Page 68 of Capitally Engaged

“I’m Billy. My daughter Olivia loves Jax’s books, so we drove in to catch the event. I think sixteen is a bit too young for adult romance books, but she picked up her mom’s collection after her mom passed a few years ago.” He shrugged. “I can’t break that connection—it’s one of the parts of her mom she’s got left, you know?”

I nodded. “I do know. Olivia and Jax will have a lot to chat about. She got her start with her grandma’s collection.”

Billy shot a look at the line, his face brightening with a smile when he found who he was looking for. “She’s there in the purple shirt, with that whole stack of books to be signed. So while she’s waiting, I thought I’d asked you a few more questions about your plans for assisting first-generation college students.”

And with that, we were off. As the store emptied, several more people stopped by to say hello, ask a question, or even wish me luck in the election next week. Charlotte waved from the door, the look on her face saying she didn’t want to interrupt, as she headed out to drive to the next town on her Massachusetts independent bookstore tour.

Eventually the store emptied of everyone but Jax and me and a few employees. They waved us out after Jax finished signing the rest of their stock of her books.

“Have I told you how proud of you I am?” I asked as we left the store, almost ninety minutes after Jax started signing books. We turned to the left, walking toward our car.

“I think only approximately fifty-three times, but I could hear it once more,” she teased, her eyes sparkling in the reflection of the streetlights lining the sidewalk.

“I’m so proud. These people came to see you, they waited in line, wanted to tell you how much your books have meant to them. You’re making a difference in people’s lives, telling stories where people can see themselves reflected. Your grandma would be so proud.”

Jax blinked through her tears. She dedicated this book to her grandma, something that had resonated with a lot of readers online who grew up stealing their grandma’s romance novels off the shelves too.

While Jax was no longer as averse to emotional moments and we talked a lot about our memories of our loved ones we lost, Iknew this was a night for celebrating. I tried to pick the mood back up.

“Let’s go home and you can ride me, cowgirl?”

She groaned, wiping her eyes, a grateful smiling crossing her face. “Okay, that’s it. That joke will officially expire at midnight tonight. Release day is over. That was the deal.”

I laughed, throwing my arm around her shoulder, bringing her to my side and laying a kiss on the crown of her head. “Okay, fine. You’re right, I promised.”

She wrapped her arm around my lower back. “And just remember, after next week, you’ll be Mr. State Representative, and I’ll be the concerned constituent you need to assuage.” Jax gave her voice a fake breathy quality, twirling her free hand in her hair.

I laughed. “Did you use an anagram for sausage on purpose? If so, well done.”

Jax took a little bow.

“And c’mon, don’t jinx me. There’s a lot of race left to go,” I continued.

Jax stepped in front of me, her hands on my face.

“You’re right. You haven’t won yet, but I believe in you, and I know everyone sees what I see. A caring man who is dedicated to his principles and will give his all to represent the people who elected him. That’s what they want, not someone who’s doing to take away their rights and smoke cigars down at the good old boys club.”

I let out a breath. “I sure hope so.”

Jax pulled me down for a kiss. After a moment, I broke away. We stood there for a moment, our gazes locked. I counted myself lucky I got stood up in the Capitol Visitors Center that day. The story of how we got here may not be like anyone else’s, but it was perfectly and uniquely ours.

We started walking again, Jax’s arm looped through mine this time.

“So, what else do you see in me?” I asked, my voice light and teasing.

“The type of stallion this cowgirl can’t wait to mount,” she said, drawling in a terrible country accent. We laughed the last few feet to the car. I opened the passenger door for Jax to climb in and navigated to the driver’s side. Starting the car, Jax connected her phone to the audio system.

“I know we haven’t set a date or anything, but I did have a suggestion for our first dance.”

“Yeah, what’s that?” I asked, looking over at her expectantly.

She swiped across her screen a few times, and the opening chords played to a song that never failed to put a smile on my face. Not being able to resist though, I played dumb.

“Why, what’s this song?” I asked, putting the car in gear and pulling out onto the road.

“This is the first song we ever danced to, in your apartment the day I moved in. Oh, if those kids could see us now.” I caught her look over at me in my peripheral vision. “You really didn’t rem—” She paused as she caught the size of my shit-eating grin. She shoved my leg gently. “You remember.”

“Of course I remember. How could I forget the first time I got to dance with the most beautiful girl in the world?”

She laughed, putting her hand back on my leg, but leaving it to rest there this time.

“Take me home, Mr. Brandt.”

“As you wish.”

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