Dirty Boss_The Maxwell Family Read online

  “Good. I’ll let him know. Oh, by the way, I went ahead and ordered you some breakfast. I hope you don’t mind but I’m testing out a new scrambled egg croissant, and I wouldn’t mind your opinion. We bake the cheese into the actual croissant.”

  “What? That sounds amazing. And of course I don’t mind. I love nothing more than being a guinea pig for you.”

  She laughed. “Well, let me know when you get it. I want your honest opinion. It sounded like a good idea. I actually had a dream about it, and when I woke up, I decided to give it a try. I’m just not sure if we executed it well.”

  “Dana, you execute everything well. I can’t believe you had a dream about it. That’s amazing.”

  “Thank you. I often dream about food. So what were you looking at on your phone when I brought the coffees? You were grimacing. Did something happen?”

  I shook my head. “Oh, the usual officials not doing their jobs,” I said and began a rant about the corrupt political system that I saw around me. I chuckled when I saw Dana’s bored expression and realized that I had gotten carried away. It wasn’t the first time that this had happened. We might be best friends, but she definitely did not share my interest in politics. “Sorry,” I said. “I’m boring you.”

  “You know my thoughts,” she said. “I do like your passion for it all, but I just can’t seem to feign interest when it comes to a bunch of political pricks.”

  I laughed. “They’re not all like that. But yeah . . . sorry about the rant. I can’t help myself sometimes.”

  “That’s okay. I’m sure it’s the same when I rattle on about the café. So, have you found a job yet?”

  I sighed. No wonder I couldn’t sleep in on a Saturday morning. The first thought that had come to my mind when I woke up was the fact that I was jobless. And I was not the type of person that handled unemployment well. I was a hard worker for a reason. I enjoyed work, and I liked keeping myself busy. Not having a job didn’t sit well with me and I knew that I’d be restless until I found something. But no matter how hard I looked, there didn’t seem to be anything out there. I shook my head.

  “Nothing. And trust me—I’m looking every single day for something. But so far, all the jobs I have seen are either not what I’m looking for, or they’re for a political party that I don’t agree with. And obviously I would never work for someone that had different viewpoints than mine. I could never do that. I want to work for someone that shares the same political beliefs as me. Otherwise I’m just going to end up hating my job.”

  “Good. Don’t just into anything just because you have to. Take your time and find something that you love. I know what you’re like, anyway. You need to love your job. You can’t be in something that you don’t love. I’m the same.”

  I sighed. “Yeah. That’s the problem, though, isn’t it? If I didn’t care so much, the whole thing would be a lot easier.”

  “There is nothing wrong with caring too much.”

  “Yeah, I suppose so,” I said. “I’d rather not work in the field if I’m going to work for the wrong person. But that definitely makes the whole thing a lot harder. I’m starting to think that there is nothing out there for me.”

  “Ah, I’m sorry, Reagan. I know this has been hard for you. But you can always come and work here if you don’t find anything. Trust me; there are a lot of politicians that come in and out of this place, so you can still get your fix every day. I must be close to a few of the offices or something because they are always coming in.”

  I laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. I don’t think I’d be very good at this job, though.”

  “You’d be good. You’re good at everything you set your mind too. Well, the offer still stands.”

  My dream was in politics, and we both knew it. But it was nice to have an option if I ever needed it. I assumed if I ever worked in a café with Dana that my job would not be in the kitchen. She’d have a heart attack with me in there. “Thanks, Dana. Hopefully I’ll find a job soon enough. I’m sure something will come up eventually. You do realize that if I come and work here, I’ll probably eat you out of business.”

  She chuckled. “I doubt that. That’s the one thing about working around food so much; you don’t end up eating as much as you used to.”

  “Oh, that’s not good. I don’t want to stop eating your food.”

  “Hey, look who just came in. I told you that we get politicians in here all the time. They probably sense my disinterest, so they know they can come here without me listening to a word that they say.”

  I turned around to see who she was talking about and saw that it was Josh Maxwell’s opponent for the upcoming election. He was dying to win, and right now it looked like it was anybody’s game. I saw heads turn the moment he walked in.

  “He’s a popular one. Does that mean he’s good at his job?” Dana asked.

  “He’s mostly popular because he’s so good looking. I think he’s the sort of guy that turns heads no matter where he goes,” I said, and I tried not to stare at him myself. I’d always thought he was a good-looking guy, but this was the first time I was seeing him so close. He was even better looking than I had imagined.

  “He is good looking. No wonder you’re so interested in politics,” she teased.

  “He’s not my type, though.”

  “He’s not? Why not?”

  “I don’t know. But there’s just something about him I don’t particularly like. He is absolutely gorgeous, though, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t fancy him. Also, he’s way too old for me.”

  “So what? There’s nothing wrong with having a sugar daddy.”

  “Did you know that the literal meaning of the word ‘senate’ is ‘assembly of elders?’”

  Dana laughed. “You’re such a nerd. Of course I didn’t know that. My vocabulary is mostly based around cuisine. Ask me anything about food and I can tell you in my sleep.”

