The Senator's Secret Read online

  Sam chuckled. “Dinky? Who were they kidding?”

  “One thing you need to know about Dinky,” Gary said in a low voice.

  “And what’s that?”

  “He is the most uncooperative, ornery, frustrating dog when it comes to baths.” He spoke out of the corner of his mouth. “Whatever you do—show no fear.”

  BEFORE Sam could react, Gary slowly took a step toward the sprawled dog. “Hey, boy. Come on.”

  Dinky took one look at him, chuffed, and lowered his muzzle onto his paws.

  “Aw, come on, Dinks. You know we gotta do this, right?” Gary said in a coaxing tone.

  Dinky closed his eyes, and Gary crept closer. The dog opened one eye and let out a low, menacing growl, baring his teeth.

  Sam had an uneasy feeling about this. “He’s never bitten you, right?”

  “He’s tried,” Gary replied darkly. He took one more step toward Dinky, and the dog got up and scooted under the table. He just about fit. “Aw, Dinks. Why’d you have to go and do that?” He met Sam’s gaze. “Okay, now I need your help.”

  “What do you want me to do?” Sam asked, conscious of Steven’s camera clicking away.

  “Sneak up from behind, sort of a pincer movement,” Gary said. “You need to drive him to me. I’ll grab him, and we’ll drag him into the bathroom.”

  “We?” Sam was trying not to laugh. “It’ll take two of us?”

  Gary glared. “Do you see the size of him?”

  Sam made his way carefully around the table, watching Dinky’s reactions. The dog apparently couldn’t decide which of them was the greater threat. His head swiveled from Sam to Gary and back to Sam again. “Moving in—now!” He darted forward, arms wide, and Dinky scrabbled out from under the table across the tiled floor—right into Gary’s arms.

  “I got him!” Gary shouted in triumph.

  “He’s not in there yet!” Stacey yelled, smirking.

  Dinky had other ideas. He wriggled and writhed, trying to worm his way out of Gary’s grasp, but Gary held on valiantly, in spite of the hair that got up his nose. Dinky managed to squirm out of his arms and turn around, but Gary grabbed him again, getting a face full of Dinky’s butt for his trouble. Sam dove across to help him, only to end up with two heavy front paws on his chest, pushing him away. Between them they dragged the struggling dog toward the bathroom, Dinky scrabbling with his paws, trying to grab hold of anything reachable. When they reached the doorway, Dinky dragged his claws across the doorjamb, holding on for dear life.

  “Damn. This dog really does not want a bath!” Sam exclaimed.

  “What have I been saying?” Gary groaned, trying to pry Dinky’s claws from the woodwork. “He was like this last time too.” He glared at Sam. “For God’s sake, help me stop him from holding on to the doorframe! He’s making my arms ache.”

  Sam caught Dinky’s paws. “Okay, Dinky, time to let go of the door.” From behind him he caught Stacey’s muffled laughter. Steven was laughing too, and Sam scowled at him. “I think I want to get these photos before Josh gets to see them,” he said decisively, doing his best to unhook Dinky’s paws gently. When he finally achieved that, he helped Gary drag Dinky to the opening in the wash station. Dinky squirmed once more, wriggling as they tried to maneuver him toward the other end where the sprayer was located. Once he got there, however, he stopped.

  “What the hell?” Sam stared as Dinky stood next to the sprayer, as docile as could be.

  Gary burst out laughing. “Yeah, this is normal too. Once he gets in here, he’s all, ‘okay, spa me.’ I swear, he’s schizophrenic. Watch this.” He stroked Dinky’s head. “Okay, boy, stand still.”

  Dinky obeyed instantly.

  “Now we get him wet before we apply the shampoo.” Gary reached for the sprayer and dampened Dinky’s long hair. He took the bottle of dog shampoo and squirted it liberally over the pelt. Gary grinned at Sam. “Well, don’t just stand there. Help me rub it all in.”

  Sam leaned over, and between them they worked the shampoo into a rich lather. Dinky appeared totally relaxed.

  Stacey smiled. “I think you two have everything under control. I’ll leave you to it.” She gave Gary a nod. “See you around, Gary. Nice to meet you, Senator Dalton. I hope we get to see you here again.” She left the room.

