The Candidate's Wife Read Free

qualified for my position."
    Adam chuckled at her defensive tone. She looked as if she were ready to take on a grizzly with her bare hands. "Take it easy, Julia. I'm not questioning your qualifications. I just need to know a little more about you. You have a 10-year-old son, is that right?"
    Julia threw Phil a startled glance, then turned back to Adam. "Yes, but what does that have to do --"
    "And he lives with your mother in a town called Cypress Point?"
    Julia nodded. "I couldn't afford -- I mean, my mother's retired. She agreed to look after Danny so that I could take this job. I hope to go home on weekends, when I can."
    "A three-hour drive. You must miss him."
    Julia simply nodded, but Adam glimpsed the fleeting pain in her eyes, and he'd noticed the hitch in her voice when she said her son's name. She obviously found it difficult to leave her son behind, a fact he would file away for possible future use. He hurried on to his next question. "What about Danny's father?"
    This time, Julia scowled openly. "I really don't see what this has to do with --"
    Phil scooted his chair forward and laid his hand on her shoulder. "Julia, please. There is a point, I promise."
    Slowly, she relaxed. "We're divorced. I have full custody, and Danny's father is -- he's not in the picture."
    Adam shifted in his seat. He didn't like children very much, at least not the few spoiled brats he'd met. Still, Phil was right. Julia sounded just about ideal for their purposes. "Tell me about the kid. Is he reasonably photogenic?"
    Confusion mixed with surprise on Julia's face. "Is he what?"
    Phil laughed and shook his head. "He's adorable, Adam. Julia showed me pictures. Shouldn't we get on with this?"
    Yes, it was time to forge ahead, but Adam knew he had to handle things just right. Though, truthfully, he almost hoped she would refuse him. He wasn't sure he could go through with this. It took all of his willpower to go on.
    He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Julia, can I count on your discretion? And your absolute loyalty?" He fixed her with the penetrating stare he used to intimidate annoying lobbyists and members of the opposing party. "If I can't, tell me now."
    Julia stared right back and answered with surprising calm. "Yes, you can count on me."
    "Good. Phil, show her the video."
     
    Julia watched the television monitor as Phil inserted the videotape and hit the play button. Governor Norris's newest campaign ad flickered to life. The ad featured one montage after another: the governor with his wife and four children, the governor at his daughter's piano recital, the governor tossing a baseball to one of his sons. "Re-elect Governor Jim Norris, The Choice for Families" appeared in huge white letters at the end. Phil hit a button on the remote and the words froze on the screen.
    Adam cleared his throat. "Take a look at this," he said, and drew a sheet of paper from the top drawer of his desk. He handed the paper to Julia. Their fingertips brushed. Julia swallowed convulsively and nearly dropped the document. Her hands felt cold and numb. Her mind, meanwhile, worked furiously to figure out Adam's game.
    In the arenas of academics and research, Julia had always excelled. Scholarly tomes, footnotes, obscure government documents -- her nimble brain untangled the mysteries of language and politics with ease. But now she felt out of her depth, outmaneuvered, like a pawn in a chess match. She didn't like this new role. She didn't like it at all.
    She didn't much like her physical reaction to Adam, either. Despite the fact that she was on her guard, his handshake and welcoming smile had left her breathless. She could still feel his palm as it slid over hers, strong and unexpectedly hardened. His calluses surprised her until she remembered that the Carmichaels raised racehorses, and that Adam loved to ride. His gold-flecked eyes, too, were harder than she'd expected. She saw cool intelligence in his gaze, but little