The Longer The Fall, Aviva Gat [top 10 books to read txt] 📗

thanked the couple for their time. Madeline said she couldn’t wait to see the segment and hoped they’d provided valuable advice for the show’s viewers. She and Brandon continued to hold hands until the crew had driven away in their van.

“I have to go,” Brandon said pulling away his hand and running to the stairs to change out of the collared shirt he wore specially for the interview. His happy face that had been on earlier seemed to have melted off and his tone became tired. Madeline watched him until he disappeared on the second floor. The last month had been difficult for her and it was anything but how it looked on camera.

Brandon attended all her campaign events and interviews, smiling and supportive. He did it because he still believed in her. Believed in what she stood for and where she was going. But at home? He barely looked at her, nor said a word other than what had to be said. The more he ignored her, the more she craved his attention. She reveled in the way he touched her in public, never wanting to leave the spotlight for their cold marriage at home. As the month went on, she began to realize more and more how lucky she was to be with Brandon and how badly she wanted their marriage to work, especially in private.

How could she fix things? Even after the Cobras were arrested for the blackmail and explanations were given, Brandon still held his suspicions. The pictures were no longer to be seen, but their images did not fade away.

Madeline was determined to fix things with Brandon and she had an idea that dinner with Hunter and Rhonda could fix things. Brandon would see that Hunter was happily married. That he and Madeline were just a long-ago memory. That Hunter was not a threat to their union. On the other hand, she was curious how Brandon would act at the dinner. Would he be the public Brandon? The loving supportive one? Or the private Brandon? Cold and suspicious? For someone with Madeline’s aptitude for strategy, it may have been an amateur plan, but it was the only plan she had.

When Brandon returned down the stairs in his regular t-shirt, Madeline was waiting for him in the kitchen. She filled up his mug with coffee and handed it to him. “Thank you,” he said. He was about to head out the door for work when Madeline stopped him.

“We have dinner plans tonight,” she said.

“Fine,” he responded. He was used to dinners with donors or influential community members.

“This isn’t for the campaign.” Brandon stopped and turned around with a questioning look. With his attention, Madeline continued. “It’s for us. We’re going to have dinner with Hunter and his wife.”

“Madeline, I don’t want to have dinner with your ex.” The way he said ex made it sound like he didn’t believe it.

“I’m asking you, as a favor. It’s important to me.” The magic words: It’s important to me. Madeline and Brandon had an unspoken rule in their marriage. If someone invoked these magic words, the other complied. Brandon nodded and was out the door.

Madeline herself had a busy day before dinner—there was rarely a free moment when campaigning—but her mind was busy strategizing for the evening. This needed her full attention at the moment. This would be one of the biggest campaigns she needed to win.

Chapter 41

La Quinta was a quiet restaurant where even the waiters seemed to whisper so as not to be overheard. Clothed tables checkered the floor at distances that provided the limited privacy that diners could have in close proximity. It was the kind of place where hands were shook, deals were made, and alliances forged. In fact, just the previous night a billion-dollar business acquisition was negotiated over hot ramekins of crème brulée.

Madeline had been to the restaurant many times before. Her first experience was just after she moved to California. She and Brandon had been invited by the state’s Republican National Committee chairman to discuss the future of the young couple. There Madeline’s future was decided, and along with it, Brandon’s. That was just the first of many dinners at La Quinta. Madeline’s first run for office and Brandon’s company’s IPO were just a couple topics that had been discussed at the restaurant thereafter. But this particular evening was a first for Madeline and Brandon. It was the first time they came for a personal reason. The country’s future or the state of CyTech’s stock did not depend on this evening’s conversation. Only the couple’s marriage was at stake.

The car ride over was quiet aside from a few sprinkles of conversation about the boys. Normally, silence between the couple would be broken with questions, What else? Anything new? So? But this evening the couple forwent the pleasantries and chose to sit quietly next to each other. When Brandon parked the car, he looked over at his wife.

“Madeline, tell me again why we are doing this.”

There was just one reason why, Madeline thought. Because she couldn’t see any other way to fix things with Brandon. Should he see Hunter with his wife, see that there was nothing between Madeline and him, maybe Brandon would come back to her and be the life partner she needed, both in public and in private. “So you can see,” she said. The couple got out of the car and Madeline quickly grabbed Brandon’s hand as they walked into the restaurant. He didn’t pull away, which, to Madeline, was almost as telling as though he had forgiven her out loud.

Inside they were informed that Hunter and Rhonda were waiting for them. A smiling hostess navigated to their table, choosing a path that avoided passing occupied tables as much as possible. The couple was sitting next to each other in silence, Rhonda was focused on her nails while