Page 4 of Pursuit of Happiness

“Doesn’t feel like it was that long ago. Sometimes I miss being aprosecutor.”

The clatter of plates interrupted their conversation, and thebartender shoved the food toward them and then strode off to wait on some newarrivals.

“Let’s talk about something else,” Stevie said. “No senseinducing heartburn.”

“I have a feeling these onion rings will do that all on theirown.”

“But totally worth it,” Stevie said.

Meredith nodded and tugged one of the golden rings free from thepile. She was just about to put it in her mouth, when she noticed Adam Rondell,a reporter, striding toward them.

“Hey, Senator, you slumming it with us regular folks tonight?”

She set the onion ring down and cast a quick look at Stevie wholooked between them with a curious expression. Meredith smiled to signal allwas well. “Hi, Adam, am I encroaching on your space? I’d say I’m sorry, butsince you spend your life following me around, I think turnabout is fair play.”

“Touché.”

Hearing Stevie clear her throat, Meredith broke contact with Adamand turned her way.

“Adam Rondel, meet my friend Stevie Palmer. Stevie, meet mystalker, Adam. He works for the—”

“The MetroMash-Up.” Stevie interrupted. “I’m familiar with your blog.”

“Smart and pretty,” Adam said. “She’s a keeper.” He turned backto Meredith. “So, I heard something interesting today. Do you have a minute toanswer a couple of questions?”

If she were dining alone, she might, but Meredith had sensedStevie tense up when Adam approached the bar. She had a reputation for allowingthe press extensive access to her professional life, but no matter what she’dtold herself about her reason for this meeting with Stevie, it was no longerpurely professional, and she was more interested in pleasing her thansatisfying the insatiable appetites of the reporters who dogged her on a dailybasis. “Call my office Monday and we’ll set up a time to talk.”

“Sounds like a brush-off.”

Meredith spotted Stevie opening her mouth to respond and shejumped in, pointing at her onion rings. “Dinner. It’s a thing. You should tryit sometime.” She smiled to defuse her refusal. “Later, I promise.”

He shook his head. “I heard a rumor today that you are jumping inthe presidential race. Sure you don’t want to comment?”

Meredith kept smiling, but she wanted to strangle whoever hadstarted the rumor and Adam for spreading it. “Here’s my comment and listenclose because I’m not going to repeat it and I’m not answering any follow-upquestions. I fully support Senator Armstrong in her bid for the Democraticnomination, and I think she’ll make a wonderful president.”

Adam made a show of pretending to take notes on his hand whileshe spoke. “Got it. Okay, ladies, have a nice evening.” He tipped an imaginaryhat and strode away.

Meredith watched until he walked out the door of the bar. “Sorryabout that. It’s a hazard of the job.”

“Definitely a hazard,” Stevie said. “That guy’s an ass. Have youread the stuff he writes that passes for news? Of course, that’s more the normthan not nowadays.”

She heard the edge in Stevie’s voice and noted that it sounded likeStevie had a personal bias against Adam Rondel and the press in general. Shestarted to form a question, but Stevie beat her to it.

“Although he’s not the only one speculating about you enteringthe race. Is it true?”

Meredith took her time chewing her food. The rumors had swirledafter her speech at the Democratic convention during the last election cycle.She’d been given the speaking spot mostly because of her family connections andshe knew it, but showcasing her at the convention had been part of a grand planto put her on the path to an eventual run for the top office. “Maybe someday.Senator Armstrong is going to carry the standard this time around, and Isupport her all the way.”

“Connie Armstrong, really?”

“What, you don’t like her? She’s a strong woman with a deephistory of service to her country.”

“Is that the party line?”

Meredith bit back a sharp retort. “If you think I walk a straightparty line, you don’t know me very well. Do you have a specific beef withSenator Armstrong?”

Stevie nodded as if to acknowledge Meredith was right to put herto the test. “If she’s the nominee, I’ll vote for her, but only because thealternatives on the other side of the aisle are positively frightening, but youhave to admit she comes with a lot of baggage. Armstrong’s had to walk a prettyfine line between liberals and conservatives to maintain her popularity inTexas, and she’s a little too moderate for my taste.”

“Sometimes moderates are the only ones who get things done.”

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