K. Linde - Off the Record

Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath waiting for his response. Questions from the college newspapers were typically light and fluffy. Politicians chose them because it looked good on paper to include them. College reporters weren’t supposed to ask a question that hit that close to home.

Liz could feel eyes judging and assessing her from all sides.

Had she really thrown his entire speech back in his face? Staring into those eyes, she felt a jolt of electricity course through her body. It was as if they were the only two people in the room in that moment. She held that gaze like a pro and watched as he changed his appraisal of her.

“That’s an excellent question. It was painful for me to have to do that knowing how closely linked I am to higher education, but other aspects of the bill were unacceptable to me. I couldn’t fully support the bill with those parts still in it,” he stated.

Liz narrowed her eyes as he stealthily evaded her question, not even touching on the tax cut component. He really was a natural.

“Thank y’all for coming out and I’m sure I will see y’all again on the campaign trail.”

He waved at the reporters, ending the press conference. Several people shouted at him for one more, but he never stopped his purposeful stride offstage.

Liz couldn’t believe that had just happened. She had asked a hard-hitting question at her first press conference and alienated a sitting politician. She thought she might throw up any second.

Hayden reached forward and turned the Record button off. “Fucking amazing, Liz,” he cried. He threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. She folded into his chest. Any other day she might have reveled in the embrace, but she couldn’t get the image of Brady Maxwell III’s eyes out of her head.

“Did you see his face?” Hayden asked. “You stumped him. He didn’t see that question coming at all. This is going to be an incredible article.”

Liz smiled weakly, and tried to push down the rising taste of bile in her throat.

“Liz, are you going to be okay?” Hayden asked, holding her arms and looking into her blue eyes. “You look kind of sick.”

“I feel a little sick,” she admitted.

“Well, you have no reason to. Calm down. That was great. I’m so glad you came with me!” He released her and slung his messenger bag on his shoulder.

They got halfway across the room when Calleigh Hollingsworth headed them off. “What a question!” she said. “I knew Lane would pick the right person. I never saw Camille stump a politician.”

Calleigh Hollingsworth was complimenting her. She might die.

“Oh, I don’t think I actually stumped him.”

“He hesitated, honey. That’s enough for me,” Calleigh told her before shifting her attention back to Hayden. “Some other reporters are coming with me to get a drink. I’ve already told them you’re coming with me, and they’re excited to meet you.”

“I’m really not up for it, Calleigh. We have to get this story out,” he offered.

“No way. Unacceptable, Lane. I’ll see you tonight. Liz, you are more than welcome, of course,” she said politely.

Liz looked at Hayden expectantly. She wouldn’t mind mingling with other reporters, but if they needed to work on the story, she would go back with him. “What do you want to do?”

He shrugged, clearly preferring to leave.

“You’re not even running the story until Monday,” Calleigh told him stubbornly. She placed her hand on her hip and sat into the movement. “Come out and play. You’re too uptight.”

“All right. If Liz wants to go, then I’m game. Otherwise I’ll just drive home and work on the piece.”

“Liz?” Calleigh asked, pleading with her big green eyes.

“Uh…yeah. Sounds like fun.”

“Great! I’ll text you the details, Lane, and see you later,” she said, waggling her fingers at him as she departed.

Hayden sighed and readjusted his bag on his shoulder. “I guess we’re going out.”

“Sorry,” Liz said. She followed him out the door.

“Don’t be. It wasn’t likely that I would have been able to get out of it anyway. At least I have company now.” Liz smiled, butterflies jumping around in her stomach. “Do you want to go get dinner? It’ll probably still be a few hours before they go out.”

“Uh…yeah, sure,” she said. Was he asking her out?

“Cool.” They walked into the half-full parking lot and veered toward his black Audi. Liz took a seat as Hayden popped the trunk open and deposited his equipment before opening the door and sliding onto the leather seat.

“Do you have a preference for dinner? I’m really craving Italian.”

“Fine with me,” she agreed easily. She didn’t know how to judge the situation.

