Page 32 of Dirty Politics

Chapter Fifteen

Liv found herself aloneon the elevator again with her boss. Just the two of them. She sighed. He on one side and she on the other; they couldn’t be further apart if they tried.

God, this is awkward. I’m sure he’s praying that I don’t have another panic attack.Her face flushed thinking about it.

Senator Sterling cleared his throat.

“Have you been on the Capitol subway yet?” he asked while pretending to read emails on his phone.

“Subway?” Liv asked, she furrowed her brow. “Just for the Capitol?”

“Subway is a very generous term,” he said, as they exited the elevator.

Liv breathed a sigh of relief when they exited.No panic attack - score!

“I’ve only gotten stuck in those elevators a few times,” he said, with a smile. “You’re normally safe in them.”

She nodded.

“The subway is this way,” he said, pointing down the hall. They walked in silence until they reached the subway. Liv burst out laughing.

“You can’t be serious,” she said.

“I told you; subway is a stretch,” he said, chuckling.

“It looks like a children’s ride,” she said. “Was this installed by Disney?”

“You’d think,” he said, sitting down in one of the tiny cars. “It’s just to move members of congress around more efficiently under the Capitol. In that sense, it works well; but I normally feel like I should have some cotton candy when I’m on it.”

She laughed. “Oh, it’s literally a tiny monorail. This is adorable.”

He nodded. “And you don’t even need a ticket.”

“Congress is weird.”

“Tell me about it.”

She laughed.

“Did you know we have a candy desk on the Senate floor?” he said, his eyes beaming.

“What?” she said, her eyes sparkling. “Is it for good behavior?”

“I wish,” he said with a snort. “In 1965, California Senator George Murphy brought his love of candy to the Senate floor. He was known for passing it out from his desk even though eating is not permitted on the Senate floor. Turns out he was a one-term Senator, but the candy tradition lives on. Now companies from all over the country send in candy to stock his desk drawer.”

“Wow,” she said. “George Murphy really had a lasting legacy.”

“You have to be known for something,” he said with a chuckle.

“Do you guys have an ice cream machine to go with your tiny adorable train and your candy drawer?”

“Not yet. Maybe that will be my lasting legacy.”

“I doubt that’s what you will be known for,” she said, staring into his eyes.

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