  Gary looked around. “Hey, where are the towels?” he called after her.

  “In their usual place,” she yelled back.

  Gary groaned. “Aw, shit.”

  “What’s up?” Sam asked, rubbing Dinky’s back, the dog just standing there, peaceful as could be. Sam shook his head. “I don’t get it. I thought you said he was uncooperative when it came to baths.”

  Gary laughed. “He just hates getting in the goddamn bath. Once he’s in there, he loves being pampered. Don’t you, boy?”

  Dinky lifted his muzzle and let out a soft wuff.

  “This isn’t so bad,” Sam said, cleaning behind Dinky’s ears. From behind them came the sound of Steven’s camera clicking away.

  Gary snickered. “I hate to tell you this, but you see how much Dinky likes the water?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Well, when it’s time to get him out of it, let’s just say he’s not that keen on the idea.” He picked up the sprayer and began to wash away all the soap, leaving one very wet, even heavier dog, his hair clinging to his body. Gary put the sprayer aside and gave Dinky a firm stare. “Okay, Dink, don’t give me a hard time, all right?”

  Dinky chuffed.

  Gary headed toward the door, and Sam stared at him. “Where are you going?”

  “To fetch the towels that Stacey conveniently left in the other room.” He met Sam’s gaze. “Whatever you do, don’t let him out of there.”

  GARY left the room, smiling. He liked Sam’s manner with Dinky.

  You can tell a lot about a man by how he acts around animals. So far, Sam was doing just fine.

  “Hey, Dinky, where’d you think you’re—”

  Loud shouts and squeals followed from the bathroom.

  Gary hurried back into the room to see Dinky standing in the middle of the floor, tongue hanging out, looking for all the world like he was grinning. Sam was soaking wet beside him, as was Steven, although he was farther away.

  Gary sighed. “You let him out of the tub, didn’t you?”

  “Let him? As if I could stop him. He weighs more than I do! And once he saw you leaving, he apparently wanted to follow.” Sam laughed. “Look at the state of me. I already had a shower this morning. And all he did was shake himself off.”

  Gary joined him, kneeling beside him while they rubbed Dinky down with the towels. The contrary animal stood there and let them. Gary caught Sam’s gaze. “That was you squealing like a girl just now?”

  Sam glared. “That never happened, okay?”

  Behind them, Steven guffawed. “Too late, Senator. I’m a witness too.”

  Sam shook his head. “No such thing as loyalty anymore.” He rubbed Dinky’s head. “How long has Dinky been here?” The dog lifted his muzzle and licked Sam’s chin, and Sam laughed. “Why, thank you, Dinky.”

  “Three months now. They’re hoping someone will adopt him, but I suppose his size puts a lot of people off.” Gary scooched Dinky under his chin. “How could anyone not love a big old hound like you, hmm?”

  “How did he come here in the first place?” Sam asked.

  “He was found chained to a railing by the side of the highway. Apparently his owners had had enough of him.” Gary scowled. “How anyone could treat an animal like that is beyond my comprehension.” He glanced at Steven before turning to Sam and speaking in a low tone. “I don’t suppose you’ve thought of getting a dog?” He couldn’t keep that hopeful note out of his voice. “Dinky really likes you. I can tell.”

  Sam stroked Dinky’s head. “It’s a nice idea, but right now? It’s just not practical. I’m only home on the weekends while the campaign is going on. The rest of the time, I’m in Raleigh in the cabin, which stipu
lates cats or small dogs in the lease. It wouldn’t be fair to have a dog under those circumstances.”

  Dinky suddenly leaned against Sam, and Gary’s heart did a little flip-flop. The man was adorable.

  Sam smiled at the dog. “Yeah, I like you too. Maybe if you’re still around after March….” He glanced at Gary. “But I suppose that’s unlikely.”

  Gary sighed. “I don’t really know.” He lifted his chin and gazed at Steven. “You got plenty of pictures?”

  Steven nodded, grinning. “Josh is gonna love these. And by the time he’s finished, every animal lover in North Carolina is gonna love you two.”

  Sam’s stomach rumbled loudly and he flushed. “Is it dinner time yet?”

