An Irresistible Bachelor(103)

The appreciation and hot speculation in their expressions had Jack curling his hands into fists. He wanted to tear through the crowd and kick them out of his house, even though one of them was his squash partner and the other he'd known since kindergarten.

Callie didn't seem to notice the attention, though. She was looking at something in her hand, and when she finally lifted her head, their eyes met. A yearning went through his body and he had to stop himself from taking a step toward her.

With a soft smile, she lifted a tattered piece of paper up and waved it slowly in the air.

Had she found the answer?

Mercedes's voice cut into his thoughts. "And then there is my son, Jackson. As you all know, he's made his father and me so proud with all he's accomplished, and he's about to take on another challenge. I'm simply thrilled to say that he will be running for governor of this fine commonwealth next November!"

Jack snapped his head around. As a wave of cheers rose up into the air, he stared at his mother in disbelief.

"How the hell could you do that," he said through his teeth.

But she was too busy soaking up the adulation to hear what he said.

Frantically, he looked out to the stairs, but he couldn't see through all the hands that were in the air. Fuck. He could only imagine what was going on in Callie's head.

"Speech! Speech! Speech!"

Knowing he wasn't going to be able to get away until he said something, he held his hands out and quieted down the guests.

"I don't have anything to formally announce one way or the other at this point." Supportive shouts drowned him out. "But thank you for your vote of confidence."

As the clapping started again, he met Gray's eyes. His friend was shaking his head, knowing exactly what would happen next. His mother had effectively announced his candidacy to three hundred of the most influential people in Massachusetts. And almost every one of them had a cell phone in their pocket. The news was going to be all over the Globe and Herald tomorrow morning.

When the fervor began to die down, Mercedes turned to him, all smiles, and exclaimed, "Isn't it fabulous! They love you!"

Jack leaned in closely, so no one else would hear. "Mother you're going to regret this."

She gasped and pulled back, but he was already walking away. He had to get to Callie.

She'd disappeared, probably heading for her room.

Jack was on his way to the stairs, deflecting congratulatory handshakes, when Gray stepped in his path.

"We need to deal with this. Now." Before he could speak, Gray said, "Did you know she was going to do that?"

"Hell, no."

Gray's cell phone went off and he took it out and frowned at the number. "We've got to caucus and prepare a statement to the press. Then we're going to have to reach all of the members of the exploratory committee, including those who aren't here tonight. Pissing off the people who've been helping you is the last thing you need to do right now. None of them expected this announcement."

Welcome to the goddamn club.

Jack was infuriated. He had all this shit to deal with because of his mother's need to be a powerbroker and all he wanted to do was to find Callie.

When Jack's mother made her declaration and the crowd went wild, Callie closed her eyes.

"I can't believe this!" Grace exclaimed. "How exciting!"

Callie forced a smile. "Yes. He really wants to run."

So much so, he hadn't even bothered to wait for her answer.

In the corner, she saw Gray cocking a cell phone and putting it up to his ear.

She had to give Jack and his friend some credit. Having Mrs. Walker announce the candidacy, while under the portrait of Jack's father, was a brilliant piece of maneuvering. It was a perfect art of calculated spontaneity, a staging that emphasized his family's lineage and service to the state and country. And doing it at a holiday party, without the press, was ideal. Word was going to get around just fine, hell, the cell phones were already being flipped open. The reporters were going to be forced to come to Jack for details, giving him an opportunity to grant interviews as a form of patronage. As a press strategy, it was magnificent.

He'd arranged the situation to his advantage beautifully.

As Jack held his hands over his head and smiled, assuming the quintessential politician pose, she looked away. She had no interest in what he had to say.

She couldn't believe he hadn't bothered to wait. He'd promised to hold off until tomorrow, but now it was all over. He was running. And she was out of his life.