mischievously.
âWhatâs this?â Bill glanced at Talia.
âNothing,â Talia snapped. She glared at Jasmine.
âAhem, guess Iâll mosey on to my office.â Jasmine stood. âSee ya.â She beat a hasty retreat.
âWe wonât get Congress to change this session, but we can lay the groundwork for the next one. I think in a few months we might approach the Black Caucus staffers about drafting a bill.â Talia read through the notes.
âUh-huh.â Bill continued to study her.
âWeâll also need the Latino Caucus. There are a couple of moderate Republicans I can work on in the meantime.â Talia avoided his gaze.
âRight. Can I say something?â Bill uncrossed his legs and sat forward, elbows resting on both knees.
âSure. Youâve got good insight into these law-and-order issues. Of course we agree to disagree on most of them.â Talia wore a slight smile.
Bill shook his head. âIâm not talking about politics now. Somethingâs got you shook. Donât bother to deny it,â he said quickly, when she opened her mouth to protest.
âSince when did you become my big brother?â Talia joked.
âSince the first day we started working together,â he replied. âUs Southern folk stick together.â
She felt a warm flush of affection. Bill had taken her under his wing even before she came to work for Pete. Theyâd met while she was still a grad student at Howard University. Their unique friendship grew,and heâd advised her on career moves since that time. He had become her big brother in a sense. Sheâd never quite understood why though. He was from a wealthy family with political clout in Texas. Yet theyâd always had an easy, close working relationship.
âLighten up. Iâm tired and stretched thin is all.â Talia glanced away from his perceptive gaze.
âLook, I left Texas for a lot of reasons. Mostly to get away from a control freak drunken father who beat the stuffing out of me every chance he got.â
So that was it. Adults who were knocked around as kids seemed able to recognize each other. Rich or poor, black, white, or purple, it didnât matter. Talia had met enough kids from deep-pocket families to know hellish childhoods were equal opportunity. Or as Mama Rose would say, âThe devil is always busy, child.â Still she couldnât share her Louisiana past with anyone, not even Bill and Jasmine.
âEvery once in a while he still tries to mess with my head. Old bastard is pushing seventy years old and just as crazy-mean. I know all about trying to escape.â Bill sat back. âYouâve been jittery since this guy Guillory showed up.â
âDonât worry about me, Iâm cool. I mean it, Bill.â Talia looked at him steadily.
Bill rubbed his jaw for a long minute, then nodded. âOkay. Remember you can call on me.â
Derrick appeared in the open door of her office as though conjured up by a voodoo spell. A chill spread up her spine at the look in his dark eyes. The lightweight gray suit seemed tailor-made to fit his large frame. He wore a white shirt that made a striking contrast to his creamy brown skin.
âSorry to interrupt. I met your colleague Jasmine,and she said I could come back.â Derrick nodded toward the front of the office suite.
Bill stood. âNo problem. Iâm on my way out. Bill Elliot.â
âDerrick Guillory. Nice to meet you,â Derrick said. The men shook hands.
âFirst time in D.C?â Bill wore an easy smile.
âNo, I was here a couple of years ago on business.â Derrickâs gaze flickered to Talia for only a second before he looked at Bill again.
She worked on keeping a bland expression. So heâd been in town before without calling her. Well, she had it coming. Not that she wanted to see him, right? A worrisome tickle of anger lodged in her chest all the
Carol Durand, Summer Prescott