly, and don’t give me crap about it, Dorn invited
me.”
Nicole held her eyes. “He’s very handy, Ror. I like this
one.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“You’ve made that abundantly clear, Prego. It must be the
hormones.”
“Yes, you should get yourself a set.” She smiled brightly.
Over the next two days, Rory worked on strategy to secure
the rest of the necessary votes from the Appropriations Committee. By
mid-morning Wednesday she had commitments from five of the eleven. Along with
Brown, she had confirmed Donnelly, Marshall, Richards and Goodhouse. Rory sat
at her desk and reviewed the manner in which the vote was coming together.
Counting Dorn, she had six of the eleven, and was feeling very confident.
As she sat at her desk and reflected on the vote, her mind
wandered to her father and how proud this would have made him. She recalled him
beaming during her swearing-in ceremony on city council. How she wished he
could see her now. How she wished she could have saved him from Aidan. Rory
stared at a blank space on her desk as she recalled the look on her father’s
face when he helped the FBI convince her of what Aidan really was. In that
shabby beige room at the Federal Building. She would never forget that look on
his face, and once again, tried not to feel responsible for bringing that
monster into their lives.
A knock on her door brought her back to her office in DC.
The door opened and a smiling, flushed Jill escorted Jackson Dorn inside.
“Thank you, Jill, was it?” Jackson said, flashing his neon
smile in her direction. Rory lifted her eyebrows as the young administrative
assistant giggled and blushed again, closing the door behind her.
“Do you have to corrupt my staff with your incessant
flirting?” Rory asked dryly as she began to straighten the papers and files on
her desk.
“Jealous?” Jackson quipped.
“You wish.”
“Maybe I do. You ready to go to the luncheon?”
Rory grabbed her coat and bag, ignoring Dorn’s comment. As
they walked through the outer office, she gave some last-minute instructions to
staff. Then they were walking down the corridor toward the side entrance of the
Rayburn Building. Rory reflected on how comfortable she and Dorn had become
with each other. She still didn’t know whether this was a good thing or a lapse
in judgment on her part, but she was going with it.
At times as they were walking he put his hand on her elbow
or lower back as he moved over to allow people to pass them. It all seemed so
natural. They had been spending time together and getting to know each other
better courtesy of their morning runs. Citing the buddy system, Dorn had
decided he would do his exercise with Rory every morning and had been meeting
her at her door at six a.m. Although Rory had declined the breakfast
invitations, she did accept the rides to work, offering to chip in on the car
service. Dorn had agreed, but thus far had not answered when she requested to
know how much she could pay him to split the service.
As they climbed into the backseat of the livery car, Rory
strategically set her bag between them. Jackson smiled, as he did every time
she made effort to keep her barriers intact. As they rode to the restaurant,
they made conversation about who would be at the luncheon and about the agenda
that would be discussed during the business meeting.
The restaurant manager ran down the list of preparations as
he walked them to the private dining room. Rory made note of how calm
heard back from them.” She handed Rory a sheet of paper with all the
information on it including the meeting dates, times and locations.
“I’m having lunch with Arness and Moore on Wednesday,” Rory
announced as she held the paper in front of her face, taking another sip from
her mug.
“How’d you manage a lunch, newbie?”
“I’m magic,” Rory said, smiling slyly.
“I know, so what kind of wand did you wave?”
“Honestly, and don’t give me crap about it, Dorn invited
me.”
Nicole held her eyes. “He’s very handy, Ror. I like this
one.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“You’ve made that abundantly clear, Prego. It must be the
hormones.”
“Yes, you should get yourself a set.” She smiled brightly.
Over the next two days, Rory worked on strategy to secure
the rest of the necessary votes from the Appropriations Committee. By
mid-morning Wednesday she had commitments from five of the eleven. Along with
Brown, she had confirmed Donnelly, Marshall, Richards and Goodhouse. Rory sat
at her desk and reviewed the manner in which the vote was coming together.
Counting Dorn, she had six of the eleven, and was feeling very confident.
As she sat at her desk and reflected on the vote, her mind
wandered to her father and how proud this would have made him. She recalled him
beaming during her swearing-in ceremony on city council. How she wished he
could see her now. How she wished she could have saved him from Aidan. Rory
stared at a blank space on her desk as she recalled the look on her father’s
face when he helped the FBI convince her of what Aidan really was. In that
shabby beige room at the Federal Building. She would never forget that look on
his face, and once again, tried not to feel responsible for bringing that
monster into their lives.
A knock on her door brought her back to her office in DC.
The door opened and a smiling, flushed Jill escorted Jackson Dorn inside.
“Thank you, Jill, was it?” Jackson said, flashing his neon
smile in her direction. Rory lifted her eyebrows as the young administrative
assistant giggled and blushed again, closing the door behind her.
“Do you have to corrupt my staff with your incessant
flirting?” Rory asked dryly as she began to straighten the papers and files on
her desk.
“Jealous?” Jackson quipped.
“You wish.”
“Maybe I do. You ready to go to the luncheon?”
Rory grabbed her coat and bag, ignoring Dorn’s comment. As
they walked through the outer office, she gave some last-minute instructions to
staff. Then they were walking down the corridor toward the side entrance of the
Rayburn Building. Rory reflected on how comfortable she and Dorn had become
with each other. She still didn’t know whether this was a good thing or a lapse
in judgment on her part, but she was going with it.
At times as they were walking he put his hand on her elbow
or lower back as he moved over to allow people to pass them. It all seemed so
natural. They had been spending time together and getting to know each other
better courtesy of their morning runs. Citing the buddy system, Dorn had
decided he would do his exercise with Rory every morning and had been meeting
her at her door at six a.m. Although Rory had declined the breakfast
invitations, she did accept the rides to work, offering to chip in on the car
service. Dorn had agreed, but thus far had not answered when she requested to
know how much she could pay him to split the service.
As they climbed into the backseat of the livery car, Rory
strategically set her bag between them. Jackson smiled, as he did every time
she made effort to keep her barriers intact. As they rode to the restaurant,
they made conversation about who would be at the luncheon and about the agenda
that would be discussed during the business meeting.
The restaurant manager ran down the list of preparations as
he walked them to the private dining room. Rory made note of how calm