answered to placate his father. “It’s just a big step, that’s all.”
“Of course. And something that won’t come again if you reject it.”
Father and son were quiet for a moment. Then William placed his hand lightly on his son’s shoulder. The uncharacteristic show of affection surprised Tim.
“We haven’t always gotten along,” William said, “but I’ve always wanted the best for you. If you decide to run, I’ll use every contact I have to get you elected, and I’ll make certain that you have the money you need.”
Tim was overwhelmed. It had been a long time since his father had shown this much warmth.
“I appreciate that.”
“You’re my son.” Tim’s throat tightened. “Seize this opportunity. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do something great for your country. You’ll make a mark, Tim. I know what you’re made of. You’ll make your mark.”
Tim was hanging up his clothes when Cindy returned to the bedroom after tucking Megan in.
“Do you have anything to tell me?” she asked with a mischievous smile.
“About what?”
“When you boys were on the patio, Lucy Rommel told me that Burt was going to talk to you about something important.”
“Burt asked me to run for Harold Travis’s seat.”
Cindy’s face lit up.
“Oh, Tim! That’s fantastic!”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know . . .”
“Don’t know what?”
“The whole thing is pretty overwhelming. I’m not certain that I want to do it.”
“Are you serious? How could you even think about not running?”
Tim heard the excitement in Cindy’s voice and felt the beginning of a pain in his stomach.
“I don’t know if I can do it, Cindy.”
“Of course you can do it. You’re as smart as Harold Travis, smarter. It’s the chance of a lifetime. Think what it will mean to Megan. She’ll be so proud of you. Think of the people we’ll meet.”
“I know it’s a great opportunity. I just need some time to get used to it.”
Cindy hugged him and pressed her cheek against Tim’s chest.
“I’m so proud of you.” She held his face in her hands and kissed him. “I always knew you’d do something great.”
Suddenly Cindy stepped back and took Tim’s hands. She looked up into his eyes. He thought she looked frightened.
“Tim, I love you, but I know . . . There have been times during our marriage when I felt that you didn’t love me.”
“Cindy . . .”
“No, let me say this.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve always loved you, even when I seemed angry or cold. I acted that way because I was afraid that I was losing you. I know you love Megan. I know we’ve had hard times. I don’t know what I’ve done wrong, but I’ll change if you tell me.” Her grip tightened. She looked fierce. “I want our marriage to work. I want you to be the person you were meant to be, and I want to be there to help you.” Her grip slackened. “I also know that there are times when you don’t believe in yourself, that you think you don’t deserve the rewards life has given to you.” Tim’s eyes widened with surprise. He had no idea that Cindy suspected the doubts and fears that bedeviled him. “But you’re wrong, Tim. You are good and kind and you do deserve to be a star. Accept the offer, run for the Senate. Don’t doubt yourself and never doubt me.”
After they made love, Cindy fell into an exhausted sleep but Tim lay awake. He imagined himself striding through Washington’s corridors of power: Tim Kerrigan, United States senator. It sounded unbelievable, and the thought of running scared him to death. Still, it was an important position he could use to help people, and it was a way to pay back Cindy for the pain he’d caused her. She would be part of the Washington social whirl. A senator’s wife threw parties and dined with ambassadors and generals. A senator’s wife would be on television and would be interviewed in magazines. It was a role that she was born to play.
But a senator can’t hide. What
“Of course. And something that won’t come again if you reject it.”
Father and son were quiet for a moment. Then William placed his hand lightly on his son’s shoulder. The uncharacteristic show of affection surprised Tim.
“We haven’t always gotten along,” William said, “but I’ve always wanted the best for you. If you decide to run, I’ll use every contact I have to get you elected, and I’ll make certain that you have the money you need.”
Tim was overwhelmed. It had been a long time since his father had shown this much warmth.
“I appreciate that.”
“You’re my son.” Tim’s throat tightened. “Seize this opportunity. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do something great for your country. You’ll make a mark, Tim. I know what you’re made of. You’ll make your mark.”
Tim was hanging up his clothes when Cindy returned to the bedroom after tucking Megan in.
“Do you have anything to tell me?” she asked with a mischievous smile.
“About what?”
“When you boys were on the patio, Lucy Rommel told me that Burt was going to talk to you about something important.”
“Burt asked me to run for Harold Travis’s seat.”
Cindy’s face lit up.
“Oh, Tim! That’s fantastic!”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know . . .”
“Don’t know what?”
“The whole thing is pretty overwhelming. I’m not certain that I want to do it.”
“Are you serious? How could you even think about not running?”
Tim heard the excitement in Cindy’s voice and felt the beginning of a pain in his stomach.
“I don’t know if I can do it, Cindy.”
“Of course you can do it. You’re as smart as Harold Travis, smarter. It’s the chance of a lifetime. Think what it will mean to Megan. She’ll be so proud of you. Think of the people we’ll meet.”
“I know it’s a great opportunity. I just need some time to get used to it.”
Cindy hugged him and pressed her cheek against Tim’s chest.
“I’m so proud of you.” She held his face in her hands and kissed him. “I always knew you’d do something great.”
Suddenly Cindy stepped back and took Tim’s hands. She looked up into his eyes. He thought she looked frightened.
“Tim, I love you, but I know . . . There have been times during our marriage when I felt that you didn’t love me.”
“Cindy . . .”
“No, let me say this.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve always loved you, even when I seemed angry or cold. I acted that way because I was afraid that I was losing you. I know you love Megan. I know we’ve had hard times. I don’t know what I’ve done wrong, but I’ll change if you tell me.” Her grip tightened. She looked fierce. “I want our marriage to work. I want you to be the person you were meant to be, and I want to be there to help you.” Her grip slackened. “I also know that there are times when you don’t believe in yourself, that you think you don’t deserve the rewards life has given to you.” Tim’s eyes widened with surprise. He had no idea that Cindy suspected the doubts and fears that bedeviled him. “But you’re wrong, Tim. You are good and kind and you do deserve to be a star. Accept the offer, run for the Senate. Don’t doubt yourself and never doubt me.”
After they made love, Cindy fell into an exhausted sleep but Tim lay awake. He imagined himself striding through Washington’s corridors of power: Tim Kerrigan, United States senator. It sounded unbelievable, and the thought of running scared him to death. Still, it was an important position he could use to help people, and it was a way to pay back Cindy for the pain he’d caused her. She would be part of the Washington social whirl. A senator’s wife threw parties and dined with ambassadors and generals. A senator’s wife would be on television and would be interviewed in magazines. It was a role that she was born to play.
But a senator can’t hide. What
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