State of Grace by Everly James

Author:Everly James [James, Everly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-05-30T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

The hotel ballroom had marble floors covered in a hundred round-topped tables. The tables were lavishly decorated with sprays of yellow roses, white tablecloths that puddled to the floor, and crystal goblets that twinkled in the low candlelight. People of all ethnicities were dressed to the nines in tuxedos and evening dresses that kissed the floor.

Rachel took a deep breath and stepped into the space, where she was immediately hounded by three donors.

“Ms. Callum! I just have to say I love the campaign you’re running,” a tall man in a cowboy hat and boots said.

“Thank you so much. And thank you for your time and donations, as well,” Rachel said. She had no idea who the man was, but it was a positive thing to assume that he had donated. The two smiling women began talking, but Governor Jones swooped in before they could get any words out.

“Rachel!” Governor Jones said with a grin. He was still wearing those ridiculous glasses. “Glad to see you could join us country bumpkins.” He pointed towards his cowboy boots. “Only in Texas, am I right?”

The women tittered sycophantically. The Governor pulled Rachel away from the gathered group. She suddenly found herself wishing she was back with the trio, awkward as it was.

“Care to dance?” Governor Jones asked. He did a ridiculous bow and spun his hand in a forward circle until it landed near hers.

“Um, sure thing,” she said. He pulled her onto the dance floor as the country swing band played an instruments-only tune. Rachel did one visual sweep of the ballroom looking for Andie, but she couldn’t find her.

“You do look stunning tonight, hope that’s okay for me to say,” the Governor said with a slimy smile.

Rachel grimaced but tried to turn it into a smile. It probably wasn’t working. “As do you. And everyone else here.”

Governor Jones laughed. “Now, Wendy has been telling me that you’re running a clean campaign. It’s a promise you made at the beginning, is that right?”

Rachel spun around a couple so old they were barely moving. “That’s right.”

There was that smarmy smile again. “Ah, I see. It’s admirable. But what happens when the other side starts slinging mud?”

“We take the high road,” Rachel said simply. “We just dance around it, so to speak.”

The pun made the Governor laugh uproariously. “I like that. But can I not convince you to maybe reconsider?”

Rachel glanced over his shoulder and saw Andie standing there in a floor-length silver gown. Her blonde hair was in loose finger waves and she wore a stunning smoky eye with a nude lip. Andie smiled at her.

Rachel gave her a single nod, and Andie flew over. “May I interrupt to have this dance?”

Governor Jones looked shocked for a moment, and it took him a minute to recover. “Um, yes.”

“Great,” Andie said with a smile, putting an arm around Rachel’s waist and grabbing her hand with the other. “I rescued you once again.”

“You did indeed,” Rachel replied. “How many people do you think we’re scandalizing by dancing together right now?”

Andie glanced around the room.

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