  “I’m sure. I mean, you’re the one actually dreaming about new foods to try.”

  She laughed. “Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with marrying an elder, is there? If you married him, you could have your full share of politics on a daily basis without ever having to work yourself. That sounds like your dream. Why don’t you go and introduce yourself?”

  I laughed at the absurdity of it. “Let my husband work for me while I sat around doing nothing? That’s the total opposite of who I am. No thank you,” I said and turned back around. I realized I had been staring. I couldn’t help myself. Even though I wasn’t interested in him, I was still interested in his line of work and couldn’t help but wonder who he was meeting or what he was doing. Of course, he was merely sitting by himself having breakfast, just as I was. Thankfully, just before Dana could say anything more, the waitress arrived with the food.

  “Oh, this is amazing,” I said to Dana as I eyed the croissant in front of me. Not only was the presentation incredible, but the smell was heavenly. I had no idea how she managed to make a relatively normal meal into something so spectacular.

  “Do you think it looks okay? You know what I think about us eating with our eyes first,” she said. I could see that she had totally forgotten about the politician now. Her focus had now shifted to her café. I loved how her face lit up whenever we spoke about it.

  “Are you kidding me? It’s more than okay. This is incredible. It’s like a work of art. I don’t know how you do it.”

  She smiled. “The poor staff know how important it is to me to get the food looking as good as it tastes. Okay, go on. Give it a try.”

  If I was at home, I’d have lifted the croissant up with my hands, but there were scrambled eggs spilling out of it, and I knew it would be a messy affair. I picked up my knife and fork and placed a piece in my mouth. I closed my eyes to savor the taste, which was unlike anything I had ever had before.

  “Oh wow,” I said. “This is perfection. Can you please serve me this every single time I come in?”

  She smiled. “You’re not just saying that because I�
��m your best friend?”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Since when have I ever done that? Even if I lied, you’d see it written on my face. You know me too well. Seriously, Dana. This stuff is incredible. You are most definitely in the right line of work.”

  She beamed. “Thanks, Reagan. And don’t worry. You’ll find something you’re passionate about too. I have no doubt in my mind about that.”

  “I hope so, Dana. I hope so. Now, are you going to watch me eat or are you going to get something for yourself too?”

  She giggled. “I’m going to watch you eat.”

  Chapter Three

  Josh

  I loved the hype around election time. There was a buzz in the air that was impossible to ignore, and one that always got me excited. We’d been working on our campaign for quite some time now, and we were all very happy with the angle that we had taken for this election. I saw Ralph in the distance and waved at him.

  Ralph Peterson was my campaign manager, and he probably spent more time worrying about the election than I did. But it was his job to worry, and I knew that I wouldn’t be where I was without him. He held up two cups of coffee, and when I got near, he handed me a cup.

  “I thought you might need something a little stronger than usual today,” he said as I took the cup from him.

  “What do you mean? Is there whiskey in here or something?” I asked as I put the cup to my nose.

  He chuckled. “No. There’s an extra shot of espresso. But I see where your mind is.”

  I laughed. “I did think it was a little strange that you were trying to get me tipsy at this time of the morning, but now that it’s out there, I don’t actually think it’s such a bad idea.”

  “Actually, neither do I,” Ralph said and laughed. “So, how are you feeling about the upcoming election? I can’t believe it’s next month already. I remember when we still had ages to go.”

  “I know. It almost felt like it was never going to come, and yet here we are. But we’ve been so busy, we probably haven’t felt the time slipping away from us. Well, you’ve been working the hardest out of all of us.”

  Ralph grinned. “That’s my job. So, are you worried at all?”

  “Worried? Not at all. We’ve got this one in the bag.”

  Ralph shook his head. “I wish I had your confidence.”

  “You should. Our office has been doing a good job, and we already know that I have some die-hard followers out there. They’re going to make sure that I get this. You’ll see. We’re going to do great.”

  “Good way of thinking. I need to adopt that. But you’re right. We are doing very well, and I’ve heard some great things. You’re a great public figure. Personally, I think you’re what everyone is looking for. But, we still have a long way to go, and a lot of work to do. So we shouldn’t let our guards down too quickly. And we shouldn’t be too cocky about things.”

  I chuckled. “It’s the confidence that’s going to make us win. You’ll see.”

  “I hope so. So, you’ve got a press conference today. You ready?”

  “I’m always ready,” I said. I had no idea where my confidence came from, but I was a big believer in going out and fighting for what you wanted. Which is why I made sure to never look nervous, even when I was.

  “Good. Let’s sit down and run through a few things before you go out there.”

  “Sure,” I said. Then I looked around. “Have you seen Kason anywhere? He was supposed to meet me here this morning, but I can’t see him anywhere.”

  “I haven’t. I don’t think he’s here yet. But don’t worry about it; he knows where to find you.”

  “Yeah, I suppose so. Okay, let’s talk strategy,” I said and put Kason out of my mind.

  I walked with Ralph to the meeting room, and the two of us sat for the next hour discussing work and how we wanted to move forward. Ralph had everything set out for the next month, and looking at what he wanted to do made me feel even more confident than before. The two of us were so involved in what we were doing that when someone knocked on the door to let us know that the conference was about to start, we were both surprised at the time.

