Incumbent(27)

The finger wiggler was the first to respond. “Hi, Senator, I’m Michelle. I voted for you in the last election.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Michelle. I thought you looked familiar.”

Mason and Lucy both stifled a laugh.

After I greeted the others, I looked at Lucy. “Ready?”

“You bet I am.” She smiled, and I took her hand in mine.

“Mason, do you need a lift? You live near Lucy, right?”

“Thanks, but I drove today. I have to ref a soccer game tonight. I’ll catch you two later.”

After we said good-bye to Mason, we climbed into my car. Once we were driving away, Lucy let out a long breath.

“Care to tell me what that was about back there?”

“Our picture. That’s what it was about.” She rested her elbow on the door and propped her head up with her hand. “Michelle asked me if we were dating, and if we weren’t, would I give you her number. Then you walked up.”

“So you kissed me. Were you marking your territory?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know what came over me. I hope you can forgive me.”

“Forgive you for kissing me?” I reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Never. There’s nothing to forgive. Anytime you feel the urge to place your lips on mine or anywhere else on my body, feel free to do so.” I glanced at her and smiled.

Her face turned a light shade of pink. “Noted.”

“I have a couple of things to ask you. But I’d prefer we weren’t sitting in my car when we talk. Would you like to go get a drink?”

“Yes,” she said with an enthusiastic nod. “I could use one.”

We ended up at an Irish pub not far from there, complete with wood-plank floors, Irish flags on the walls, and the smell of beer hanging in the air. We made ourselves comfortable in a booth, seated across from each other, and waited for our server.

Lucy folded her hands on the table. “You wanted to ask me something?”

Our waiter came up to us, and he looked at Lucy first. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll have a rum and Coke.”

He turned to me. “And for you, sir?”

“Just a beer. Whatever you have on draft is fine.”

Once he was gone, I said, “Where were we?”

“You were going to ask me something.”

I smiled. “Yes. I’d like to know if you’ll be my date this Saturday night. I have a fundraiser to go to, and as you know, I normally bring Gretchen with me. But this time I want you on my arm.”

I reached across the table and flipped my hand over so it was palm side up. She placed hers on mine.

Wrapping my fingers around hers, I said, “The thing is, I want you on my arm all the time, not just at business dinners or baseball games. I can’t stop thinking about you. We were together all day yesterday and this morning, but I want more. This isn’t all about me, I want to be on your arm too. I want to be the one who makes your face light up, and your freckle dance when you smile.”

Her tongue peeked out to lick her lips, and I could feel my pants tighten.

“So, what do you think?” I asked.

“About which part?”

The waiter placed our drinks down and hurried away.

“All of it. Tell me what I want to hear. Please, Lucy, say yes to everything.”

“You hardly know me.”

The waiter came back, and we hadn’t even taken a sip yet. Obviously, this wasn’t the place to have this conversation. I tossed a twenty on the table, grabbed her hand, and drove her home.

We were silent in the car, and it was killing me not to say anything, but luckily we were right around the corner from her place. I could wait a little.

She unlocked the door and walked over to sit on her couch, where I joined her.

“I’m just going to go for it here.” I shifted on the couch to face her. “You said I hardly know you, and you’re right. I want to rectify that more than I’ve wanted anything else. But let me tell you what I do know.”

Her fingers found the ends of her hair, and she began twirling. The sight of her nervous tic made me worry a little, but I plunged ahead.

“I know that when I look at you, I’m happy. When we kiss, my heart races, and when you smile, I smile. When you look sad, I feel it.” I took a breath. “Waking up with you this morning felt right. I’ve never felt this way before about anyone. No one has ever taken my breath away before, just you.” I glanced at her fingers. “We have a lot to learn about each other, but most couples do. There are so many things I want to know.”

“Like what?”

The timid note of her soft voice struck a chord in my chest.

“I want to know if fidgeting with your hair is a nervous habit you had as a kid, or did it develop over time? And I want to know why I feel so jealous of Mason.”

Her nose crinkled as she scrunched her brow. “You’re jealous of Mason?”

“Tremendously jealous. Do you know your face lights up every time you see him? I know you’re best friends, but I want that more than anything.”

“You want to be my best friend too?”

I stood and rubbed the back of my neck as I took a breath. “No, you’re not listening. I don’t just want to be your best friend; I want to be . . .” I wanted to say everything, but settled for saying, “Yours. Because in my heart, body, and soul, you’re already mine.”