Leta opened the microwave door and pulled out the hot bag of popcorn, poured the contents into a bowl, and made her way to the sofa, where she snuggled up in her mother’s old afghan.
Normally, she relished evenings like these, ones where Katie was out on a date and she was left to enjoy Gilmore Girls on Netflix. Tonight she was restless. Even cheering for Lorelai and Luke Danes to finally connect was not likely to distract her from the mess churning inside her head.
On top of wondering why Edith Styles wanted to meet with her, her work at the Ladd Agency left her feeling like a traitor.
She’d spent the day watching video footage of a paid speech Nathan Emerson had made at a shareholder meeting of a company that had since been questioned in the media for selling what some claimed to be questionable nutritional supplements.
Bernard Geisler was growing more frustrated with how little negative material there was to find on Nate, and he was grasping at straws.
Nate had easily won his senate campaign by a large margin. His ideas had been fresh and focused on the needs of his constituents. He responded to his detractors with grace and charm, never employing the tit-for-tat politics often seen in the news cycles today.
Governor Holiday had a right to be worried. Still, the end didn’t justify the means Bernard was employing. Leta was part of that, and it left her feeling hollow inside.
Leta reached for the television remote. Maybe a funny sitcom would take her mind off the turmoil inside her brain.
She flipped through the channels trying to find a program to watch, finally settling on an old episode of Seinfeld, the one where Kramer feeds his horse Beef-A-Reeno.
When the episode had first aired, she’d been sitting with her mother, who claimed the scene where the couple in the horse-drawn carriage began to wave at the sour air was a bit irreverent, but neither one of them could stop laughing.
She settled back and grabbed a handful of buttered popcorn. She could use a laugh tonight.
Her phone rang, forcing her to lower the TV volume.
She set the bowl on the coffee table and reached for her cell phone. The number wasn’t one she recognized.
“Hello?”
“Leta?” The voice was delightfully familiar. “It’s Nathan Emerson.”
She forgot to breathe. “Uh, yeah. Hi, Nate. How are you?”
“Good, good. We hadn’t talked since the symposium.” He paused. “I hope all is well.”
“Everything’s fine. The folks at Heritage House are taking good care of my mom. She seems content.”
“That’s good to hear. And you?”
She stared at the silent scene playing out on the television. “I’ve been . . . well, busy working and all.”
She couldn’t believe she’d just mentioned her work. What was the matter with her?
“Me too. I guess you’ve no doubt learned my big news? I announced.”
“Yes, congratulations! You’ll make a wonderful governor.” And he would, unless Jane Ladd and Bernard Geisler got their way. “You must be tremendously excited.”
“Well, not sure about excited. But I believe I made the right decision. My heart is to make a difference. The only way to really effect change is to unseat Governor Holiday. But enough about politics. That’s not why I called. I really just found myself thinking about you and wondering how you were doing.”
So he hadn’t only called about her mother. His words tickled her ears and made her feel all warm inside.
“I’d really like to see you again,” he continued. “Maybe we could meet for coffee—oh wait, there’s someone at my door. Could you hold on?”
On the other end of the line she heard voices but couldn’t make out what they were saying. She waited, her heart beating wildly. He wanted to see her.
Still, she had to consider who she worked for. Maybe she should tell him.
“Leta?”
His voice pulled her back into the moment. “I’m here.”
“I’m really sorry, I’ve got to go. My campaign manager just showed up at the door with some data I need to study for a speech tomorrow. But I meant what I said. I’d really like to have a chance to talk again.”
“I’d like that too,” she ventured, knowing full well the implications she’d face if they were to meet. Forging a friendship under the current situation would not be easy. And likely impossible. Still, despite her reservations she couldn’t seem to say no.
“Great! I’ll call you. Good night.”
“Good night, Nate.” She clicked off her phone and stared back at the television.
The reasons to stay far away from Nathan Emerson were stacked high. They were from two very different leagues. As far as she knew, he hadn’t broken things off with Tiffany, a woman much better suited to someone like him.
Yet, all he had to do was say her name and her heart skipped a beat.
Of course, there was the cold reality that Nate knew nothing about Operation Brainchild or that she was a part of the effort to tank his campaign.
She’d considered telling him, even if it meant the end of their emerging friendship. Then she remembered the confidentiality agreement.
And she thought of her momma.
This isn’t fair!
But then, she’d learned long ago that life could deal some bad cards.
Her mother always said that when things looked impossible, that was when God often showed up and showed off—that nothing was too hard for him. He could turn even the worst things in life around for our good.
Leta believed that was true. Her mother had never misled her. But in this situation, God definitely had a big job before him.