  “No wonder this whole month has gone so fast. Look at how fast this hour just went together. Okay, Josh, you’ve got this. Go out there and show them what you’re all about.”

  I grinned. I had no problem when it came to talking to the media. I did not believe in shying away from them and would happily answer all their questions. I knew Ralph worried, though, because I had gotten into trouble with some of my comments in the past. It was so close to the election that he worried every time I opened my mouth. But I didn’t care. It was why I had so many adoring fans out there. They loved a straight talker. At least people always knew where they stood with me. I had no idea why that was such a bad thing. I looked at Ralph and chuckled.

  “Don’t worry so much. I won’t say anything wrong.”

  I walked out into the hall and took my seat. I listened to a few speeches and then heard my name as they called me up. All I had to do was stand up and say my pitch, and after that, I’d answer a few questions and my time would be over. I walked up calmly and smiled at everyone around me. I’d gotten used to smiling while flashes were going off. When I’d first started, I’d been horrified at some of the pictures I’d seen of myself in mid-smile. I’d looked like a deer in headlights, which was not a look that I wanted anyone to see from me. I always made sure to maintain my smile now, no matter how bright the lights were.

  “Thank you for having me here today, and for providing me with this opportunity of a lifetime. You all know why I’m here, and why I’m doing this. I might not be the sort of man that you’re used to seeing up here. I might be a little too free with my words and a little too blunt in my actions, but at least you always know what you’re going to get with me. At least you know that if you elect me, you’re not going to see me shy away. This is who I am, and I’ve made no apologies for it,” I said. I continued to talk to them about what I was going to do and how I was going to do it. My approach was very different from my opponent’s, and I knew that I was unconventional. But I believed in myself, and I was sure that it shone through my speech. When my time was almost up, I stopped and smiled at everyone around me. I heard a few clicks and saw few more flashes, and I couldn’t help but think that those were going to be good photos. “I’m here for one reason, and one reason only. I believe that the state of Washington is going to thrive with the upcoming election. I believe that you will make the right choice for a better community and an even better future. And let’s be honest: you know I don’t talk bullshit. I say it like it is, and boy do I love it here.”

  I watched as the crowd went from surprise at hearing me use the word bullshit, to pleasure as they all laughed and clapped. Ralph was standing in the corner looking at me in horror, but when he saw everyone clap, I saw the relief wash over him. I wish he would have a little more faith in me. After all, this is what he had signed up for from the start. He knew what sort of person I was, and that I was not the type of guy to change my ways. I winked at him, and I saw him chuckle.

  The floor was opened to questions, and I answered each of them with the same direct honesty as always. Things were going very well, and by the big smile on Ralph’s face, I knew that I wasn’t the only one that thought so.

  “Okay, we have time for one more question,” the organizer said as he began to wrap up my segment of the conference. “Yes, how about the man in the black shirt. Yes, go for it. What question do you have for Mr. Maxwell?”

  The man in the black shirt stood up, a big smile playing on his face as if he’d been waiting all day to finally get his chance to say something.

  “I was wondering what you thought about the allegations being made against Kason Rydell, regarding an alleged affair? I know the two of you are pretty close.”

  The what? I stared at the man in confusion. What was he talking about? And speaking of Kason, where was he? He was supposed to be here for the conference.
For the first time, I was at a loss of what to say, and I just stood there open-mouthed. I looked at Ralph and saw the panic written all over his own face. Thankfully, the organizer seemed to understand my distress because he cut in and told the man that there would be no further questions. The man seemed annoyed that his time in the spotlight had been taken away, and I rushed off to talk to Ralph.

  “What the hell was that all about?”

  Ralph shrugged. “I have no idea. Dammit, and things were going so well until that idiot stood up and ruined everything. Are you sure you don’t know what he’s talking about?”

  “I don’t. I was looking for Kason this morning, remember? Where the hell is he?”

  “I don’t know, but if I were you, I’d go and talk to him right away. Go to your office and close the door. We don’t want anyone listening in. And come and see me once you are done.”

  I quickly made my way to the office, closed the door, and called Kason.

  “Kason, what’s going on? Why aren’t you here? And why did someone just stand up in the conference and asked me what I thought about you having an affair?” I blurted out.

  “I . . . Josh, I can’t really talk over the phone about this. I’m going to have to come in and see you. I don’t know . . . I . . . I messed up, man.”

  “What do you mean you messed up? What happened?”

  Kason sighed into the phone. A loud, world-weary sigh that spoke volumes. “Remember the cleaning lady that I hired? The one that I said was super-hot?”

  I groaned. “The one that you said I had nothing to worry about? The one that apparently had no brains?”

  “The very one. Turns out she was a lot smarter than I thought.”

  “Oh no, what did you do?”

  “Well, you know what I did,” he said. He clearly didn’t want to say the words out loud.

  “You had an affair,” I said bluntly. “And what did she do?”

  “She went public with it, and now I’m going to have to step down.”