  Gary laughed. “No, it certainly is not. My shift has only just started. Next we clean the cat boxes. Then we take the dogs for their walks.” He gave Sam a grin. “You’ll get your dinner when you’ve earned it, Senator.”

  “Slave driver,” Sam mumbled under his breath, but he was smiling, so Gary wasn’t too concerned.

  “So, do you like cats?” he asked quietly while they were taking off their aprons.

  “I like them. Unfortunately, my body doesn’t.” When Gary gave him a quizzical glance, Sam shrugged. “I have an allergy to kitty fur. So maybe I should sit this one out?”

  Gary snickered. “Just this once. But you’re walking Dinky, okay?”

  Yeah, Sam’s wide-eyed stare was just plain adorable.

  “YOU ready to eat now?” Gary asked Sam as they returned the dogs to their cages.

  Dinky jumped up and placed those heavy paws on Sam’s shoulders. Gary had expected an instant reply, based on Sam’s noisy stomach earlier, but Sam was too wrapped up in Dinky to respond.

  Gotta love a man who loves dogs.

  Sam ruffled Dinky’s hair. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you? And you didn’t pull my arms out of my sockets once.”

  Dinky rewarded him with a huge lick on his cheek.

  Sam gave him a last pet and then closed the cage door on him, and Dinky was up against the mesh instantly, letting out a cute whine.

  “I think you have yourself a new friend there,” Gary said softly.

  Sam crouched next to the cage and curled his fingers through the holes in the mesh. Steven was there immediately, copying his crouch to get a good camera angle. What Gary really liked? Sam wasn’t doing it to provide Steven with a photo op; he was simply saying good-bye to Dinky.

  When he was done, Steven stowed away the camera. “Okay, guys, I’ll see you in the morning at the campaign offices. We can meet there before we head off to the first interview. Make sure you look dazzling, all right? I’m going to go back to my studio and send these photos to Josh. Be prepared to see yourselves everywhere, boys!” He grinned and left them by the cages.

  Gary tried not to laugh when Sam regarded him with the biggest puppy-dog eyes he’d ever seen. “Now can we go have dinner?”

  The more time Gary spent around Senator Sam Dalton, the more he liked what he saw.

  Chapter Seven

  Thursday night

  “WOW.” Gary stared through the windshield as they left downtown Asheville behind them and turned off 70 onto 694. “You really do live out in the boonies, don’t you?”

  Sam laughed. “I wouldn’t necessarily describe Chunn’s Cove as the boonies. It’s quiet and peaceful, and yes, it is a wooded area, but I have Asheville right on my doorstep. Other things, too, like the Blue Ridge Parkway. You ever spend time there?”

  Gary shook his head. “Where I grew up, there was a forest just beyond our back fence, remember? That was where I used to spend a lot of time when I was a kid. Once I got into my teens, I didn’t get out much. I always wanted to go there, though. The pictures I’ve seen of it look so pretty.” He chuckled. “I’ve never been to the Biltmore Estate either.”

  Sam gave a mock gasp. “And you grew up around here? Shocking.” He indicated right. “This is our turnoff.” He swung the car onto Vance Gap Road, and instantly Gary could see the difference. The sun had set an hour before, and already it was difficult to discern what lay ahead. There was no street lighting and before them was nothing but trees, but every now and then a driveway snaked off the road and the lights of houses could be glimpsed, hidden in the foliage.

  “How long have you lived here?” Gary peered ahead, wondering which house would turn out to be Sam’s.

  “About four years. To be honest the house is probably too big for just me, but I love it.” He pulled the car off the road into a driveway, and soon he was parking in front of what looked like a single-story wooden house. The site sloped down to the right where Gary could see a double garage.

  “I’m guessing you don’t have many problems with neighbors,” he said with a chuckle. From where they were, he couldn’t even see another house.

  “It’s on a two-and-a-half-acre lot,” Sam said, “so yeah, it’s fairly private. And don’t let the first view fool you. The house is built on top of a slope, so what you’re seeing is the top floor.” He switched off the engine. “Come on in and I’ll give you the fifty-cent tour.”

