By Design Read Free Page B

lawyer.
The relationship had lasted seven years. In that time, Dana had seen Candace
happier than ever before. The ending of the relationship, however, proved
painful and bitter. Jessica had been caught in an affair with another lawyer in her firm. It had been splashed across the news media, made its way onto nearly every
magazine cover and tainted Candace’s
political clout for nearly a year. Worse, it had devastated the senator
personally. Trust was a precious commodity in political life. The senator had
risked a great deal to follow her heart. Her political career had been tested with
her decision to come out as a lesbian at all. The announcement of her
relationship with the attorney and the
ensuing personal appearances as a couple drew a bevy of critics with harsh and
hurtful words. Candace’s children had struggled with the demise of their
parents’ marriage, and then with their mother’s new reality. Jessica’s betrayal
was heartbreaking for Candace. She poured herself into her work after that. And,
she kept her distance from potential romantic entanglements. It had been more
than a few years since Dana had witnessed the sparkle in Candace’s eye that
just mentioning Jameson prompted.
    “Senator?”
Candace heard Dana calling to her and suddenly realized that she had drifted
off in thought. “Is that it?”
    “What?”
Candace asked.
    “The
age difference. Is that what bothers you about J.D.?”
    Candace
sighed heavily. “Dana, I barely know her. And, I have no interest in a
relationship with anyone. You know that.”
    “If
you say so.”
    “I
do say so, so let’s just change the subject,” Candace replied abruptly.
    “When
are you seeing her again?” Dana persisted.
    “What?”
    “Well,
you said you were hiring her. I would assume that means you will be seeing her
again,” Dana pointed out.
    “I
don’t know,” Candace said. “We’ve exchanged a few emails. Pearl will take care
of whatever she needs while I am away,” Candace attempted to end the
conversation. “Now, what is on today’s agenda?”
    Dana
sighed inwardly and proceeded to hand the senator the day’s press schedule.
Candace continually kneaded at her temples as she reviewed it and played with the glasses resting on the
bridge of her nose. Dana was certain that
the senator’s behavior was driven by
something other than the day’s schedule. It might not have been obvious to most
people; Dana was sure that J.D. Reid had
piqued Candace Fletcher’s curiosity. “I wonder what J.D. thought of you,” she
mused silently.
    ***
    “No,
Melanie. I am headed back upstate today,” Jameson said.
    “The
project with the senator, or are you just heading toward home?” Melanie McKenna
asked.
    “Both,”
Jameson replied without looking up from her desk.
    “So,
what’s she like?” Melanie asked her boss. Jameson was focused on the sketches Melanie had brought in for her to
review and did not respond to the question. “Hello! Earth to J.D.!” she called
again.
    “What?”
    “I
asked what she is like.”
    “Who?”
Jameson asked as he studied the papers before her.
    “Senator
Fletcher; what’s she like?”
    Jameson
pushed the plans aside and looked up at her friend. “She’s nice enough.”
    “She’s nice enough? Oh, come on, J.D.! Is she a
dragon lady or is she all prim and proper?”
    “What
is your fascination with Candace?”
    “Candace?
Hum, that’s pretty informal. What happened to Senator Fletcher?”
    Jameson
rolled her eyes. “Since when are you so interested in a politician?”
    “Candace
Fletcher is not just a politician, J.D.
She’s one of the most respected women in Washington.”
    Jameson
chuckled. “Do you have a crush on my client?” Melanie shrugged. “You do! You
have a crush on Candace Fletcher!” Jameson laughed.
    “So
what if I do?”
    “Mel,
might I remind you that you and the good senator bat for different teams,” Jameson said.
    “Well,
I can be flexible.”
    Jameson
shook her head in