Solid Foundation (9 page)

“Oh
God,” Jameson whispered against Candace as she resumed her searching and
probing. Jameson felt Candace’s hips begin to rotate and slipped a finger
inside her. Candace’s response was to suck Jameson’s clit between her lips for
a second. Jameson pressed deeper into Candace, feeling Candace meet her thrusts.
She struggled to keep pace with her tongue when Candace entered her.

Candace
tried to steady herself and concentrate on making love to Jameson. Jameson was
bringing her higher by the second. Her muscles had grown rigid. Her heart was
pounding. Her head was swimming in an array of sensation. She could feel
Jameson’s muscles clenching, and her legs beginning to tremble. Candace gripped
Jameson tighter, her breasts fell against Jameson’s stomach while Jameson’s
nipples rubbed against hers. They fit together perfectly, in every way. Candace’s
body erupted in a blast of violent shuddering without warning. She strained to
maintain her attention to Jameson’s need. Jameson lifted up to her and Candace felt
Jameson’s hips buck uncontrollably. It produced another incredible swell of
pleasure within her. Candace tried to pull away, but Jameson pulled her down
and thrust into her again, gently but forcefully. “Jameson!” Candace cried out
before finally collapsing in exhaustion.

Jameson
guided Candace back up and into her arms. She brushed a strand of blonde hair
away from Candace’s eyes and kissed her tenderly. She pulled back slowly and
looked into Candace’s eyes. “I would give you the world if I could,” she said
earnestly.

Candace
smiled. “You already
have,
Jameson. You
already have,” Candace promised before snuggling into Jameson’s embrace.

Jameson
breathed in the woman beside her. She chuckled at the realization that Candace
had immediately fallen asleep. “I love you, Candace,” she said with a kiss. “More
than you will ever know.”

***

“God, there are so many
people here,” Jameson said.

“Yeah…Well,
your wife is
a popular
lady,” Dana said.
Jameson beamed and Dana giggled. “You really are like a teenager in love, J.D.”

Jameson
shrugged and took a sip from her beer. “I guess. I was never in love as a
teenager, so I have nothing to compare it to.”

“Where
is the missus?” Dana asked.

“Candace
is with Gollum and that guy from that magazine,” Jameson said. Her gaze had
drifted across the back yard to Michelle.

“Gollum?”
Dana asked.

“Huh?”

“Who
is Gollum?” Dana asked in amusement.

“Jason,”
Jameson replied evenly. Her attention had landed on a familiar pair of faces in
the distance.

“Hello?
J.D.?”

“Sorry,”
Jameson turned back to Dana.

“You
okay? You just went from school girl to serious in less than sixty seconds.
What gives?” Dana wondered.

“Just
putting the pieces of a certain puzzle together,” Jameson said. She looked back
over toward
Michelle,
who waved. Jameson
held up her beer and smiled. She watched and sighed heavily as Michelle turned
her attention to a cute little redheaded architect.

“Why
are you looking at Melanie like you want to kill her?” Dana asked.

“I
am not.”

“You
so are. I always thought Melanie was your favorite at work, the way you talk. I
mean, you talk like you love the girl to pieces,” Dana observed.

“I
do, just not more than I love Shell.”

“What
does that have to do with anything?” Dana wondered.

Jameson
sighed and put her arm around Dana. “Everything,” she said.

***

“You’ve done a great deal
to the house,” Don Burgess commented.

“Me?
No,” Candace laughed. “This was all Jameson,” she said proudly.

“That’s
how you met?” Don asked.

Candace
smiled at him. “It is. My press secretary and Jameson have known each other for
years. Her husband Steve and Jameson have been best friends since college.”

“And,
you had never met before?” he asked.

“No.
It’s actually strange that we hadn’t in some ways. Dana is one of my closest
friends.” Candace led the reporter and Jason down the hallway.

“It’s
a beautiful home. It was your grandfather’s; wasn’t it?” Don asked.

“It
was, and his father’s, and my great-great grandfather’s as well,” Candace
explained. “I spent most of my free time as a child here with my grandparents.
I love this house. You should have seen it before Jameson got her hands on it,”
she laughed. “It was a shadow of what it looks like now.”

“It
doesn’t look new,” he commented.

Candace
nodded. “No, it doesn’t; does it? That was a neat trick. She’s very talented
and very thorough,” Candace said. She pointed to a light fixture that hung in the
living room. “That, for instance,” she said. “That chandelier is actually a
period piece from the early 1800s. It’s wired for modern convenience. The
lights come through the hollowed candles. Those are real.”

“Clever,”
he said. “Must have cost a fortune for all those details.”

“Not
really. It took Jameson a while to find the pieces that fit the style of each
room. The detail work took time. She wired that in a weekend,” Candace said
proudly.

“You
mean she did it herself?” the reporter asked in disbelief.

“Yes,”
Candace beamed. “Originally, I had thought that I would just have some cosmetics
done and the addition to the kitchen built. Jameson loves a challenge,” she
chuckled. “And, she just threw herself into it. Found a lot of hidden treasures
in the process in the attic. And, a few hidden issues too. So, the entire house
was in upheaval for a year. She and her father did as much as they could
themselves. But, work takes precedence sometimes and we couldn’t live in the
rubble. So
, contractors handled most of the structural
work, even the painting. Not the details though. She didn’t trust them for
that,” Candace laughed. She led the pair into her grandfather’s study. “This is
my favorite room. Always has been. This one, Jameson did herself.”

“I
feel like I just stepped back in time,” Jason commented. “I thought Jameson was
an architect?”

