Page 103 of Where There's Smoke

Chapter 21

Anthony

As Sladeand I strolled down the sidewalk, making a half-assed effort to take me back to my hotel, I said, “You mind if I have a smoke?”

He shot me a disapproving glare. “You’re still munching on the cancer sticks?”

“And loving every minute.” I pulled the pack out of my pocket and withdrew a cigarette. “If you have a problem with it, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

“Fine,” he said, feigning frustration. “If you absolutely must.”

“Glad we understand each other.” I put the cigarette between my lips and pulled out my lighter. I stopped walking, cupped my hand around the end of the cigarette, and lit it. Once it was smoldering properly and I’d sucked in enough smoke to ensure that first craving-appeasing hit, I started walking again, and Slade fell into step beside me.

“So what are you doing after the election?” he asked. “Got any more candidates lined up?”

“Nah.” I turned my head to blow out the smoke so it wouldn’t get in his face. “Can’t think that far head anymore. One campaign at a time.”

“Can’t multitask anymore, old man?”

I flipped him off as I took another drag. “Something like that.”

“How’s that going to go with your new man, though?” Slade hooked his thumbs in his pockets and glanced at me. “I can see him putting up with one campaign, but if you jump on another one…”

I held in the breath of smoke for a moment before releasing it through my nose. Howwouldthat work? Once Jesse was governor—he’d lose this election over my dead body—and I started on someone else’s campaign for fuck knew what office, how the hell did we maintain any kind of relationship?

Shaking my head, I tapped the ashes into the gutter. “Who knows? I’ll deal with it when I get there, I guess.”

“I hope you do,” he said.

I looked at him, brow furrowed. “Why’s that?”

Grinning, he shrugged. “Just seems like what you’ve got going on isn’t…terribly temporary.” There was a note of sadness in his voice. Resignation, maybe.

“I don’t know about that,” I said. “We’ll, you know, play it by ear.”

“I’m sure you will.” Some humor crept in to replace the momentary sadness. “I wouldn’t expect any less from you when it comes to relationships.”

I chuckled. “You know me too well.”

“Yes, yes, I do.” We stopped in front of my hotel, and Slade turned to me. “Well, much as I envy the lucky object of your affection, I have to say it’sgood to see you in love like this, Anthony. Warms me right to the cockles.” His customary devilish grin pulled at his lips. “I saidcockles, you dirty bastard.” With a wink, he dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You’ve had your chance at warming my—”

“All right, all right.” I laughed. “That’s enough. And I am not in love.”

“Uh-huh. And I’m not your wisecracking ex-boyfriend.” He raised an eyebrow. “Meanwhile, back on planet Earth…”

I dropped my gaze, watching myself smother my cigarette under my shoe.

Slade laughed. “That’s what I thought. Anyway. It was good to see you again.”

“You too, as always.” I hugged him, and he kissed my cheek. As I pulled back, I said, “Say hello to Eric for me.”

“Will do. And you’ll say hello to…?”

Jesse, I almost said without thinking. I cleared my throat. “Zach,” I said, summoning a recent ex-not-quite-a-boyfriend’s name. “His name is Zach.”

Slade smiled. “Well, say hello to ‘Zach’ for me.”

“Will do.”

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