Madam President (EDITING)

Chapter 20: I'll Never Be A Nice Girl

Senator Abner's POV

"Hey baby. I'll see you in a bit. My flight lands at 6:30.", the text I just received from Greg reads. I roll my eyes at his message and turn my phone over on my desk.

I page Mia to ask her about the arrangements for the diversity panel that I will be speaking at next week, but she doesn't pick up. I go peep my head in her office to see that she's away from her desk yet again. I sigh, and decide to refill my water bottle while I'm up. On my way back to my office I see Rachel in the print room typing ferociously.

"Nice to see you hard at work Ms.Taff."

She looks up at me, and then turns her attention back to her screen. "Yeah I'm finding out so much doing this assignment."

"That's good. I'm looking forward to see what you come up with."

She looks back up at me, "Actually, do you have a second? I want to run this by you before I get any deeper."

"Yeah sure, come on", I say gesturing to my office. I open her laptop as she stands over my shoulder attempting to obtain guidance for her assignment.

"So this area here is heavily impacted, but based on the previous counts I don't think accurate numbers are being reported", Rachel explains. She's smart. I've known that since I read her profile, and the moment she so famously called me out on her first day. If she would just stop all of the bullshit, and have this hard working attitude all of the time I wouldn't mind giving her a permanent position at the completion of her internship.

"And why is that you think?" I question her.

"Well I don't see any vehicles and campers being accounted for in this particular area", she says looking down at me.

"Very good, I think you got a lead."

She tries her best not to smile out of stubbornness. "Thanks", she says as she reaches over me to grab her laptop, involuntarily getting a glimpse of my cleavage.

We meet eyes and she's clears her throat.

I shift in my chair,"I think what you have here is great. I was hoping I could trust you on this and you're definitely pulling through so far", I say before she opens the door to leave.

She turns around, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"You really came from some Podunk town in Wisconsin that didn't even have 300 people?"

I laugh, "Wisconsin loud and proud!"

Disgust is displayed all over her face, "How did you survive? What did you do for fun? Were there other people to date beside your cousins?"

I roll my eyes at her jab, "Let's just say I got into my fair share of trouble."

"It's hard to imagine you've ever had fun in your life. You seem so rigid and stuck up all the time", she says without batting an eye. This girl has a huge ego.

" It's called maturity."

"There are plenty of politicians that come off as personable and likable, and then there's you", she says putting her hands out.

"Let me ask you this. Are the politicians you speak of men?"

"Well yeah", she nods.

"Rachel, I wouldn't expect you to know this but women in politics will truthfully never be liked. Whether their democrat, republican, or independent. Women are just held to a higher standard", I explain. "I've never told anyone this, so if it gets out I know exactly where it came from", I say looking into her eyes.