Candace
laughed. She wanted to respond. “Well, she thinks your Gollum.” She didn’t. “She
is an architect. Quite
successful
,
although she could tell you more about that. I find it fascinating, but I can’t
begin to comprehend the plans she lays out on our kitchen table sometimes,” she
said. “Her father owns a small construction company in Ithaca. Jameson grew up
building things. She loves it. This was Granddad’s study. It’s almost exactly as
I remember it, only in even better condition.”

Don
Burgess turned to Candace. “Must be a lot of memories here.”

“There
are,” she responded.

“What
do you think he would say?” Don asked. “If he were here now?”

“About
his study?” Candace quipped. “He’d probably never leave it and Grandma would
never forgive me.”

“No,
I mean about you. Your life, your decision to run for the office he once held. How
do you think he would see his granddaughter as the first lesbian governor? Do
you think he would approve?”

Candace
took a moment. She noticed that the color had drained from Jason’s cheeks
slightly. She had expected these questions to arise. She was not anticipating them
so soon. “I think,” she began, “that he would see his granddaughter.”

“Yes,
but by all accounts your grandfather was a steadfast family man, and
a faithful
man
in
his religious convictions. Do you think he would approve? His reputation and legacy
are
impacted by your entrance into public
life; more so now than ever.”

“That’s
true, I suppose. My grandfather lived in a different time, Mr. Burgess. I don’t
know what he would say about my
relationship
although I am
reasonably
sure
he would adore Jameson,” she answered.

“Don’t
you worry at all? Surely, you know there will be comments and questions now.
Not everyone supports marriage equality. You’ve taken a huge step in that
regard. It may polarize more people than you think, even here in New York. How
the press depicts you to the public and how people react. You’ve often said
that Governor Stratton is your role model. What do you think your grandfather
would advise you? Do you think he would be glad that you are pursuing his old
office?”

“That’s
not really,” Jason began.

Candace
held up her hand. “It’s a fair question,” she said. “My grandfather was an interesting
man, Mr. Burgess. You mentioned his focus on family. You are quite right. He
was a people politician. Do you know what I mean by that?” she asked him.
Burgess shook his head. “I mean that his desire to serve was about people. He
loved people. People first, politics second, press last. Those were his priorities.
Things have changed in many ways. You are asking me several things. Do I think
my grandfather would approve of me as a lesbian? Do I think he would approve of
my marriage? I think my grandfather might surprise you.
Family
was always first, even on the campaign trail, even when he
was in office. He was not a perfect man, Mr. Burgess. He was a man who chose to
try to lead. Did you know that he employed more women in his administration than
anyone before him? He valued people. So, I don’t know what he would say. That
was a different time. I do know that he loved me. I do know that Jameson loves
me. I think he would see that. I don’t dwell on those questions. There’s no
point.”

“But
others will raise them.”

“True.
They will. And, they will believe whatever they choose. Most never knew my
grandfather, and even those who did, Mr. Burgess; they knew Governor Stratton,
not Granddad. He was part of a greater person. I am not running for governor to
reclaim the past. I am running to make an impact on the future. History teaches
us, but it is past. None of us can go backward. And, why would we want to when
there is so much living still to do?” she asked him.

***

Jameson sidled up next to
Melanie. “Having fun?”

Melanie
jumped and then smiled. “I am, J.D. This is great. By the way, I am
really happy
for you.”

“Thanks.
What about you?” Jameson asked.

“Me?”

“Anyone
interesting in your life these days?” she asked.

Melanie
blushed. “Maybe…not sure yet.”

“Oh?”
Jameson inquired. She watched Melanie’s gaze fall on Michelle and sighed. “Mel,”
she said.

“Yeah?”

“Be
careful,” Jameson said bluntly. Melanie turned to Jameson and flushed
immediately in embarrassment. “Shell’s been hurt once, pretty badly.”

“J.D.,
I…”

“Just
listen. She’s a big girl. This might sound weird to you. Shell’s not just my
friend. She’s only nine years younger than me. I get that. To
me,
she is like a little sister, but in reality
she is my step-daughter now. I love her.”

Melanie
smiled weakly. “The thing is J.D., I love her too.” Jameson was surprised at
Melanie’s revelation. As far as she knew, Melanie was straight. That worried
her. Her hackles were raised protectively. She adored Melanie, but she loved
Shell. It was almost unsettling how protective she felt. Melanie watched
Jameson’s jaw tense. “
J.D….
I really do. I
didn’t plan it. I didn’t see it coming. The thing is, she’s become like my best
friend. I don’t even know how she feels. I don’t want to lose her, so you don’t
need to get all mama bear on me. I haven’t even said a word to her.”

Jameson
took a deep breath and scanned the crowd for Michelle. Michelle’s forehead
creased in worry when she caught sight of Jameson looking at her and standing
beside Melanie. Jameson chuckled uncomfortably and turned back to her friend.
This was an awkward situation. Melanie was a friend but also Jameson’s
employee. Michelle was Jameson’s friend but also Jameson’s step-daughter.
Melanie’s words had stuck a personal chord with Jameson. No one could predict when
they would fall in love. She looked at the ring on her finger and back to
Melanie with a shake of her head.

“You
do know how she feels,” Jameson said. Melanie swallowed hard. “Look, I can’t tell
you this doesn’t worry me. It does. If you really love Shell, you owe it to her
to tell her that. I just hope you are prepared for what that means.”

“J.D.,
Shell is not some experiment if that’s what you are thinking. I miss her when
she’s not with me; you know? Like…I just want to talk to her. It’s kind of
scary for me too; you know? I’ve
known
for a long time I guess, about me. I just ignored it. My parents, they won’t be
like your parents are, J.D. With Shell, I just…I don’t want to lose her.”

“I
can see that. I do understand. Just be sure this is what you want. Shell, she
talks a good game. She’s really very sensitive and I do know when she falls,
she falls hard,” Jameson said.