Tanner swallowed. “Yes, but we were talking about a lot of stuff, mainly about some cruise she plans to take this fall and how good she was at playing bingo.”
“Are you saying Victoria’s name didn’t come up, not once?”
Tanner swallowed again. “When I mentioned my plans to move to New Orleans to oversee the club renovations, she mentioned Victoria worked here. That’s when she suggested that, being a family friend, I should look her up.”
Tanner then recalled something else. “Oh, and that bakery that I just left after running in to Victoria...”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Your grandmother is the one who told me about it. Suggested I try out some of their baked goods. She even gave me a few gift cards for free coffee and Danish rolls.”
“Umm, did you not wonder how a little old lady in Texas would know anything about a bakery in New Orleans?”
Tanner shrugged. “Yes, when I asked, she said the owner was the daughter of a friend of hers.”
“That’s how it always starts,” Blade sighed. “She connives with the old cronies in her church group who want to marry off their grands or great-grands, as well. That’s how she arranged for Lee to marry Carly.”
Tanner didn’t like the sound of that.
“I bet you anything that she gave Victoria some of those same gift cards with the intention of the two of you running into each other. It appears her plan worked. She’s set you up real nice like.”
Tanner resented the amusement he heard in Blade’s voice. “Ms. Felicia Laverne might manipulate her family members into marriage, but she can count me out of it.”
“Nice try, Tanner, but you and Wyatt have been my best friends for years, so don’t think she doesn’t consider you as part of the family. So the way I see it, it’s too late to count you out.”
Tanner disagreed. Sex was sex and a serious relationship with a woman was something altogether different. They were mutually exclusive in his book. He only had time for sex and nothing more. Engaging in a relationship for a specific purpose—like marriage—was way out of the league he intended to keep playing in.
“It’s not too late, and since now that I’m on to what she’s trying to do, I will keep my distance from Victoria.”
“Not sure you can at this point,” Blade said.
Tanner frowned. “Watch me.”
CHAPTER TWO
SENATOR ROMAN MALONE got into his car, then checked his phone and saw a missed call from Mint Stover, his political manager and best friend. They’d known each other since their days together at Harvard. It was there, on the university’s campus, where they’d made a pact. Roman would follow his father, Roman Sr., into politics, and Mint would be the campaign manager who made sure Roman won every office that he ran for. So far, he had. Over the years Mint’s duties had expanded to include such things as consultant, opposition researcher, lobbyist, fundraiser and polling analyst. Mint was good at everything he did and kept Roman on track.
Returning the call, he said, “Hey, Mint, what’s up?”
“First of all, how did your meeting with the majority leader go?”
He wasn’t surprised that would be number one on Mint’s mind. Keeping him electable was Mint’s goal. “It seems they hired a consulting firm to provide names of party hopefuls for the next decade. My name made the list.”
“That’s great, but as far as I’m concerned, they didn’t need to pay a consulting company to tell them of your qualifications to be considered for president one day. All they had to do is look at your voting record and popularity, which I can only see getting better over time.”
“You would, Mint.”
“No, seriously. In a few short years you’ve become the rising star of the party. You’re vastly popular and well-liked...especially among American women, who, need I remind you, still maintain the largest voting bloc.”
“Well, that might be true, but they thought the need to call a potential problem to my attention.”
Mint got quiet for a minute, and then he asked, “And what might that potential problem be?”
“My marital status. It’s been strongly recommended that I give thought to not dating all over the place, settling down and begin thinking of securing a wife who is worthy of one day becoming a first lady. Of all the names on that consultant’s list, I’m the only one still single.”
“And what do you think about that, Roman?”
“You, of all people, know how I feel about that. I’ve never felt the need to marry for the sake of boosting one’s political career. People should marry for love.”
Roman figured he would fall in love and marry one day, but he didn’t plan to rush the process. According to his father, he’d known the moment he’d met Traci Kinsey that she was the woman for him and had fallen for her immediately. The same thing had happened to his older sister, Erika, and the man she’d married. Erika swore she’d known Silas was the man she loved after less than a month.
Roman figured that’s how it would be for him. He would know the woman he was destined to love when he saw her, or soon thereafter. For him, marriage was a lifetime commitment, and he wouldn’t marry for any other reason than love. His parents were great role models.
“Over the years, you have dated quite a number of beautiful, intelligent and sophisticated women.”
“That might be the case, but I’m not ready to settle down to just one woman, Mint,” Roman said. “I’m flying to Texas tonight to visit my parents in Austin for a couple days. Before returning to DC, I think I’ll make a pit stop in Houston and seek counsel with Senator Lansing.”
Senator Nedwyn Lansing had been in the US Senate for over twenty years and when he’d been ready to retire, he hadn’t wanted to turn his seat over to just anyone. He had called Roman and convinced him he was the most qualified person to take his seat to represent the good people of Texas. Because of Senator Lansing’s support, Roman had won in a landslide victory seven years ago. Last year Roman had been reelected to that same senate seat.
“I think talking to Senator Lansing is a good idea,” Mint said. “And don’t forget about that interview in New Orleans next Wednesday. You’re to appear on a morning talk show.”
“Thanks for the reminder.”
“While the senate isn’t in session, now is the best time for you to get away. I’ve cleared your calendar for the next three weeks to take some much-deserved R and R. It will start right after that interview in New Orleans, which means you won’t return to Washington until a week and a few days after Labor Day.”