Chapter Ten
Lowell
“I’ll think about it, Trev.”
A scoff came through the phone and Lowell could picture the DC insider shaking his head behind his glass and chrome desk in his swank office in the heart of the capital.
“What is there to think about? I’m offering you a shit ton of money and a job you’d kill. Plus a professional support staff, not like those fucking interns you’re stuck with on campaigns.”
“There are some very fine people in the public sector and I’ve worked with a lot of them. Don’t be an ass.”
Trevor would probably shrug off the rebuke. Had to have skin like teflon if you wanted to survive as one of Washington’s top lobbyists.
“Then hire them to come be on your staff here. We’ll pay them better.”
“You’re persistent, I’ll give you that,” Lowell told the man.
“You’re goddamn right. So say yes so I can quit bugging you.”
“I said I’d think about it,that’s as good as you’re going to get right now. And don’t come at me with ‘this is a limited time offer.’ We both know if I called you a month from now you’d welcome me with open arms. So don’t be a shit. Give me a minute to think it over. I’ll be in touch.”
“Fine. But let’s at least get some drinks, smoke a cigar next time you’re in town.”
“That I can do.”
Trevor was smart as fuck, and pretty damn ruthless while still having a moral center that Lowell could live with. They’d known each other as undergrads and had stayed friendly since then. If he were to sign on with a K Street firm, it would probably be Trev’s. That was a big if, but it was seeming more and more tempting all the time.
He’d started to feel restless. Not just with Holland’s campaign, although that was part of it. Running that show was like a machete cutting butter, total overkill.
No, it was more having to watch Hux and his relationship with Tamsyn. He was happy for his twin, of course. Hux was probably the best man he knew and he deserved to be happy, but fuck, Lowell could really use some of that for himself.
Speak of the angel to his devil, there was a brief knock on his door and then Hux was walking in, not waiting for an answer. Why would he? They knew everything about each other, there were very few secrets in this house, very few things unshared. Eh, Hux could keep that revolting dairy-free creamer to himself. But otherwise…
“I’m holding you to that.”
“I’d expect no less. We’ll talk soon. Thanks, Trev.”
Hux’s brows went up as he snagged a paperweight from Lowell’s desk and started tossing it back and forth between his hands. His brother’s insatiable need to fiddle with shit was not a trait they shared.
His twin waited until he’d hung up to speak, looking curious.
“Trev? As in Trevor Vasquez? What are you talking to him for?”
“He called to offer me a job.”
Hux snorted. “Why’s he wasting his breath? I get why he’d want you but it’s not like you’d ever go work for him.”
Lowell shrugged, and Hux stopped in his tracks, his paperweight juggling routine coming to an abrupt halt. “You’re not going to. Are you?”
His brother’s tone, the way he sounded repelled by the idea, got Lowell’s hackles up.
“Why shouldn’t I? Trev’s not a bad guy.”
“I didn’t say he was. But we’re so close to have everything we’ve talked about. You’re really going to throw that away to go fuck around on K Street? It’s not like you need the pile of money he’s no doubt offering you.”
No, he didn’t need the money. He had plenty, would have plenty if he never worked another day in his life. But that just wasn’t who he was. He didn’t work because he had to make a living, he worked because he couldn’t imagine sitting around basket weaving or going fishing or whatever the fuck other people did with their time.
But that wasn’t the part of Hux’s objection he really took issue with.