Her mother loved fashion and owned several boutiques stocked with garments from only the most exclusive, in-demand designers. Meredith had a keen interest in fashion as well, thanks to her mother's influence. But her mother seemed to be taking this almost personally.
Her dad closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Meredith and her mother exchanged glances again while they waited for him to respond.
“It's too flashy,” he finally said, opening his eyes and shaking his head.
Meredith didn't want her parents to fight. Yes, her mother was mostly easygoing, but when it came to certain topics she knew her mother would never back down. She cleared her throat, and both her parents turned to look at her.
“What should I wear then?” she asked, feeling slightly disappointed that she wouldn't be able to wear her favorite clothes to work. But she did want to fit in.
Silence filled the room as he looked her over thoughtfully. Meredith lowered her head when she felt her cheeks growing hot from his intense scrutiny, realizing she was wearing gym clothes despite having skipped her morning workout earlier in favor of getting more sleep.
“That will do,” her dad commented, referring to her outfit.
“Seriously?” she asked, quite taken aback. If the pantsuit was too flashy, surely this outfit was too casual by comparison?
“Yes. Keep in mind you'll be on your feet a lot throughout the day, and you'll want to be comfortable. You'll thank me later,” he said with a wink. Meredith rolled her eyes. That was one of his favorite phrases to use on her and her sister. But she couldn't think of a single time where he'd said that, and not been right.
Nodding in response, Meredith headed to her room to finish getting ready. By the time she headed downstairs again, her parents were already waiting for her in the foyer.
“Shall we?” she said with a wide smile on her face. She couldn't suppress the feeling of excitement as her dad led the way to the garage, where their private driver waited.
“Have a lovely day dear,” her mom whispered, giving her a light kiss on the cheek.
“Elizabeth, she’ll be fine. I’m with her,” Benedict murmured softly, shaking his head before kissing her mom on the temple.
“She should be. I’m counting on you.”
“I'm going to be just fine, you guys. I'm not a kid anymore,” Meredith piped up, shaking her head. Her parents chuckled, and exchanged their goodbyes.
Soon Meredith and her father were on their way. Meredith looked out the window, noting all the myriad changes to the neighborhood where she'd spent her entire life until leaving for college. Some buildings she'd expected to see had been replaced by newer, taller structures. The park where she'd played with friends in elementary school was gone, replaced by a cafe.
She smiled. Things had changed. But so had she.
She had grown up.
With a start, she realized she didn't recognize the path the driver was taking. She frowned and turned to her father.
“Where are we going?” she asked, wondering what he had planned. Maybe she wouldn't be working in the main office after all.
Her dad smiled and winked at her.
“Where were you planning on going if you hadn't come home for the summer? And where are you planning on going once the summer is over?”
Meredith froze. She hadn't expected to discuss this so soon. And definitely not with her dad.
“I was going to go to Bali with Lily. She's there right now,” she said. “And I guess I'll head to Europe and meet her wherever she ends up when summer's over,” she added.
“I see,” he said, looking thoughtful. Meredith wondered what he was thinking.
“Okay. You can go. On one condition…”
“What condition?” she asked cautiously. She didn't want to get her hopes up prematurely if he was going to ask her for something impossible.
“I want you to report on the presidential campaign. Use your degree for the whole summer and you're free to go,” he said.
“Really? That's it?”
His lips quirked up into a smile.
“That's it,” he said. “Oh, and make sure you call your parents from time to time,” he added.
“I will! And thank you Dad!” she exclaimed happily, giving him a hug.
“You're welcome. But it's not all going to be fun and games, Meredith. Working a presidential campaign isn't an easy assignment. And you'll be representing the company, so you'll need to be on your best behavior at all times.”
She nodded. “Dad, I know. Trust me.” Besides, she thought, it doesn't matter as long as I get to Bali after this is all done.
Shaking his head, her dad handed her a file with all the information she would need about this assignment. She was too excited to even spare it a single glance before shoving the papers inside her bag.
Bali! Wait for me! she thought enthusiastically.
Shortly, the car stopped in front of an unfamiliar office building. Meredith got out of the car and hurried alongside her father, following his lead.
A stunning brunette was waiting for them. Meredith learned that her name was Sosie, and she was the manager for the campaign. She ushered them toward the candidate's office, making pleasant small talk with her father. Meredith relaxed and spaced out a bit, daydreaming about Bali. She could practically feel the hot sand under her toes already.
She shook her head. She needed to start taking this seriously. She peeked into her bag and hurriedly scanned the file her father had given her. It wouldn't do to be completely ignorant. But all she had time to see was the candidate's name – Elijah Scott. It wasn't familiar to her though. Probably some old married guy, she thought.
As they stepped into a spacious office, she idly hoped she wouldn't die from sheer boredom over the next few months.
“Mr. Fields of the New York Tribune is here,” Sosie informed the man who was sitting on an office chair, looking out the windows.
Meredith felt fluttering in her stomach as the tall figure rose from his seat. Taller than even her father by a few inches, his shoulders were broad, and she could tell his muscular physique was the product of frequent trips to the gym.
As he turned to greet them, she found herself holding her breath. He looked way too young to be a presidential candidate. And in fact, she thought he looked more like a model than a career politician.
Tall, dark, and handsome, just her type. She was captivated by his presence. She'd never expected to be working with someone so young, let alone so handsome. He was sinfully handsome.
Is he married? she wondered to herself.
“Good morning, Mr. Fields. It's so good to see you again,” Elijah said warmly, shaking her father's hand.
“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Scott,” her father responded in a friendly tone.
“Please, Elijah is just fine. Mr. Scott is my father.”
Meredith heard her father chuckle. “Elijah it is. This is my daughter Meredith. She'll be working on the campaign trail with you like we discussed,” he said, taking a seat and motioning for her to join him on the couch.
Meredith obediently took a seat next to her father, feeling slightly awkward when Elijah looked at her. When their eyes met, she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. Something about his gaze was making her feel nervous for some reason.