Even so, both Jane and James assured me I would be the best for the job. While their confidence was encouraging, it did nothing to soothe my nerves or calm my fears. After all, the convention was a big deal. I would be in front of all the delegates giving their support, not to mention a huge television audience. Sure, I hadn’t had a slipup since Assgate—unless you counted when I got high off the moonshine cough syrup—but my luck could always run out.

A tap on my shoulder caused me to shriek as I jumped out of my skin. Whirling around, I stared into Barrett’s concern-filled face. Fifteen minutes ago, I’d left him in the family box, the seats where the candidate’s family sat in the front row of the balcony, to come backstage to await my turn to speak. “What are you doing here?” I demanded.

“I came to check on you.”

Instantly, my heart did a funny little flip-flop at his chivalrous gesture. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“So how are you holding up?”

“Just peachy,” I replied, my voice rising an octave. When Barrett cocked his brows at me, I sighed. “I feel like I’m going to puke.”

He smiled encouragingly at me. “It’s just nerves. You’re going to do great.”

“I just have this fear that I’m going to walk out there and forget everything I’m supposed to say.”

“That’s why the teleprompters are there,” Barrett reassured.

“What if I fall again?”

“That won’t happen.” His brows creased slightly. “You are wearing underwear this time, right?”

I widened my eyes. “Oh my God, you really think I could fall?”

Barrett laughed. “No, I don’t. I was just teasing you.”

“Well I’m not in the mood.”

He placed both his hands firmly on my shoulders. “I want you to listen me,” he commanded.

“Okay.”

“You are going to go out there and knock them dead, not only because you’re a gifted speaker, but because you wrote a kickass speech that comes straight from that enormous heart of yours.”

I blinked at him a few times. “You really think that?”

He nodded. “Yes, I do. The entire campaign feels that way. Dad would have never suggested you do it if he didn’t believe in you and your abilities.”

“Thank you, Barrett. That means a lot.”

“Come here.”

Barrett drew me into his strong embrace. We’d come a long way since the day we’d had to practice holding hands. With everything that had transpired over the last few months, we’d built a strong friendship. We also shared an intimacy I hadn’t found with any other man. A pang of sadness entered my chest as I thought about how much I was going to miss it after November, not to mention the fear of never finding it with another man.

At the sound of my name echoing over the loud speakers, Barrett pressed his lips to my cheek. “More than anything, I believe in you.”

His comment, coupled with his close proximity, made my already weak knees even less stable.

“Th-That means a l-lot,” I stammered. Good lord. What was happening to me? One hug and a nice word from Barrett had me acting like a lovesick school girl whose crush had actually waved at her. I hated when he was able to do that to me, and it seemed to be happening more and more lately. I couldn’t let my heart become any more invested in him. It was too dangerous. He had to stay in the friend zone.

“Now get out there and knock ’em dead.” He then proceeded to smack me on the ass, hard. My outrage at his gesture overruled my nerves, and I practically stalked out from behind the curtain. Then, when I started out onto the stage, I momentarily had a deer-in-the-headlights moment with the spotlight. Thankfully, I only faltered for a moment before striding confidently on. Once my fingers gripped the sides of the podium, I couldn’t help doing a small fist bump in my mind that I hadn’t fallen. My gaze stretched past the crowds to the teleprompter in the back, and at the sight of my speech scrawling across the screen, I took a deep breath before looking away. I knew I didn’t need it.

“Good afternoon. It is my honor to stand before you today to introduce a woman whom I greatly admire. A woman who has fought tirelessly for the underprivileged and the disenfranchised even before her husband became a senator. A woman who worked to slash illiteracy rates by implementing a reading initiative for low-income areas not just in her home state of Virginia, but throughout the southeast. Through all of this, she has also been a wife and a mother of three. She has been the anchor for her husband through the rough political waters of a thirty-year senatorial career. She has been the rock for her children to lean on and the soft place to fall. Please help me in welcoming my future mother-in-law and the future First Lady of the United States, Jane Callahan.”

My ears rang at the deafening noise that erupted around me and I turned to watch as Jane made her way down the stage. She appeared poised and dignified in her white suit, and when she reached the podium, she hugged me. “You did fantastic,” she shouted into my ear.

“Thank you,” I replied.

After pulling out of Jane’s embrace, I waved once more to the crowd before I hurried off the stage. This was Jane’s triumphant moment, and I didn’t want to take one second away from it. When I rushed behind the curtain, Barrett was waiting for me.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I dove into his waiting arms. It felt so good to be able to share this moment with him. Our connection as a couple felt so true and genuine.