Chapter 74
Election Day marched on.
“I’ve just realized that I’ve been wrong about something my entire life,” Dot said.
“What’s that?” Rose asked while she continued to double-check their targeted voter list.
“The summer solstice isn’t the longest day of the year. Election Day is.” The hours dragged.
They were getting little bits of information from the field, but they were cautioned against listening to any of the exit polls.
So far, all the Democratic precincts were hitting their turnout targets. But so were the Republican ones. It was going to be very close.
IN THE MEANTIME, Harper and Pippi went to the Sin Bin to help set up for the watch party that Tommy was hosting that night. Jake stopped by to make sure the security that they’d arranged was up to snuff.
“Just be careful. You know how people can get,” Jake said.
“I do,” Tommy agreed. “But I think we’ll have a good crowd, and I’m going to cut anyone off who gets out of control.”
“Does that include Harper?” Jake joked.
“I hope so!” Tommy said. He was putting together a care package for her to take back to New York. All sorts of Cedar Falls mementos. She’d be taking Pippi with her, and he dreaded how sharply he’d miss them both.
AT TEN O’CLOCK that night, the election still wasn’t over. A few states were yet to be called, and Wisconsin was one of them.
Dot, Rose, and Fletcher huddled together in the war room. Several TVs were on with the different channels trying to fill time with analysis though they still didn’t have a result.
“It’s all going to come down to turnout,” one talking head said.
“We know!” they yelled in unison.
Dot said she was going to take a break. She went to her desk and noticed her calendar.
She’d put a red line through every day that she’d been there since January.
The November calendar picture was of Central Park in autumn, The Plaza Hotel in the background.
It was almost time for her to cross out Election Day.
And then what? Her stomach rolled at the thought.
Or maybe that was the two slices of pizza she’d devoured after the Wisconsin polls closed at eight that night.
At 11:45 p.m., everyone was delirious. There were still five states to call.
Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Lopez won her home state of Georgia, plus the state of North Carolina.
And Stone was looking like he could pull off Kentucky.
Between those two, the Democrats had some hope that if two of these other states went her way—and barring any upsets they didn’t imagine—that she’d win the election and become the first woman president of the United States of America.
Dot felt her phone vibrate. It was a text from Danny.
“I’ve been counting down these last few days,” he said.
“Hi. Me too.”
“How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay. Running on adrenaline and caffeine at this point.”
“Have a moment for some fresh air? I’m outside.”
“You are?” Dot mimed a gesture to Rose and Fletcher that she had to take a call outside. She texted, “I’m coming,” and then pretended to put the phone to her ear.
She grabbed her coat from her chair on the way out. Danny’s truck was across the street from the Democratic offices. A light snow had started to fall. He was standing outside, leaning against the driver’s door. And he was gorgeous.
She ran over to him, and he picked her up, kissing her.
“I couldn’t wait to see you,” he said.
“I’m so glad.”
“This has been a long seven days.”
“Tell me about it,” Dot said. “I’ve been torn in two wanting this to be over but mostly just thinking of you.”
He pulled her into his chest, and she smelled his familiar scent of soap and shaving cream.
“When do you think it’ll be over?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. It’s very close. Could be a while yet. This could end up with an automatic recount,” she said, wishing she had a better answer.
“I’ll wait,” Danny said.
“Here? It could be hours.”
“That’s fine. I’m not leaving without you.”
Dot thought it over. And then she felt an impulse that fully clarified her mind.
“No. Don’t wait. I mean. Wait. Wait right here for just a moment,” Dot said. She took a step back and then dashed back across the street, snowflakes starting to melt in her hair.
Inside, she went to her desk and wrote Rose and Fletcher notes.
“I had to go. Please understand. I love you!” She signed with just a dot. They’d know who it was from. She placed the notes on their keyboards.
There was just one thing left for her to do.
Then she returned to her desk and picked up her red Sharpie.
Taking off the cap, she leaned over her desk and put a red line through Election Day. For her, the campaign was over.
DANNY PULLED INTO his drive, and he and Dot scrambled out of the car. The snow was falling more heavily by then and had already fully blanketed the ground.
They practically flew up his steps, hearts pounding.
As soon as Danny got his key in the lock, he swung the door open and Dot’s lips were on his, insistent and charged.
His hands pressed firmly against her back, pulling her impossibly close.
They barely paused to shed their coats, fingers tangling in each other’s hair, lips retracing the well-worn paths they’d missed.
Every brush of skin, every sigh, stretched the moment with powerful tension, the outside world fading away.
Yet, remembering what was happening across America that night and how important it was to Dot, Danny used one hand to search around for his television remote.
Opening one eye, but keeping up with her kiss, he aimed it at the TV and hit the power button.
Dot grabbed it and said, “No.”
“Don’t you want to see if they made any more race calls?” Danny asked.
“No.” At this point, she didn’t want another moment of politics. She wanted Danny.
“But you worked so hard . . .” he said, but was interrupted by Dot, who leaned forward and pressed her lips to his again.
This time, she let her hands trace up his chest, tugging him closer.
Her kiss was insistent but playful, a little challenge.
He responded in kind, hands tightening around her waist.
“We’ll know when we know.”
Danny closed his eyes. “So, if I have this right,” he said, running feathery kisses down her neck, “I have you here and the politics is out there. This is like all my dreams coming true in one night.”
“I accept the challenge,” she said, laughing, then took his hand and started toward the staircase that led to his bedroom.
On the second step, Dot noticed that he glanced at the mantel and at the framed photograph of Sadie.
“Maybe I should put that away,” Danny said, moving toward the picture.
Dot reached out her hand to stop him and said, “No.” Then she maneuvered to be a step higher than he was. Now they could see each other eye to eye.
“Danny, listen. I know Sadie was an incredibly important part of your life. You don’t have to hide her from me. I love you. All of you. For everything that’s ahead and everything in the past.”
He blinked rapidly to fight the tears that threatened to spill over. He pulled her closer to him. She rested her cheek just below his collarbone. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply into her hair, he said quietly, “Thank you. I love you, Dot.”
“I love you, too.”
She started to unbutton his shirt. “Let’s see if we can make it up the stairs before I . . .”
They didn’t make it up the stairs.