Page 36 of Pursuit of Happiness

“I have a decent idea.” Stevie pulled Meredith closer and framedher face with her hands. “I don’t think I realized how much I’ve missed youuntil this very moment.” Without waiting for a reply, she leaned in and tookMeredith’s lips between her own, slowly savoring their reconnection. “You arethe best kisser,” she murmured as they broke for breath.

“Sure it’s not just a matter of absence makes the heart growfonder?”

The look in Meredith’s eyes betrayed a hint of insecurity thatStevie was anxious to dispel. “Not even.” She took Meredith’s hand and led herinto the suite, bypassing the entrance to the bedroom and settling on thecouch. For now. She pointed at the bag in Meredith’s hand. “If there’s asandwich in here, I’ll be indebted to you for always. I didn’t get a chance toeat before I caught the plane, and a miniature bag of pretzels is all that’sbetween me and taking down a pizza joint.”

“That would be very bad. I have a vested interest in keeping yourenergy up.” Meredith pulled out her phone and sent a quick text. “There will befood in a few minutes. I promise. In the meantime, I brought other provisions.”She handed over the bag.

Stevie filed away the comment about keeping her energy up andrummaged through the bag. She found a pair of plaid pajama pants, a JeffersonLaw School sweatshirt, socks, and a toothbrush and toothpaste. And a bottle ofchampagne. “You’re quite the welcome wagon.”

“You said you didn’t have time to pack anything, and I wanted youto be comfortable.”

Touched by the gesture, Stevie kissed Meredith again. “You’re sothoughtful, especially considering you had some other things on your mindtonight.”

“I did have a few.” Meredith reached for the bottle of champagne.“And there’s no one I’d rather celebrate with. I have to be up before the crackof dawn, but I want to raise a glass. Are you in?”

The question was so broad. Stevie knew Meredith was referring tothe champagne, but there was an electricity in the air buzzing with promise.She was absolutely in for a glass, but what happened after, and was she up forthat? To cover her hesitation, she rose and walked to the wet bar to retrieve acouple of glasses. When she returned, she set them down in front of Meredithand watched while she poured. This intelligent, successful, beautiful woman hadleft an adoring crowd to come to her hotel room and hang out with her. Why wasshe even hesitating to go all in?

Because this wasn’t real life. It was a night in a hotel on theroad. And Meredith was riding a high. Stevie sighed. They both had to be up ina few hours and be on—her for her client and court, and Meredith for the crowdsand camera. If they slept together tonight and went their separate ways in thedark before dawn, what was the next step? Would there even be a next step?

A knock on the door interrupted her internal rambling. Sheglanced at Meredith, who nodded her okay. Stevie eased the door open, and a guywho looked like he was still in high school smiled and handed her a white paperbag. He asked if she needed anything else.

“No, thank you,” she said, thinking she should probably give hima tip, but he was gone before she could act on her impulse. She shut the doorand carried the bag back to where Meredith was sitting on the couch. Meredithreached in the bag and pulled out two cheeseburgers.

“Sean always knows where to find food. Anytime day or night.” Shehanded one of the burgers to Stevie.

“Does he work for the campaign, because he looks like he’s all ofsixteen.”

Meredith motioned for her to go ahead and eat. “He’s barelyeighteen. Just started college and he’s part of the Mitchell for Presidentgroup on campus. He interned for us at the local office. If it wasn’t forvolunteers like him, I don’t know how we would make this work. Gordon hasopened offices all over the country in preparation for the primaries. I thoughta Senate campaign was complicated, but this is an enormous machine.”

“Can he be counted on to be discreet?”

“Who, Gordon?”

“No, Sean.” She raised her burger. “Who, by the way, gets an Afor late night food gathering. But earlier, when your sister escorted me tothis room she said she didn’t trust any of the volunteers to be discreet.”

“Ugh.” Meredith frowned but didn’t say more.

Stevie finished the last bite of her food and reached forMeredith’s hand. “Everything okay?”

“You didn’t come all this way to talk shop with me.”

“Maybe this is a good time to talk about why I am here.”

“I’d hoped it was because you want to see me.”

“I do.” Stevie scooted closer and kissed Meredith lightly on theneck. “Very much. And this room…It’s very nice. Inviting.”

“I hear a ‘but’ coming.”

Stevie paused before answering, not wanting to kill the mood, butcertain if she didn’t say what was on her mind, she’d regret it later. “It’snot like that. I just can’t help but feel a bit like this is a campaign trailbooty call.” Meredith started to protest, but Stevie raised a hand to stop her.“Let me finish. And under other circumstances there would be nothing wrong withthat.”

“Under other circumstances?”

“Circumstances like I didn’t want to get to know you better. Notjust naked in bed you, but you—the woman behind the candidate. Don’t get mewrong, I want to know the other one, but I don’t want to fall in bed and wakeup in a few hours feeling like we shared something very intimate, but weren’tvery intimate, if that makes any sense at all.”

“Actually, it does. You’d like a little time with the unofficialversion of Meredith Mitchell. But fully clothed.”

Stevie smiled. “Maybe notfullyclothed.”

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