Page 39 of Pursuit of Happiness

“I’m not entirely sure that’s a compliment.”

“Rest assured, it is.” Meredith stood. “Rain check on thepancakes?”

Stevie searched for something, anything, to say to prolong thecontact without sounding like the desperate one being left behind. “You knowit’s not about the pancakes, don’t you?”

Meredith sat back down. “I was hoping that was the case.” Sheglanced at the door, wistfully, like she was being pulled in two equallyimportant directions. “I’m so glad you came up last night. I really needed tosee you. More than I realized. I’m going to miss you.”

Her voice dropped low on the last words, and Stevie felt theeffect throughout her body. It helped to know she wasn’t the only one feelingbereft at the idea of separation so soon after their connection had grownstronger. Strong enough for her to feel compelled to say, “Maybe we should makea plan.” She breathed deep and pressed on. “I know your schedule is going to beinsane over the next few weeks, but maybe we could have a date, even if it’snot in person.”

“Drinks via FaceTime?”

“Something like that. You could vent, and I could tell you whichjudges are abusing me so when you’re president, you can exact punishment.”

“Everybody wants a favor,” Meredith said.

Stevie kissed Meredith’s hand. “If you’re handing out favors, Ican think of more interesting ones.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Now, go get through Super Tuesday and rack up the delegatecount.”

Stevie steeled her emotions against an emotional good-bye. Thiswas a lot harder than she’d anticipated. Something had shifted in theirrelationship, and she was starting to regret her decision not to have sex withMeredith the night before, if for no other reason than she’d have that memoryto hold on to over the next few weeks. She pulled Meredith close and kissed heragain, a long and lingering kiss, not caring if either one of them missed theirplane. Most unlike her. When they finally broke for breath, Meredith stood, butshe appeared a little woozy.

“Are you okay?” Stevie asked.

“If you call being lightheaded from all the kissing okay, yes,I’m great. That’s going to be hard to do on FaceTime.”

“Definitely.”

“I have to go,” Meredith announced in a quiet voice.

“I know.”

“This is harder than I expected.”

“I know.”

“I should probably just do it.”

Stevie watched to see what she would do, her heart sinking asMeredith slowly turned and walked toward the door. Five steps and her hand wason the door. Another second to turn the knob, one to open the door, and justlike that she’d be gone and it would be like this whole episode had been adream. But Meredith turned around.

“Will you come to New York for Super Tuesday? I’ll be watchingthe returns there that night, and I know there will be a crowd of people, butthen we can go back to my place, and I promise we’ll be alone and I may not beable to take the next day off, but at least I won’t have to leave at—”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“I said yes. Of course I will. I’d love to see your place, butmostly I’d just want to see you.” Stevie waved her toward the door. “Now, getout of here so I can miss you the appropriate amount to make our reunion thatmuch better.”

Meredith grinned, kissed her again, and practically skipped outof the room. When the door shut behind her, Stevie raised her arms above herhead and stretched like a cat on a sunny day, basking in the glow of thepromise they’d just made. All her concerns—the press, the pressure, thepolitics fell away at the idea of seeing Meredith again, and now instead ofholding on to the memory of last night, she had the anticipation of next time.And she had big plans for next time, none of which involved sleeping in.

Chapter Twelve

“Where are we again?” Meredith asked as the plane toucheddown. She laughed when Gordon shook his head. It was the third time she’d askedthe question, but she was only half kidding about not being able to keep trackof the hectic schedule. It was six p.m., and this was their fourth stop todayas they zigged around the country, making appearances in key battlegroundstates. The pace was exhausting, but she couldn’t afford to let up. While she’dhandily won the primary in Nevada, South Carolina had been another close call,and next Tuesday’s primary races included a lot of Southern states where JedLankin, with his Southern drawl and pro-gun stance, had a slight lead in thepolls. Rural mid-American and Southern Democrats weren’t nearly as progressiveas their East and West Coast counterparts, but she hoped to gain ground withthem on her more moderate positions on the economy and law enforcement if shecould get them to overlook the fact she was not only a woman, but a lesbian toboot.

The plane rolled to a stop in Dallas, and as they made their waythrough the Jetway, Jen walked beside her. “Before we leave the airport, I’vegot a couple of VIPs coming on board the bus to meet with you. No more than tenminutes each, and we’ll still get to the dinner in plenty of time.”

Dinner, right. She’d been asked to make a few remarks at abenefit for the North Texas Food Bank. The events were starting to morph intoone another. Meredith slipped a mint in her mouth and smoothed her skirt.“Who’s up first?”

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