Chapter 6

The day was winding down. It had been a great day for Fitzgerald Grant III. The Prayer Breakfast was very successful. They had gotten what they wanted from it. Money, endorsements, and pledges to vote for their candidate, everything had gone well. Plus there was nothing like a real southern breakfast. All those delicious carbs; buttered grits, home fries smothered in onion and bell peppers, fried apples simmered in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, hot smoky rice with bits of sausage and scallions, and those buttermilk biscuits- there should be laws. Fitz was thinking he would have to hit the hotel gym tonight, he absolutely loved the stuff.

Olivia had been watching Fitz devour an entire plate of the southern style food. How did he keep that gorgeous body eating like that? She was already in awe of the man. He had the body of someone half his age. She was remembering what he had looked like when he came to her last night. He was like a Greek god that rose up out of the water. Dammit he is fine!

Ok get a grip Olivia. You did and said a lot of things last night but in the light of day you know you should not have gone there. No matter how you spin this shit it was wrong and you know it. "But I love him" is so weak in the scheme of this scenario. The man is married with children. No matter how much you believe him, no matter how much you love him at this moment it is wrong. So stop all the dewy-eyed longing and remembering and do your job. The job you were hired to do only.

"Ok guys we are to go to that little league game in about 3 hours, so if you would like a little rest maybe we should wrap this up. You were splendid Governor. You have made great strides today with the base and also some of those undecided. Remember keep it casual for this afternoon. I have some things I want to get caught up on and I have some faxes to send out. I will meet you guys in the lobby around two," she said.

"Ok around two. Would you like to get some brunch or something before we leave for the field Olivia? I noticed you did not eat anything this morning," asked the Governor.

"I really am not a breakfast type. I very rarely eat breakfast, Governor. Bacon, yogurt, egg white omelets, an apple, or fruit smoothies are about it for me when and if I eat breakfast. And I only eat them one at a time. My favorite meal is gourmet popcorn and aged red wine. I am an odd one when it comes to food. But somehow I survive. So no thank-you on the brunch, I am fine," she said smoothly. "See you at two."

She was retreating from him he could feel it. How in the hell could she do it after what happened between them last night? He was alive for the first time in years. His heart was pumping blood again. He was in love. And if he was honest, it was for the first time in his life. He could not just let it slip away from him, he could not. But he was the one that was married. He had to stand down and wait for her to catch up to him. She was there he could feel it. She loved him too, but she was afraid.

He and Cyrus had talked for about fifteen more minutes. Cyrus bragged on Olivia. She has been the best student he had ever had. Her mind was brilliant. They were so lucky to have her. Cyrus obviously admired his former pupil a lot. Cyrus had first come into his life when he was running for governor of California. He was the best according to Big Jerry. He had run one of Big Jerry's first campaigns. And Big Jerry wanted him to win so he could brag that he and his son had been governors of the same state.

He liked Cyrus right away. He had come to him and said, "Can I speak frankly Fitzgerald. You and that pretty wife of yours are off kilter. You are newlyweds right? I can see it is not a love match but you want to become a politician right? Then you had better learn to fake and pretend happiness. America can sense unhappiness and they will not vote for it.

Cyrus was right about his marriage. It was a sham from its inception but he had tried to make a go of it. But like everything Mellie touched she had ruined it. Even though he did not love her he had taken vows he intended to honor. He had tried so hard to make things work. But she was not interested in having a real marriage.

He remembered the shock he felt when she exposed her true self. "A political marriage is a merger." "Stop expecting a fairy tale, they do not happen in real marriages." "Fitz no woman has sex with their husbands every night or even every other night, it is not realistic." "True love does happen I guess, but I have yet to see it." "I expect you to act civilized and not act like a sex maniac." "I would advise you to take a mistress Fitz that is what they are for." "They are there to take care of your sexual urges of course." "Why I am to run your household, preside over your political events, have children eventually, and always promote the brand."

He almost choked on his spit when she referred to their marriage as some type of political brand. He just shook his head and basically walked away mentally. He did approach her sexually a couple of times after that. But with her lying there like a board talking about her doing her duty it was too much. Plus she obviously hated sex and she sucked all of the joy out of his pleasure. He finally gave up on all of it.

And now after all of this time he has taken a mistress but not before he had fallen deeply in love with her. She had come to him because she loved him too. It was not only about sex it was about two people that had possibly found each other too late if you put his marriage into consideration. Well he was taking his marriage out of consideration because it was over as far as he was concerned. It was just as cold and dead as Olivia had described it. He wanted out. He had wanted out for years. He wanted to be free. He wanted Olivia Pope for himself. He needed a divorce.

He was walking past her door. His heart was beating what 200 times a minute and his breathing was off. He wanted to talk to her and see where she was right now. But he could see she had placed herself away from them, away from him. She was rethinking all they had said and done. He had been off the market for years, no dating no nothing but he knew you could not push a woman. Her choices had to be her own.

He walked on past. But he had stood there for long minutes with all this shit rolling around in his head. His marriage was over. He needed to be about ending it. It was time. Olivia did not want to be involved with a married man she had made that clear. She had not been involved with anyone for over two years. So at the moment he had no competition. He intended to keep it that way. But he needed to be free to pursue her. Yes he was older and had been out of the game but he was no fool. A woman wanted to be wooed publicly. And he wanted this woman more than anything even more than he wanted to be President.