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A senator, whose name Stealey couldn't recall, approached and extended his hand. Stealey returned the gesture and was surprised when the man took her hand in his and kissed it.
"Pat," the senator said to Holmes, while keeping his eyes locked on Stealey's, "please introduce me to this lovely woman."
"She's my fiancée, Harry, so take your mitts off her." Holmes grabbed Stealey by the arm and led her away. "I'm not one to talk about morals, but that man is the scum of the earth."
"Where are you taking me?" Stealey asked, as she was whisked across part of the dance floor and between several tables.
"I see our next vice president over here with his wife."
Stealey went rigid, but it was too late. Stokes and his wife, the mouse, were both waving at them. Holmes took a big gulp of vodka and then held up his drink. A split second later they were standing right in front the attorney general and his wife, Stealey as stiff as a board and Holmes as gregarious as ever.
"Libby, so good to see you." Holmes was well over a foot taller than the woman. He bent over and gave her a warm kiss on the cheek.
"Good to see you too, Pat." She rubbed his arm warmly. "You look very handsome tonight, and " She paused as she turned her big brown eyes on Stealey.
Stealey stood there with her best fake smile plastered across her porcelain face.Here it comes, she thought.She's going to kill me with kindness like she always does.
"Look at this beautiful woman." Elizabeth Stokes took a half a step back and looked Stealey over from head to toe. "Peggy, I swear you're the only woman I know who gets better looking each year."
"Elizabeth, you're too kind." The women exchanged air kisses so as to not disturb their makeup.
"For the last time, Peggy, call me Libby."
Stealey nodded and kept the fake smile in place. It drove her nuts that here this woman was, close to fifty, and she still wanted to be called by her childhood nickname. "Libby," she over annunciated the name like she was speaking to a child. "You look very nice also."
"Nice," growled Holmes. "You look gorgeous."
"Why, thank you." Libby did a miniature debutante twirl and batted her big brown eyes and lush eyelashes at Holmes.
That was her best weapon, Stealey knew. She'd seen her do it before. The big bedroom eyes and those naturally thick eyelashes drove the boys crazy. Stealey wanted to tell her in the worst way that she had slept with her husband and finally be done with this insincerity, but she knew deep down where that would lead. Libby was the mother hen and she would do anything to protect her nest. Martin was too gutless to stand up to her. There was no way he would leave and she knew she didn't really want him anymore anyway.
"So," Holmes said in much quieter voice. Everyone leaned in a few inches. "Has your husband told you the big news?"
Stokes looked almost instantly uncomfortable. "I think it's a bit premature, don't you?"
"Oh, I don't think so," Holmes said with a big grin.
"What big news?" Mrs. Stokes asked excitedly.
Stokes took another sip and shook his head.
"Oh, come on," Holmes chided him. "Won't you let me tell her?"
Stokes finally smiled. "All right, go ahead, but, honey, I want you to know the only reason I didn't tell you was that it's not a hundred percent yet."
"It ain't over until the fat lady sings, of course. But then again you're here tonight and the vice president isn't."
"What's going on?"
Stealey watched as Libby Stokes sidled up to her husband like a cat in heat.
"Please let me tell her?" asked Holmes.
Stokes nodded.
"Good." Holmes offered his arm. "Would you like to accompany me to the bar, Libby? I need to freshen my drink and along the way I will share with you the good news."
Libby shivered like an excited child and they were off. Stealey watched them with a mix of disgust and amusement. She hoped Holmes told her she looked as nice as a call girl. She felt her boss's breath on her bare neck and slowly turned. He had that look in his eye. That look that he only got when his wife was not around.