Dissident by Cecilia London Page A

that it would be no big deal to relocate the bulky item to Capitol Hill. The two of them were still pissed Caroline hadn’t forced some male interns to help her move it instead. Her basement had more than a few stairs.
    Caroline liked being reminded why she was serving in Congress in the first place, and seeing the snow swirling around the Capitol dome certainly did that. She was an absolute sucker for random moments of patriotic majesty. And random moments of baseball fandom, as her eyes fell on the turnstile, the jerseys, and her collection of vintage Chicago baseball nodders. Spring Training was not going well for the Cubbies so far. She was preparing herself for another season of hassling from the members of Congress from Missouri, almost all of whom were rabid Cardinals fans. She felt bad for the one Royals fan in their delegation. Poor guy never got any love.
    But Caroline brought a lot of it on herself. She started a fantasy baseball league for House members the first season after she was sworn in. The mostly male Representatives in the league hadn’t taken too well to losing to a woman. She maintained it was a coincidence that she kept winning year after year. Caroline was really good at wonky baseball stats and analysis and made lucky guesses when she drafted her sleepers each spring. But she might have still indulged in a few too many trash talking moments at the end of each year, reminding all of them that they’d been beaten by a girl. Again.
    She heard a knock on her open door and turned around.
    “Hi, Jack.”
    He was wearing his long winter coat, a cashmere scarf, and leather gloves. He looked ready to go outside. Her staff knew that it was okay for him to come in without checking with her first. After three months of friendship, Jack was now on a very short list of people who enjoyed that privilege.
    Despite her friendly demeanor, Caroline did her best to keep her professional behavior in line with those of other House members. She’d meet with any constituent, any House or Senate member, any nonprofit entity, even lobbyists, no matter what they wanted to discuss. But Caroline was always careful not to be too casual with people she didn’t know. It had been one of the most challenging adjustments she’d had to make when she arrived on Capitol Hill.  She was used to being friendly and charming with everyone and being open from the start, even when she was a prosecutor dealing with attorneys and defendants. That didn’t always work in Congress.
    Jack stood next to her by the window. “How are we doing today? Enjoying the weather, I see.”
    It was still cold outside. Caroline eagerly anticipated the change in season but she also liked those last few days of March, before the green returned and the buds started to bloom. Sometimes she missed the harsh winters and lake effect snow of Chicago. But not much.
    “One final snow.” She unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself. “It’s beautiful, don’t you think?”
    “It is. You have a hell of a view.”
    Every day she wondered how she’d gotten so lucky, and not just with regard to her office location. She felt the same way when she put on the lapel pin that identified her as a member of Congress. “I sure do.”
    “So,” he said. “I know it’s a bit chilly, but would you like to go grab some lunch?”
    She had a couple of hours before she had to do anything important, and she knew he had a driver so she wouldn’t have to walk in the slush.
    “Are you buying?” she asked.
    “You’re a proud feminist. Aren’t we supposed to go Dutch?”
    “You’re the one with all the cash. Friends with money are supposed to be kind and generous to those who have less.”
    He laughed. “It’s my treat, then.”
    Caroline glanced at the schedule on her phone, even though she had it memorized. “I need to be back for a Judiciary hearing at three.”
    “Not a problem.” Jack had already retrieved her coat, which was draped across the couch in her