Chapter 7

The political event was one of Jaden’s fund-raisers and was held in a high school cafeteria. A black church choir sang three songs after a chicken, string bean, and potato salad dinner. Then Jaden took the podium. Designed for his grass-roots constituents, Jaden’s speech touted plans for improved city services, reduced crime, and better schools. It was standard fare that had mass appeal, and that’s why he’d covered the same material at his last fund-raiser held at a railroad yard.

Resting an elbow on the table and her chin in her hand, Chelly admired Jaden from her seat. He was strictly GQ. How could any woman resist such a sexy, civil-minded, and socially connected man? Well, they didn’t. She glanced around her at the majority female audience that seemed to sway with his every word and gesture. Women responded to his magnetism like flowers bent toward the sun. She was damn lucky to have him in her life. Why was she so eager to walk out of his?

She’d have to figure that out before she and Jaden were alone. He’d want to fool around later and she wasn’t sure how she’d handle it, but she did know they couldn’t go back to her place now that her bedroom had ears.

All through his speech cameras flashed. At the end, she stood clapping and then waited as Jaden shook hands, smiled his killer smile, and boldly asked the magic question, “Can I count on your vote?”

Eventually, he turned to Chelly and included her in a few introductions. She didn’t come to be in the foreground, she just liked the energy and meeting people, and she actually thought Jaden was the best person to be council president.

When it was time to go after an hour of schmoozing, they retrieved their coats. Jaden helped Chelly on with her jacket while photographers took more pictures.

In his BMW, Jaden loosened his tie as he drove. “How was my speech? Good crowd reaction?”

“Yes. I mean, there wasn’t much new information, but it’s what people want to hear and it was well received, I thought.”

“Yeah. You’re right. I’ll work on that. Don’t want it sounding too canned. Got three more of these dinners lined up in the next couple of weeks.” He leaned over and pecked her cheek. “I like looking out into the crowd and seeing your beautiful face. I hope you’re free and can come.”

She watched him turn on the windshield wipers as the rain that had threatened all day began to fall. “Let me know the exact dates and I’ll check.” Once he knew about her attraction to Sean, which she needed to confess, whether she was free or not would be moot.

His hand stroked her thigh. “I’ve missed you, Chelly. Let’s go back to my place. ”

“All right.” In lover-speak, she’d just agreed to spend the night with him, knowing she couldn’t. How to tell him? Someone else caught my eye, so what do you say to a short hiatus until this guy goes back to Maryland?

Jaden’s pride would never agree to that. Once she left Jaden, there would be no going back. Is that what she really wanted? Of course it was, she chided herself. There would be other Jadens, just like there would be other Seans. Men who wanted nothing beyond a physical connection were a dime a dozen.

* * *

Jaden liked the color blue, as evidenced by his blue couches and the one blue wall in his living room that displayed Native American artifacts. A headdress made from eagle feathers and ermine tails hung centered on the wall. On either side of the headdress he’d placed a vertical display case. Each contained a necklace made of bear claws and deer bone worn by Chippewa men. Beneath one necklace, Jaden had stacked golden-brown baskets made from sweet grass and other materials that Chelly couldn’t recall. Several drums claimed space next to the baskets.

After Jaden took off his suit jacket and poured wine, he clicked on the TV. Chelly knew he wanted to check out the media coverage of tonight’s event. She folded her jacket over the back of a parson’s chair and then sat, crossed her legs, and pulled down the hem of her little black dress.

He cruised through a few channels while Chelly sipped her wine.

“It will be on the local news later,” he said. “I have a few ideas about what we can do in the meantime.”

He set her glass aside, gently kissing her with soft, tantalizing lips, and then stood, holding out his hand. If she took it, her fate would be irrevocably sealed. It was time to talk.

“I’ve met someone.”

His face twisted slightly as he lowered his hand. “You’ve met someone? And what does that mean?”

“It means I can’t sleep with you, Jaden. There’s someone else.”

“Wait a minute.” He sat down across from her, his eyes probing more deeply than a dentist’s sharpest instrument. “I meet a lot of people. A lot of people. I don’t want to have sex with them. You’ve met someone and you’re ready to hop into bed with him just like that?”

She found his judgmental tone insulting. The problem was, he was right. She wouldn’t say no to Sean’s shoes under her bed and, in fact, planned to help get them there.

“At least I didn’t try to hide my feelings. I wouldn’t be comfortable having sex with both of you, so…I needed to tell you that.”

“You’re saying you’ve slept with him already?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying.”

He studied her with the calm and patience probably inherited from his ancestors. “Chelly, have I done something or not done something? I thought we had a good thing going?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s been great. You’re great. Our time together has been wonderful. I just find myself thinking about this guy and hoping we get together, and that’s not fair to you.”

“It sure as hell isn’t.” He picked up his wineglass and handed Chelly hers. After taking a swallow, he said, “It was my understanding we agreed to keep things light. Nothing heavy. No promises or commitments. Is that what you’re looking for now?”

“No, I haven’t changed my mind about that. I can’t be caught up in all that…emotion. That’s definitely not what I want.”

“Well then, pardon my arrogance, but what can this man possibly do for you that I can’t?”

A chortle bubbled up from her throat at Jaden framing her choice in Darwinian—natural selection would make me the better man and therefore the logical choice—thinking. Chelly didn’t have an answer. All she had was a flutter in her heart for Sean. She’d only known him a few days, but since going along for the ride would cost her nothing, why not? The past was too painful and the future too risk-prone to ask for anything more. If she had to live despite her family’s death, then she’d live in the moment with no expectations.

In her silence, Jaden took the opportunity to move in for another kiss. This one was more urgent than before, coaxing an automatic response from her. Her lips parted and the wine, mixed with Jaden’s minty taste, regaled her senses. Realizing this was only going to lead where she didn’t want to go, she pushed him back. Instead of stopping altogether, he nipped her neck and tickled her ear with his tongue, making her shiver in a wave of arousal.

Just as she began to worry her resolve wasn’t as strong as she thought it was, the TV news opened with a breaking story. “We are receiving reports of a serious car crash with fatalities. Lou, can you tell us what you know?”

Looking past Jaden’s shoulder, Chelly saw the scene switch to another newscaster. “Joan, the mood tonight is a grim one on Route 131. A church van leaving a fund-raiser for Jaden Lightfoot was involved in a three-car pileup resulting in at least two fatal injuries. As you know, Jaden Lightfoot is one of the candidates running for Ward Representative from District 5. Authorities are saying wet roads might have been a factor.”

This stopped Jaden cold. “God. I better get to the hospital. Can you get home okay?” She vaguely noticed him grabbing the landline phone while answering a call on his cell phone.

Chelly felt another kiss on her forehead. Tearing her eyes away from the TV, she realized she’d been sitting there, wringing her hands while Jaden was halfway out the door. “Yes, hurry,” she belatedly answered his question. “You should be there. I’ll take a cab home. Don’t worry about me.”