Page 18 of Pursuit of Happiness

She knew where this was going and sought to deflect it fast. “I’mhappy with where I am for now, but as for your question about the sentencingguidelines, I think Stevie made some excellent points and I like to keep anopen mind.” Her words echoed in light of her upcoming meeting with the DNC, andthe choices she would have to make in the coming weeks threatened to overwhelmthe laid-back nature of this evening. She pushed back. “But I get the feelingyou’re here to decompress, not talk shop.”

“Talk shop is all these lawyers know how to do,” the fashionableone, Hannah, said. “Can I get you a drink?”

“That would be great.” Meredith pulled out her credit card. “Anda round for the group?”

Hannah waved away her card. “Your money’s no good here. Anyfriend of Stevie is a friend of ours.”

Meredith watched her walk to the bar, and she felt a tug on herarm. She followed Stevie a few feet away. “Hannah seems nice.”

“You haven’t seen her try to wrangle us at the office.” Stevieducked her head. “I suppose I should’ve warned you I wasn’t going to be alone.”

“Like I warned you I might ditch you at a wedding? I’m sure thatI’m way ahead of you in the jerk moves column.” Meredith replayed the words inher head and scrambled to recover. “Not that this was a jerk move by any means.Everyone seems nice, and it’s fun to see you in your natural environment.”

Stevie’s face flushed slightly. “Speaking of natural environment.I don’t think I’ve ever seen you photographed in anything but asharply-tailored suit.” She waved a hand up and down. “I like this look. Youseem relaxed, approachable.”

Meredith felt her own cheeks warm. “And here I was going for theI can’t pick her out in a crowd look.”

“Seriously, I like it. It’s a side of you I wouldn’t havepredicted.”

“I might be full of surprises.” Had she really just said that?What a corny line.

“You might be.”

“And how about you?” Meredith paused for effect. “Is the SteviePalmer you see the one you get?”

“Depends on who’s doing the getting.”

Before their flirtatious banter could continue, Hannah returnedwith their drinks. “Come on, you two, let’s get back to the table beforesomeone tries to steal our seats.”

Meredith dutifully followed as Hannah led her away, and nextthing she knew, she was caught up in lively conversation with Stevie’scoworkers. Everyone was nice and ostensibly treated her like one of them, but shecouldn’t help but notice the raised eyebrows and curious stares when theythought she wasn’t looking. It was obvious these people were like family toStevie, and Meredith wondered what had motivated Stevie to invite her to meetthem. Was it so she could see firsthand some of the impact her work as asenator had on the lives of the people who had to work with the laws she passedor was it something more personal? Whatever it was, she was glad to be here.

They’d just finished the tie-breaking game, when Stevie appearedat her shoulder. “Come with me for a sec?”

“Sure.”

They walked toward the bar. “I invited you tonight because Iwanted to see you, but I also wanted you to meet these people. They work hardin the trenches every day, and everything you do—”

“Affects them. I get it.” Meredith forced a smile, disappointedto hear Stevie’s motivation for the invitation wasn’t more personal. “Iappreciate the way you put a face on the things you’re passionate about. It’sone of the reasons I was drawn to you in the first place.”

“And I appreciate that you were willing to hear me out.”

Meredith reached a hand over to Stevie’s arm. “And I really wassorry to leave you at the wedding. I may have been a jerk, but I’m a dedicatedone.”

Stevie waved her off. “Forgiven. Completely. But I have aquestion that’s been bugging me ever since you asked me to the wedding.”

“Fire away.”

Stevie opened her mouth, but she was interrupted by a shout fromher boss. Everyone’s phone started dinging with alerts, and Meredith felt thebuzz of her own phone in her pocket. She resisted the urge to check it for aslong as she could, but as all eyes in the bar started to look her way, herresistance started to wear.

“Go ahead,” Stevie said.

Meredith paused, curious if this was a test. She wanted to pass,more than she wanted to know the breaking news, but before she could test herresolve, a shout from Joe sealed her fate.

“Drudge says you’re running for president. Is it true?”

Meredith met Stevie’s eyes and held her gaze, willing the worldto stop for just a moment so she could figure out what came next, but chimeswere dinging and the air crackled with anticipation. She would have to answerthe question sooner or later, but now all she wanted was to lose herself inStevie’s eyes.

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