“So, that’s-”
“That’s why I pushed you away the first time. I’d made your father a promise to protect you, and letting you into all that shit that was inside of me wasn’t protecting you at all.”
“And now?” I bite my lip as I look up at him, at this man who’s basically gone to the very edge and somehow come back to life. This man who makes me feel complete and alive like I’ve never felt before. “Is all of that history finished now?”
He shakes his head. “No- it’s not; not entirely.” He slides his hand through my hair to the back of my head as he pulls me close and grins at me. “But for now, I think I can let a lot of that shit go.”
He winks at me. “Seems I’ve got more important things to think about now.” He leans in and kisses me, and I lose myself in him.
“Ms. Archer?” I break shyly away from Hudson as one of my staffers pokes her head out the door. Ok, Hudson and I are out in the open now, but PDA still makes me blush like a schoolgirl, even if he’s trying something in public every chance he gets.
“Yes?” I say, clearing my throat.
“There’s an older gentlemen here to see you.”
Major Lawson nods a thanks as I pour him a glass of iced tea. “So, you’re going to win this thing, you know.”
I smile. “Ah, well thank you for your positive thoughts!“
He shakes his head, smiling. “No I mean, I’ve been doing this a long time, Ms. Archer, and you just plain have it. You are going to win this election.”
“Well, thank you, sir.”
“I’ve got a proposition for you though.” He takes a sip of tea and smiles at me. “I want you to do your two year stint with New York, and then I want you to quit.”
My eyes dart to Hudson before I turn back to the Major. “Excuse me?” I shake my head. “Listen, Major Lawson, if you think you can-”
“Because I want you to stop piddling away with this local yokel state stuff and come with me to D.C.”
My jaw drops as I stare at him. “What?”
“You have a unique quality, Ms. Archer, and a talent for statesmanship that you don’t see often in this business, as strange as that sounds.” He puts his glass down and steeples his hands in front of him. “I want to run you for U.S. Senate, Ms. Archer, so that I can put you on with Veterans Affairs where you can do some real good.”
I’m speechless, my mouth opening without words as my heart jumps up into my throat, and I realize I’m grinning like an idiot before I can even say anything. Major Lawson just smiles at me. “I’m going to assume that’s a yes?”
“That’s-!” Holy shit is that a yes! “Yes! Major, yes! I’d be honored!”
Hudson is squeezing my hand and the Major’s eyes drop to that joining before he looks up at him. “Oh, and don’t think I don’t have plans for you too, Banks.”
Hudson frowns. “Sir?”
“We want you in D.C. too, actually. We’re starting up a new panel on VA affairs and post-combat aftercare, and we need a chairman.”
Hudson chuckles quietly and shakes his head. “Sir, I appreciate the honor, but I don’t think I’m the man who-”
“William Archer and I were quite close, Mr. Banks,” Major Lawson looks pointedly at Hudson. “Quite close.”
“Sir, I-”
“Son, I’ve seen war on three different continents, and after the shit-show you boys saw over there in that damned desert, I’m amazed you came back alive at all.” Hudson closes his mouth, and as I squeeze his hand, I feel him respond back.
Major Lawson looks at Hudson and nods. “What I’m trying to say is, son, I know about all the other stuff that came after, and I’m here today to tell you that I don’t really give a shit about all that. You’re a hell of a Marine, an even more impressive leader, and one of the strongest men I’ve known. I want you working where you can help.” He winks. “And seeing as I’m pretty much in charge of military records, I think we can go right ahead and gloss over those other things.”
Hudson is staring at him like he’s just handed him the keys to the world, and all I want to do is jump into his arms right there and kiss him.
The Major nods towards me and grins at him “Just so long as you keep looking after William’s girl here.”
Hudson turns and looks right into my eyes, his grin wide and his shoulder looking free of a weight that he’s had on them forever. “Always, sir.”
We of course wait until the Major leaves before I let myself all into Hudson’s arms and into his kiss. “Always, huh?”