Off the Record (Record #1)(77)

“Are you feeling all right?” Clay asked Liz, reaching out and touching her arm.

Chris looked over at Liz, concerned. “Do you need to sit down?”

“I’m fine,” she snapped. She tried to rein in her rising anger, but she wasn’t doing a very good job. She kept trying to tell herself that she had no right to be angry, but that felt like a lie.

Liz turned her head away from Brady and the woman on his arm. She couldn’t keep staring at them. It made her nauseous to see them together.

“Maybe we should go get you some water,” Chris suggested.

“Water. Hmm,” she mused, remembering how she and Brady had driven to Chris’s house for water. She took a few slow breaths, trying to calm down. “No, I think I’m fine. Already recovering. Must have been the claustrophobia.”

“Well, it’s good you’re feeling better. I unfortunately have to go find the rest of my family. It was good seeing you again, Liz. Chris,” Clay said, thrusting his hand out. Clay and Chris shook formally, as if they were on opposite sides of an irresolvable war. Clay flashed her a smile and turned to leave. He only took a step before Brady materialized before him, with his date in tow.

“Clay,” Brady said with a smile. It was a campaign smile. Liz could read it a mile away.

“Brady,” Clay responded. “Nice party.” He made it sound like a joke.

“Thanks. Mind taking a picture? We can do a family one later.”

“I sure hope it’s for the Christmas card,” Clay retorted.

“Christmas in July?”

“Never too early.”

“Just take the picture,” Brady said, turning to face the photographer. Brady smiled and the camera flashed.

Clay broke away from Brady as soon as it was over. “You should take one with Chris. Have you met his date?” Clay turned to include Liz and Chris into the conversation. “I think I’ve convinced her to run against you.”

“Have you? How kind,” Brady said, turning to face Liz.

Their eyes met and she stopped breathing. She wished his campaign mask would slip for a second so she could see what else was underneath that beautiful face. Why was he doing this to her?

“I hear you’re running against me. How do you intend to win?” Brady asked Liz.

“By taking out the competition, of course,” Liz said without missing a beat.

Clay snickered and Chris squeezed her arm. Brady just kept looking at her, completely unaffected.

“I do believe you would. I hope I can change your mind about running.”

“I’m sure you’d try to change my mind about a lot of things,” she said coolly.

Brady laughed and Liz tried to muster a smile, but it wasn’t without difficulty. “Liz, is it? I believe we met at the rally on the Fourth of July.”

“Indeed we did, Senator,” she said formally. “And who is your beautiful girlfriend?” Liz turned her attention to the woman at his side.

“Ah, this is my friend Amber,” he added, hastily introducing Amber to the group of people.

“Pleased to meet you,” Amber said with an overemphasized Southern drawl.

“How do you guys know each other anyway?” Clay asked.

“We met at the Miss North Carolina pageant,” Amber filled in.

“A pageant. I sure hope you beat him,” Clay said snarkily.

Amber giggled and covered her mouth. Brady shook his head. “Amber is Miss North Carolina. She won this year’s competition.”

“Is that a scholarship competition?” Liz asked, directing her attention to Amber, because she couldn’t look at Brady.

“It is!” Amber answered enthusiastically.

“It must be nice to get a scholarship just for being beautiful,” she said, taking a sip of her drink, glancing at Brady, and then setting it back down. “Excuse me. I’m not feeling well. I think I need to go sit down.”

“I’ll go with you,” Chris said. He placed his drink next to hers.

“Good luck with your election, Senator,” Liz said, smiling at him, turning, and walking away.

Chris followed close on her heels, waiting until they were at a comfortable distance from other people before speaking. “Liz, calm down. He’s not here with her. He only showed up with her. It’s not like that. He likes you. I swear. He wouldn’t have told me about you if he didn’t.”

“Chris,” Liz grumbled, “do you mind shutting up?”

“Come on. You know he’s not interested in that woman. She has nothing between her ears.”

“He’s still here with her.” She continued to walk quickly. She didn’t know where she was going…just trying to escape.

“He wouldn’t have brought anyone if he had the choice.”

“Exactly. No one or a f**king beauty queen.” She stopped and faced him, making sure no one was paying them any attention. “Not me.”

“It’s bad timing. That’s all. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Oh, please,” Liz said, shaking her head and starting to walk again. “Its having nothing to do with me is even worse.”

“Hey.” Chris grabbed her arm and forcibly stopped her from walking farther. “I’m telling you as his best friend that he likes you. Remember the other night when we were all together? He’s not like that with some dumb beauty queen. Now let’s get another drink and calm down.”