Candidate: A Love Story by Tracy Ewens Read Free Book Online Page B

father’s staff and a few select friends had moved from the ballroom to the senator’s suite. Grady walked into the large presidential suite, which was bigger than most LA apartments, and saw her first. His gaze fell on her instantly, and why not when she was wearing that dress? Her hair was piled on her head, messier than it was earlier in the evening. A few strands curled at her neck. She was talking to her boss, Mark, and the small crease between her eyes appeared. It was there every time she focused or was mentally prepping her argument. He knew that now. He noticed things about her. When had that started? Grady was now used to Kate’s serious and often starchy personality. It was stimulating, and for the first time in a long time he was on his toes and enjoying it.
    He grabbed a bottle of water from the bar that was now en suite, and as he looked up from twisting off the cap, someone made Kate smile, and the air changed, just like that. Her face was warm and soft. She put her tongue to her teeth and did this little crinkle with her nose when she laughed. Genuine, so unstudied, and alive.
    “Hey, you’re back,” Samantha said, slipping her arm through his.
    “I am.”
    “Any particular reason?” Sam noted his line of sight. “Or someone in particular?”
    Grady caught on. “Actually, I came back to see you. Where’s Peter?”
    “Sulking.”
    “Yeah, he seemed pissed tonight. Hugely successful playwright pressures?”
    Sam chuckled. “That must be it. Hey, would you mind giving me a ride home?”
    “You’ve got it. I’m probably going to leave in a few minutes. I just wanted to say goodnight.”
    “Uh huh,” Sam said as Grady’s gaze drifted back to Kate. “She’s very sweet.”
    “Huh, not the word that comes to mind. She probably likes you, so she might be sweet with you. When she’s with me, it’s more like sour.”
    “Well, you can bring that out in people.”
    “Thanks, Sam.”
    She patted him on the back. “I’m going to get my coat and I’ll meet you by the valet in twenty minutes?”
    “Sounds good. I’ll be right down.” Grady kissed Sam on the cheek and made his way over toward the balcony, to Kate.
    She was now sitting with her back to everyone. Her arms were perched on the railing as she held out a piece of paper she was reading. He didn’t even need to see her face for his stomach to do that weird flip it had started doing since she kicked him the first day they met. As he got to the balcony, someone called her name and Kate turned. Her hair fell softly around her face and she wore glasses, something new and in contrast to her flowing gown. She uncurled from the chair, noticed him, smiled, and then walked toward Mark, in bare feet.
    Grady hadn’t seen this Kate yet. Sexy and completely unaware. Working, but still having fun with her job. Beauty, brains, and those glasses. He was slipping into unfamiliar territory. It was time for him to head home.
    He found his father, said his goodnights, and tossed a wave to Kate as he left. He needed to keep his distance. Distance had always been his unwavering friend.

Chapter Seven
    K ate left the hotel about a half hour after Grady. While unlocking the door, her heart stopped as her phone vibrated with a text telling her to get down to the Cal Medical Center. It was urgent, that was all Mark said.
    She locked up, turned around and ran to her car. On the drive, she received bits and pieces of information. Grady had been in a car accident. He was fine. His friend Samantha had been injured, but she was stable. A million questions swirled through her mind as she pulled her car into the emergency room parking lot. She grabbed a pad and pen from her car, gathered her dress, and walked through the buzzing doors as quickly as she could, thankful she had found flip-flops in her car so she wasn’t going to have to run interference all night with crying feet.
    Kate met with Mark and the senator’s staff in an unoccupied break room just off the