The Second Sister Read Online Free Page A

you, Dr. Phil!”
    Joe smirked at me and I smirked back.
    â€œSo the cycle of my relationships coincides with the election cycle,” I said. “Big deal. I’m out there looking for the right guy. When I discover that the guy I’m with isn’t right, I move on. No point in wasting time. But just because my biological clock is ticking doesn’t mean I’m going to settle.”
    â€œNot suggesting you should.” Joe popped the last bite of muffin into his mouth. “But who is the right guy? What would he look like?”
    I squirmed in my seat and looked at my watch. “Joe. Can we do this another time? I’ve got a conference call with the Chicago field office in forty-five minutes. In fact, I wanted to talk to you about that. I’ve been studying our polling in-house. We’ve got better support in the Southwest than people realize. If we win Texas—” Joe raised his eyebrows to make his skepticism clear. “ If we win Texas, then it’s going to come down to Illinois. But we’d need to win Chicago big . So I was thinking—”
    He picked up my thought and ran with it. “You double your media buy in Cook County. Double up on phone banks. Schedule one last Chicago rally, maybe on the Northwestern campus. You rev up the college kids, solidify your under-thirty turnout, and recruit fresh volunteers all in one fell swoop. But run another poll in Texas. I’ve got doubts about your numbers.”
    â€œSee?” I said, spreading my hands and grinning. “You know what I’m thinking almost before I do. No wonder I haven’t fallen in love. Who could measure up to Joe Feeney? Thanks, buddy.”
    I started to get up, but Joe reached across the table and grabbed my forearm.
    â€œHang on. I know you’ve got to go, but I flew out here specifically to talk to you. Just give me five minutes.”
    Reluctantly, I settled back down into my seat. Of course I would listen to whatever he had to say, but I hoped we weren’t going to delve into more of his psychological theories about me. I wasn’t in the mood.
    â€œLucy, I want to see you happy.”
    â€œI am happy.”
    He shot me the same look he’d tossed in my direction when I said we’d win Texas, but he didn’t contradict me, just kept talking.
    â€œWhen the election is over, I want you to come work for me. Ah! Hear me out! Lobbying isn’t all graft and influence peddling. People can lobby for good things. I’m adding a department focused on social issues. It’ll elevate the public image of our corporate clients. I want to put you in charge of it.”
    â€œBut . . . I don’t have any lobbying experience. Why would you want me?”
    â€œBecause you’re passionate and organized and you know how to inspire passion in other people. You’d be great. And it’ll give you a chance to have a life. Lobbying pays a lot better than law making. You’ll be able to buy some decent clothes and even send them to the cleaners. I never want to see you in a wrinkled blue blazer again,” he said in a tone of mocking superiority, “not in my office. You’ll be able to buy a real house and real furniture. No more renting. You can put nail holes in the woodwork and paint the walls any color you want.
    â€œYou’d have to travel, but not too much. You’ll have weekends off, nights too. Not all the time, but more often than you do now. And you’ll meet regular people—civilians, not politicos. Washington is full of eligible bachelors.”
    â€œJoe? Are you trying to set me up?” I couldn’t keep from grinning.
    â€œWell,” he said with a little shrug. “I know a couple of guys. One just divorced. One never married. You might like them. Look, you’re going to need to find work after the election, so why not work for me? We have doughnuts on Monday morning and an open bar on Friday night. What