Page 98 of Power
May’s mouth falls open. “That’s fucked.” May surprises me further with her choice of colorful words.
“It is, and he knows it is. I think he had a change of heart, or maybe he had a moment to deal with it because before you called me, he’d been trying to contact me, but...” I sigh. “What’s the use, right? It’s not like we can be together. Truthfully, I’d broken it off with him anyway, because I was terrified something like this would happen.”
“It’s a scary thing to have to go through.”
“No, not for me. If I was on my own.” I pointedly stare down the hallway. “I would’ve stayed and dealt with it. But I knew if the press got a whiff of this, his time in the Oval Office would’ve been over. And I definitely didn’t want Emily to have to deal with the slurs, judgements, and assumptions of people. I didn’t want her touched by this…but now she is.”
“You broke it off for them?”
“Of course. Besides, it’s not like I’m first lady material.”
May lifts the corner of her mouth into a snarl. “Because you’re an escort?”
“Because I’m a twenty-five-year-old escort, with a ten-year-old daughter. Do you honestly believe Bennett could be reelected if the public knew that about me? There’s no way. Besides, my occupation is already out, and look at the uproar. The headline was ‘The President and His Whore.’” I shake my head as I look down at the countertop.
“You have no faith in people. You’d be surprised how people would be if they got to know you.”
“Seriously? Bennett has work to do, policies and changes he needs to implement. He won’t be able to do any of that if he’s not in the White House. Besides, you and I both know, he’ll be forgiven for his indiscretions because he’s a man, while I’ll be persecuted until the day I die. I’m the woman. I must have seduced him, I’m the one who’s responsible—that’s what the public will think. My only regret is that I didn’t end it earlier while I could protect Emily. But my stupid heart started falling for him.” I exhale loudly. “Stupid me, right?”
“Was he falling for you?”
“I guess I’ll never know. You’d have to ask him.”
“Would you take him back?”
“How can this work, May? There’s three-hundred and thirty-three million people standing in our way. Everyone will have an opinion.”
“Opinions are like assholes; everyone has one. You know this. Besides, you don’t strike me as the type of girl who cares what others think of her.”
“It’s not just me I have to worry about.”
“Reece, that ship has sailed. That little girl in there knows what you do, and how you met Bennett.”
I can feel my anger levels rising, because I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Not at this stage, anyway. Besides, it’s unfair for me to lash out at May for the choices I’ve made. “Thank you so much for allowing us to stay here,” I say, steering the conversation away from what I don’t want to talk about.
“Aha, I see. You’re running from your feelings.”
I finish preparing everything in silence, hating the fact May is so astute and observant. Even without turning, I can guarantee she’d be sitting on the stool behind me with a massive smirk. I turn around, and sure enough, May’s sitting proudly with a grin on her face. “Whatever,” I snap as I turn my back on May to start the cooking process of this damned frittata.
“If he wasn’t the president, would you be attracted to him?”
“Would I ever,” I mumble as a smile stretches my lips. “Yeah, absolutely I’d be interested in him.”
“Then, what’s the problem. He’s not going to be president forever.”
I look over my shoulder to May. “Yeah, but he’s the president right now, and, if I’m on the scene, he can kiss reelection goodbye.”
“I think you’re being hard on yourself, Reece. Yes, this is going to explode, especially because people are hell-bent on leaving their attitudes shoved firmly up their asses, but I think eventually, people will be more than okay with you.”
I burst into laughter at May’s blunt ways. “Yeah, well. Let’s agree to disagree. I’m a twenty-five-year-old escort with a kid who’s in double digits. The public are going to want to know why.”
“Hey!” May and I both look toward the front door. Hope waltzes in and does a double take when she sees me. “I was going to ask whose car that is, but now I know. The chick diddling the president,” she says without a care in the world. “What are you doing here?” Hope walks over and gives May a kiss on the cheek before greeting me the same way.
“Um. Well.”
“If you know, you know, right?” She winks at me. “Hey, tell me. What’s he like in the sack? Does he have moves, or is he a dud?”
“Hope!” May scolds her.
