Stuart Woods - Below the Belt

“Before turning me down?”

“Stone, you know I love you, and I know you love me.”

“That’s right, I do,” Stone said, sounding surprised.

“But we lead such different lives.”

“Not for the past two weeks. We’ve led pretty much one life together, and I think we did it very well.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Holly said.

“Then what are you arguing about?”

“You know I love my job.”

“All right, I propose a compromise.”

“Go ahead.”

“Do the job for the rest of Kate’s term, then ditch Washington once and for all and devote yourself to me forever.”

“Devote myself to you, instead of to my country?”

“I’m a better catch.”

“I’ll concede that, for the purposes of argument.”

“We’ll live a free life in New York, Santa Fe, England, and Paris,” he said. “We’ll see the world, live well, and fuck each other’s brains out.”

“I’ll tell you what — if Kate isn’t reelected, I’ll marry you and we’ll do everything you just said, especially that last part.”

“Now you’re putting me in an impossible position,” Stone complained.

“How so?”

“I can no longer support Kate for reelection, or even vote for her.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“That would be against my own self-interest,” he said. “I may even have to support another candidate.”

“That’s crazy talk.”

“I know it is, but how could I want her to be reelected if that caused me to lose you.”

“I didn’t say you’d be losing me.”

“But I’d have to wait another four years, when she can’t run again.”

“Four years isn’t such a long time,” she said.

“You sound as though you don’t believe that.”

“All right, it’s a long time, but there’s the promise of something new for me, if she’s reelected.”

“A promise from Kate?”

“Sort of a promise.”

“You mean a hint of a promise.”

“If you like.”

“And what is Kate dangling before you, like a ball of yarn before a kitten?”

“The Agency.”

“Are they going to shoot Lance?”

“No, but he might get kicked upstairs.”

“Director of Homeland Security?”

“Could be.”

“Do you think Lance would take that? He’d probably have more fun staying where he is.”

“No doubt, but there could be something else for him in the offing.”

“What else is there?”

“Think about that for a minute.”

Stone thought about it. “No!” he said after a moment.

“Why not?”

“The VP slot on the ticket?”

“Why not?”

“Lance would hate that — there’s no power involved.”

“How about if he were VP, but were given the whole national intelligence system to play with?”

Stone thought.

“And after that...”

“Oh, God, Lance for President?”

“I’m just guessing, but he’d only be VP for four years.”

“Do you think he would take it?”

“Do you think Lance could possibly see himself as President?”

“I’ve no doubt of it,” Stone said. “And you’d replace him at the Agency?”

“Possibly.”

“But then I’d never see you again.”

“Not necessarily.”

“You mean, like now — a couple of times a year?”

“We could do better than that.”

“How?”

“The country might like it better if the director of central intelligence were a stable married woman.”

“You mean, instead of a wild and crazy single woman?”

“Well, yes.”

“But you couldn’t live in New York or any of those other places where I’ve gone into the housing business.”

“Well, not all the time.”

“Now I get it,” Stone said, “you want me to move to Washington.”

“Or the Virginia suburbs.”

“That is a breathtakingly bad idea,” Stone said, shivering.

“I’m sorry you think so.”

“It’s not personal.”

“Oh, then what is it?”

“I’m not sure I could make that sacrifice, even for my country.”

“Could you make it for me?” she asked.

“I think my offer is the better one,” Stone said.

She said nothing.

“Well?”

“I’ll think about it.”

Stone, uncharacteristically, didn’t sleep well. He was out cold for about an hour, then he jerked awake. The Virginia suburbs? Waiting for Holly to come home from work every day? The thought made the rest of his night nearly sleepless, whereas Holly remained exquisitely somnambulant. A marriage proposal was an extremely rare event for both of them, but it didn’t keep her awake.

The next morning she began packing, and he was surprised at how much stuff she had.

“Why don’t you leave some things here?”

“Why?”

“So that when you come back, you won’t have to bring so much stuff.”

“Now, Stone, be realistic. You know you don’t want a lady’s things hanging in the guest closet, for all the world to see.”

“All the world?”

“All right, just the other ladies.”

“There aren’t any other ladies.”

“At the moment,” she said. “But before I land in Washington there’ll be somebody new scratching at your door.”

“You wound me.”

“Nonsense. We both know who you are.”

“Are you saying I would be an unfaithful husband?”

“Certainly not. If I thought so for a moment, I’d poison your bourbon. But, an unfaithful fiancé...?”

“That’s a terrible thing to say. When I was married to Arrington I was absolutely faithful.”

“I accept that, though it wasn’t for very long, was it? Your engagement, I mean.”

“She was living here.”

“Well, that would cramp your style a little. I, however, would not be living here — if we were betrothed.”

“I hate that word.”

“I’m not surprised. I don’t like it very much myself, I was just making a point.”

The phone rang, and Stone didn’t wait for Joan to get it. “Hello?”

“How about the Boathouse restaurant in Central Park, one o’clock? I’ll book.” It was Will Lee.

“Okay. If you’re going back today, there’s somebody here who’d like to catch a ride.”

“I can do that. Have him meet me at the East Side Heliport at four o’clock.”

“I’ll tell him.” He hung up. “You’re to meet Will at the East Side Heliport at four o’clock.”

“Perfect. On the way down I can feel him out about getting back to my job.”

“What are you going to do until four?”

“I’ll do a little shopping and catch some lunch somewhere. There’s a nice restaurant at Barneys.”

Stone gathered her into his arms and kissed her. “I was perfectly serious last night.”

“Last night? I thought that was a dream.”

“You have to learn to distinguish your dreams from reality.”

“I do that at work, not in your bed.”

“And when will you be back in my bed?”

“Probably not until I’ve achieved world peace.”

“Swell.”

“But my failure to do so shouldn’t keep you out of my bed.”

Stone let it go at that.

He took a cab up to Central Park, got out at Seventy-Second and Fifth, and walked over to the boat lake. He looked around the restaurant and saw only one man alone at a table.

“He’s keeping it warm for us,” Will said from behind him.

They shook hands and walked over to the table. The Secret Service agent made himself scarce, but stayed within easy reach. Nobody seemed to notice a former President in their midst. Must be the casual clothes, Stone thought.

They ordered lunch and a bottle of chardonnay.

“So, how have the last couple of weeks gone?” Will asked.