“I’ve proven I’m all those things during my time on the force.”
“Maybe so,” Sean agrees, taking up the argument. “But your age and bachelor status is working against you.”
“You carry the burden of a certain stereotype as a young, attractive, single male,” Gary says.
“I didn’t know you felt that way about me, Gary. I’m touched,” I deadpan.
He makes a face.
“People are naturally more distrustful of the younger generation,” Roger clarifies, bringing us back to center. “They have images in their heads of irresponsible frat boys, partying on the beach in Panama City. Most of these older voters see you as a playboy.”
“That’s not fair.” I frown. Sure, I date around, but I’m not a scoundrel about it. Far from it.
“Nothing about politics is fair, son.”
“But—”
Gary speaks over top of me. “What you need now is some sort of token of responsibility. Something that proves you aren’t flaky.”
“That you are invested in the county and uphold its values,” my dad finishes.
Roger shoves another page in front of me. “These are the statistics that show that the past five sheriffs elected in Cashmere County were married. The people like what they like.”
“They’ll take you more seriously if you’ve got a partner.” My dad steeples his fingers beneath his chin. “A long-term relationship should be enough, though the commitment that comes connected with marriage would be preferred.”
“So what, you want to wife me up? Towho?”No one in their right mind would agree to this.
My dad shrugs. “Find someone and date her. And with almost a year before the election, marriage certainly isn’t off the table.”
I shake my head. I can’t possibly be hearing him correctly. “Pops, I’m pretty sure it’s not that easy. There’s no way I’m going to find someone I want to spend the rest of my life with in what…the next month or two?”
“It doesn’t have to be for the rest of your life. Just until you’ve secured the win in the election. Find a woman who can be on your arm for length of the campaign. Bonus points if she’s successful and beautiful and can string two sentences together.”
I feel sick. No woman in her right mind would ever go for something like this.
My dad waves his hand through the air, as if dismissing my concerns. “Give it a couple months after you win so it doesn’t look like a total ploy, and you can quietly part ways. Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom.”
“You’re insane,” I spit out. “First of all, itwouldbe a total ploy. Second of all, I can’t believe this, especially coming from you.” I point at my dad’s chest. “What about the sanctity of marriage you’ve always preached?”
I was raised in a deeply conservative household. Sex out of wedlock. Divorce. All those things were not only frowned upon but expressly forbidden. No exceptions.
I’m having a hard time reconciling the unrelenting father figure I’ve known all my life with the man sitting in front of me talking about getting married with nothing but nonchalance.
“This is an extenuating circumstance,” my dad says easily. “Again, it doesn’t have to be marriage if you’re going to be a babyabout it. Date someone respectable for an extended period of time. You want to win the election, and this is one way to better your chances. Plain and simple.”
I grit my teeth. I do want to win. I’ve got all these people counting on me. Sean and Gary have given an obscene amount of money because they believe in my vision for the county. I can hardly say no to them, but then again, how can I agree to this? It goes against the cardinal rule of my life—no real relationships; no marriage.
“Just think about it,” Gary says, assessing the situation and determining that I’m about to hyperventilate. “It might sound crazy, but it also might help you win.”
“That’s something we all want.” Sean slaps his knees. “Who knows, maybe you’ll actually fall in love in the process.”
“Stranger things have happened,” Roger says solemnly.
“In any case, we’re all counting on you, son,” my dad says. “I know you’ll do whatever it takes to win. It’s how I raised you. But we should all agree this conversation stays in this room. Of course you can tell the plan to the lucky lady, but you better pick someone trustworthy. We can’t have it getting out that you’re with a woman for the sake of the election. Not even your mother and sister can know. They’re too plugged into the community. I don’t think they could keep their mouths shut.”
He waits, staring at me as if to impress upon me the seriousness of the situation. I’m still having a difficult time not considering it all absurd.
I go through the rest of the meeting on auto-pilot, and when it breaks up, I drive across town to my house. I live in the upper district of Cashmere Cove in a newer subdivision. Contrary to what people might think, I never bring women here. I date casually all the time and have fun doing it. But I never,never,think past a couple dates. That’s a surefire way for things to get messy, which is the last thing I want.