  They got out of the car, and once they’d retrieved their bags and coats from the trunk, Sam locked it and they crunched their way across gravel to the front door. Sam let him in, and Gary stepped into the house.

  “It’s pretty much open plan on this level,” Sam said, leading him into a wide area where Gary saw a kitchen and dining room, around the corner from a living room. “There’s another living room on the floor below, along with two of the three bedrooms. I figure the larger of the two could be yours. That way you’d have your own space whenever you’re here. There are two couches down there and a wide-screen TV too. We’d share the kitchen, but there’s plenty of cabinet space.”

  Gary nodded, although the idea of sitting alone watching TV while Sam was on his own on the floor above struck him as a lonely way to live.

  “I like having breakfast out there on the deck,” Sam said, pointing to the sliding doors beyond the dining area. “There are three decks at the back of the house, all of them looking out at the mountains and trees. There’s a deck outside what will be your living room too.” He smiled. “I’ll show you to your room.”

  Gary followed him through the house and down a flight of stairs. He liked the room Sam indicated: it was big enough, with its own bath, and the idea of being able to step out onto the deck in the morning was a pleasant one. He peered through the adjoining door into the bathroom before checking out the closet. “This is nice.”

  Sam beamed. “I’m glad you approve. So how about you leave your bag here and we can go up to the kitchen to make some dinner?”

  Gary nodded. He left his bag on the chair next to the bed and followed Sam upstairs. “I don’t suppose you have another bottle of wine hiding around here somewhere?” he asked hopefully.

  Sam laughed and reached up to a wine rack next to the refrigerator. “Was today that bad?” He pulled out a bottle of red wine and uncorked it.

  Gary groaned. “Not for you, obviously, but then you’re used to being interviewed, photographed, poked and prodded….”

  Sam halted in midaction. “Did it feel like that?”

  There was a moment of silence before Gary responded. “I’m probably exaggerating. It was just so strange to have all those questions fired at me, like my opinion was worth something.”

  Sam poured him a glass of wine and placed it on the countertop in front of him. “Of course your opinion is worth something. Those people really wanted to know about you, what you thought about the SCOTUS decision, how it feels to be suddenly thrust into the spotlight….”

  “It feels uncomfortable, that’s how it feels,” Gary said softly. “But you know what? I’ve only had to put up with this since Monday night. You’ve had this for years.” He tilted his head. “How do you do it?”

  Sam leaned on the counter and looked him in the eye. “By taking it one day at a time. But even I have my moments when it all gets to
be too much. Would you believe me if I said I’m getting really tired of having a shadow? And we’ve only had him with us for two lousy days.” He sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, I like Steven, but I’m growing less and less happy about the idea of having photos of us everywhere I look. You know, I keep hearing that damn camera of his clicking even when he’s not there?” Sam chuckled. “Now that’s bad.”

  “We have two more days of this,” Gary reminded him.

  Sam lifted his own glass. “Then here’s to a Steven-free evening.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” They clinked glasses, and Gary took a drink of the mellow wine. “So, what’s on the menu for tonight?”

  Sam flushed. “I’m sorry, but it’s late, and I really can’t be bothered to cook, so… what do you say to pizza? There’s a pepperoni and mushroom one in the freezer.”

  Gary grinned. “You and I are really going to get along.”

  Sam raised his glass one more time. “I will definitely drink to that.”

  “OKAY, just one more.”

  Sam groaned. “Steven, you said that half an hour ago. You’ve taken shots of us in the kitchen, making lunch. Making bread, of all things.” Gary snickered and Sam glared. “Hush, you. I’ll deal with you later.”

  Gary turned his face away, but not before Sam caught sight of that evil grin.

  He turned back to Steven. “You’ve had us in the backyard, raking leaves. On the couch, curled up watching TV. Having lunch.”

  Steven pouted. “Yeah, but you won’t do the one I really want.”

  Beside him, Gary snickered once more, and Sam narrowed his gaze before returning his attention to Steven. “No, no, and no. We are not letting you take pictures of us in bed.”

  “Aw, come on. Two good-looking guys with nothing but a white sheet covering your… assets? I know a few magazines and websites that would love photos like those.” His eyes gleamed. “Why not?”