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She had dug in her blazer pocket and retrieved the business card Brady had given her She flipped it over between her fingers, exah-quality card for an answer as to why she couldn’t write about its owner But that was reason enough She was having a hard ti the Brady she had researched and interviewed from the man who had seduced her in the club

You want to see ret it

The words rang in her ears on repeat, tantalizing her, enticing her, co about hi her jawline, his body so near, his char to do

Liz couldn’t write an article about that Brady, and yet that Brady kept creeping into her thoughts He was reed with politically to a welco it would land soet about it so she could write the dale the two faces of Brady in her mind and write a clear and coherent article about the press conference State Senator Brady Maxwell III was running for Congress He wanted to represent her district to the House of Representatives Yet he had given tax incentives to his big donors, which could be the reason he was slashing through the education budget While she ree with him on some other broader issues, the idea that he had done this just to line his pockets without forethought as to hoould affect thousands of people across the state left a bad taste in her mouth She couldn’t support someone ouldn’t even vote to help fund his alma mater, the place where his mother had previously worked as a professor, when he consistently ran on i the quality of education There That would do

The article ran Mondayon the front cover of the school newspaper It was the week before classes let out for the su for any excuse not to study for their finals Everywhere she looked her class hands between classes, perusing it over lunch, sprawled out with it in the Pit at the center of campus It was literally everywhere

Liz knew the paper was popular, but it was usually the kvetching column that drew thelanced around now, everyone was staring at the front cover…at her article She couldn’t believe it

She wondered howthe front page--there certainly wereat the article--but she liked to think that it was because of her writing

Seeing her naiddy It hat she had always drea up to her own expectations

"Hey, I thought youdown across from Liz on the hard white-topped bench on the outskirts of the Pit

Liz broke out of her daydream and stared up at her best friend and roolanced at the homework piled in front of her for so brown eyes "You were staring off into never-never land, because everyone on ca on about that hot politician you interviewed"

"I know, right? It’s crazy," Liz said

"Not that crazy Theto o drool over hi her kinky curly hair from one side to the other

Victoria was a voluptuous beauty with breasts that were always revealed in her low-cut tops and curvy hips always revealed in her tight skinnies She was from New Jersey, with the northern accent and all that ith that She wore a bit too h penciled-in eyebrows, full red lips, and thick eyeliner No one would have guessed that she was a Morehead scholar along with Liz, or that she was a lab researcher in genetics But she didn’t take herself too seriously like most of the other honors students did, and didn’t bother with anyone who couldn’t keep up with her wicked s the article?" Liz asked

"Was there an article attached?" Victoria sroomed eyebrow

"Just the one I spent all weekend on"

"You could seriously use your time more wisely"

"Weren’t you in the lab all weekend?" Liz leaned forward, her Carolina-blue blazer resting against her notes She had the sleeves rolled up to three-quarter length because of the heat It was a soft, breathable linen, and she had paired it with a neutral tank and white skinnies Her typical platfored for a pair of brown Oxfords She missed the heels when they weren’t on her feet, but it just wasn’t practical when she had to walk to school

"Not all weekend"

Liz sighed and waited for what she kneas co "Another professor, Vic?"

"Nooooo He’s just a TA A PhD student in so useless…journaliseous Totally not my type I’m way smarter than hi her head

"Why would I let that stop me? He has an office, Liz," she said, as if that explained it

"Oh, I don’t know Propriety? Decoruested

"Well-behaved women rarely make history," Victoria quoted Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Liz let it pass, turning back to her notes Victoria pulled out her oversize Audrey Hepburn sunglasses and leaned back on the bench to observe the mayhem in the Pit It was said that if you sat in the Pit all day, you would see everyone on campus Liz didn’t knohen anyone would have time for that, but it was impossible not to see someone that she knehen she was here

But she hadn’t really been expecting to see Hayden They both practically lived in the journalis near the Quad and in the newsroo on Friday things had been aard They had talked about the article, but nothing more, and she had left in a hurry Sunday after they had pieced it all together

"Liz!" he called now, jogging up to her table

Victoria propped herself up on her elbows and eyed hilasses "Hey," Liz said with a sood He wore brown Rainbows, pressed khaki shorts, and a Carolina-blue polo The two of the insane They asked for a reprint," he said, his face ecstatic, his hand running back through his shaggy hair He tossed his head to the side to push the hair out of his eyes when it fell back into place "I don’t remember the last time we needed a reprint"

"Wow! Do you need help?" she asked, stuffing her notes haphazardly back into her folder

"No I should be fine I have a couple guys ill lad I saw you Reprints! All because of your article"