Her Forever Family by Mae Nunn

Author:Mae Nunn
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2010-10-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Ben’s day was not getting any better.

Soon after his conversation with Ali, Randy had called with the news that the story was already way past damage control. And to make matters worse, Laura Epps was now an official contender. From her seat on the board of the American Paint Horse Association she represented a growing source of financial power that couldn’t be ignored.

“Buddy, it’s declare now or call it off. With this Fort Worth woman putting her name on the ballot you’ve got to get in the game,” Randy insisted, chomping at the bit for a decision. “This is national fodder, my friend. You’re a football hero turned motivational speaker. Anybody who doesn’t know you from the Cowboys’ roster ought to recognize you from that infomercial you did with Tony Robbins. Did you really think this wouldn’t go beyond the city limits of San Angelo?”

Ben couldn’t remember being this conflicted since his senior year at UT when he’d been called up in the pro draft. Finishing his education had been the right thing to do because the NFL had waited. But there was little chance the U.S. Congress would be so patient. After the debacle of a meeting at his home last evening, Ben wasn’t even sure he wanted his old friend calling major shots anymore. He really needed to do some big time praying and then counsel with somebody who wasn’t invested in his decision. Someone who would help him weigh the facts without emotions clouding the picture.

Ali came to mind immediately. But he’d asked her to stay away, and for both their sakes they needed to stick with that plan.

“I guess expecting that photo to stay contained was pretty naive, huh?” Ben answered Randy’s question.

“I’ll say. And you’ve got to dump that Pollyanna thinking if you expect to survive in Washington. The opposition will eat you alive once they realize you’re a card-carryin’ Christian.”

“Now just a cotton pickin’ minute.” Ben’s hackles went up.

“Don’t get bent out of shape, you know what I’m sayin’. Ben Lamar always tries to do the right thing, plays by the rules, gives his best and expects the same from everybody else. That’s your reputation and it’s an honorable one. But you can bet your last dollar some people will see your morals as a soft underbelly. And if you don’t guard against that perception, you’re going to get set up and knocked down more times than a stack of children’s blocks.”

“I don’t much care for the way you’re talking to me today,” Ben warned.

“Well, that makes two of us because I don’t care at all for the way you’ve been talkin’ the past couple of weeks.” Randy’s voice reflected his exasperation. “This isn’t something that just came up recently in casual conversation, you know.”

Ben nodded, sitting alone at his desk. His friend was right. They’d been strategizing about this for ages. Randy was committed, ready to dive in over his head. But Ben was still reluctantly dog paddling in the shallow end.

“Yeah, I know,” he admitted.

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