It didn’t help that her mind was still captured by the Senator. The way his eyes found her in the crowd, the tone of his deep, husky voice, the borderline arrogance in his every movement was so…appealing in a way she had never even known before. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been attracted to a bad boy in the past, and that was exactly what Maxwell portrayed under that charm, but she didn’t know whether he really was that bad boy underneath the image of the upright Senator.

It was a paradox she wanted reconciled. Who exactly was Brady Maxwell?

Liz pushed open the glass door to the quaint Italian bistro, and a bell chimed overhead. “How did you find out about this place?”

“My dad used to take me here a lot,” Hayden told her, grabbing the door out of her hand and holding it open for her.

“Thanks. I forgot you’re from Raleigh. Your parents live here?”

“No, they moved to D.C. when I graduated. They didn’t want me to go to D.C. public schools, but my mom always wanted to work on the Hill. So as soon as I went to college, they packed up and left too.”

The waitress seated them in a maroon booth at the back of the restaurant and then left. Liz opened the menu and skimmed the choices. “Do you get to see them much? It’s like a five-hour drive to D.C., right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m too busy to go home much right now, but it’s all right. I get to see them around the holidays, and I’m flying back for the summer. Where do your parents live?”

“Tampa. I’m in the same boat. I’m too busy and it’s too far to drive.”

“At least you have the beach.” He looked up at her over the plastic menu.

“That’s true. Guaranteed tan on vacations. If I went home more, I probably wouldn’t be so pale.”

“You’re not pale. Do you see this?” he asked. He pulled down the open neck of his button-down. She didn’t know why, but the way he exposed the bare skin under his shirt to her made her flush.

She cleared her throat and averted her eyes. “Well, I guess I have that going for me, at least.”

“Liz, you have everything going for you. Aren’t you a Morehead scholar?”

“Yeah, but that’s just academics. Book smarts,” she said. “You have the whole paper, and everyone loves you.”

“You could have the paper.”

“You think so?”

“I’ve seen your work. It’s really good. Plus, you’re driven.”

“Thanks,” she said. It was what she wanted and what she had worked for. She appreciated that he saw that in her.

“I wouldn’t have put you in a reporter position if I didn’t think you were fully capable of moving forward.”

“Well, you sure know how to motivate someone,” Liz said, her face heating under the spotlight. She would love to be editor, but she knew that she had some work to do over the next year to prove that to everyone else.

Hayden made everyone want to work for him. When he was overseeing a project people worked twice as hard than if anyone else had initiated it. He had such a presence that he could seamlessly take over a whole room. Once people got to know him and witnessed his unfailing dedication to projects, they only loved and admired him more.

Liz certainly had fallen for that amazing presence. Plus, he was attractive. His medium brown hair was always shaggy and overgrown, curling at the ends and around his ears. It constantly covered his hazel eyes, which changed colors depending on his mood or attire. He had a runner’s build and could be seen crisscrossing campus in his track shoes. Best of all, he always had a smile on his face. It was such a relief to walk into the office after a grueling day and be greeted by such a happy demeanor.

They ordered when the waitress returned. Hayden claimed the restaurant had some of the best spaghetti he’d ever had in North Carolina. Liz wasn’t sure that was saying much, but ordered it anyway. She trusted his judgment. He had chosen her for this position, after all.

“So, do you think Maxwell will win the primary?” Hayden asked, taking a sip of his water.

“Definitely,” she said without a doubt or second thought.

“You’re so sure,” he said. “What makes you think that? He’s a young, first-term State Senator with no experience.”

“He has his dad’s name and career to run off of, and that’s clean. People know it. I wouldn’t count him out.” Plus, he was attractive, really attractive, and that always helped.

“No, you’re right. I was just curious,” he said, smiling into his menu.

“What?” Her eyes narrowed.

“You were kind of staring at him when he walked onstage,” he said. “Did you not know he was that young?”

“Stop teasing me, Lane.”

“Hey, I don’t blame you! He’s a good-looking guy,” he said with a devilish smirk as she glared at him.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said. Hayden had pretty much hit it on the head.