Page 109 of Go Back to December

She raises an arm to wave Badger Leary over, while I pretend my lungs still operate. If ever there was a time to hustle, this is it.

Badger kisses Alicia on the cheek. “That was some show, honey.”

“Justin’s a genius.” She nods at me. “And of course, you two know each other?”

He flashes a smile. The gap in his two front teeth winks. “Oh, right, from the café.”

My heart twists at the distant way he refers to the business I built. Badger has never set foot in the café, which is why we rigged this whole performance to show him how valuable it is to Blackhart & Steele.

“It’s nice to see you, Ambassador. I’m not sure we’ve been properly introduced.” I extend a hand. “Melody Johnson.”

Badger grasps my hand in his politician’s grip and congratulates me on the film. “That’s reputational gold.”

“It could mean actual gold if the city council passes the tax incentive on social enterprises.”

“Interesting.” He tilts his head. “I wasn’t aware.”

Alicia mumbles something to excuse herself and makes a beeline for Baz.

“Tell me more about the tax proposition,” Badger demands.

This is a different type of hustle. I can’t shit a shitter like Badger. What I can do is give him what few others do: unfiltered truth.

“It will only happen if the coalition ratchets up its lobbying efforts, but most of the small business owners can’t take that kind of time off from their businesses.”

He grunts in agreement, then asks my thoughts on other avenues to get the message out.

On any other day, I would be ecstatic to discuss advocacy strategy with Badger Leary. But as we talk, my focus keeps pulling behind him. Alicia has skirted Baz away from the crowd. She glances nervously over her shoulder at me.

“I can’t believe no one on my team has briefed me on this,” Badger complains. “We should have someone monitoring these issues.”

“City management isn’t publicizing it. You’d be better off having someone working relationship management full-time.”

“Does that mean you’d be interested?”

I laugh. “That sounds dangerously close to a job offer.”

“It is.”

He says it in a so-what tone, like creating a role out of thin air is something he’ll staff out.

It’s a stunning opportunity. I’m frightened he’s only suggesting it because he intends to vote the café and my job out of existence.

The Lightman would be my perfect excuse for refusing him, and for requesting his referral letter instead, but my brain glitches, the words stick, and I can’t react.

Badger smiles. My shock amuses him, which is so typically condescending.

“Take some time to think it over,” he says. “We can talk about it after the holidays.”

He signals to Alicia that he’s headed toward the cavalcade of golf carts. Before she slips out to join her father, her stare fixes on me.

Alarm bells peel. Alicia must have seen Baz and me watching the film, our lips and limbs entwined. And she’s been standing there with his family. If asked, they would say I’m Baz’s girlfriend.

A fact that we haven’t disclosed to Blackhart & Steele.

When Baz finally limps over to me, I seize the lapels of his coat. “She saw us.”

“Who saw what?” he asks calmly.