Political Relations (Book I of the BWWM Political Series)

Call Me Oliver

Lucille greeted everyone as she walked past them holding her laptop bag and a drink holder with four coffees. She walked into the conference room surprised to see that Oliver was already waiting.

He poked his head up from the files he was looking down at. "Good morning Lucille", he greeted.

"Good morning sir. I didn't expect to see you here this early", she responded placing her things down on the table.

He thanked her as she handed him one of the coffees she bought. She unpacked her laptop a few seats away from Oliver and sat down.

"So what is it that has you so intrigued this morning sir?"

"You", he stated plainly.

"Excuse me", she managed to get out.

"Did you know you have the same initials of President Johnson?"

Lucille chuckled nervously. "Yes sir. LBJ. Sometimes I like to think that my love for politics was inevitable for that very reason."

"I had a background check done on you", he admitted.

Lucille's palms began to perspire. "Why would you do that?", she asked.

"I was trying to make myself understand why someone with your skills and mindset was working here as a social media coordinator", he said. "I thought maybe you were just here as a mole for Thatcher Hayes but there's no connection there."

"Wow", was all she could say. It's not that Lucille didn't see how talented she was.. Oliver Reed just had a shitty staff.

"I mean you could be working somewhere where you make actual money. You know that right?"

Lucille smiled politely. "Maybe I do know that but in the line of work that I wanna do it's all about who you know."

Oliver was about to ask her what she meant but he got sidetracked when he heard the door to the conference room being opened.

Jancy walked in and Alexis walked in right behind her. Lucille offered both of them coffee but only Alexis accepted. Lucille sat back and waited to see what Jancy was about to say.

"Sir, I apologize. I figured Lucille could write the speech since she seemed to be so gifted on the subject of perception and politics but I was wrong."

Both Oliver and Alexis looked at Lucille as Jancy continued to speak.

She opened up her laptop. "Lucky for you I was able to draft one up. I'll pull it up so we can--"

Oliver interrupted. "I have the speech that Lucille and Alexis wrote right here."

Jancy looked up from her laptop. "Come again?"

"Oh, you never got it?", Lucille asked pretending to check her email outbox. "Maybe there was an Internet problem on my end or something."

"Yeah I bet", Jancy said through clenched teeth.

Oliver looked at the situation unravelling before him. Lucille was definitely a clever girl. So quick-witted. An opportunist in fact. She's the type of person who should've been running his campaign.

"Whatever's going on with you two needs to end now", he stated. "We have work to do."

"Yes, Mr. Reed", Lucille said.