The Best of All. Vanessa Miller

beauty and vitality from a woman’s natural hair. But now the hot comb, that was a necessity. She knew that many felt the hot comb damaged the hair, as well. But as long as it was used sparingly, she didn’t see a problem with it. “He asked me out, and I have yet to give him an answer.”

      “Well, now is as good a time as any to give the man an answer,” Ryla said with a finger snap.

      “I can’t do that, Ryla. The man will think I’m awful...to only call on him when I’m in trouble and in need of his help.”

      “But you do need help, Surry. Maybe you need to drop your pride and call this guy,” Danetta admonished.

      “Look at it this way,” Ryla tried. “Even if you’re not interested in dating Ian, he may still be able to help you. I’m not suggesting that you lead him on or anything like that. I just don’t think you should pass up an opportunity to receive the help you need, simply because you’re not interested in him.”

      Who said she wasn’t interested in dating Ian Duncan? If the thought could even be imagined, the man was a much sexier version of the singer Eric Benet. Who wouldn’t want to go out with him? It certainly wasn’t that Surry didn’t want to spend time with him. The problem was that she had neither the time nor inclination to get into a relationship. Her business, her success, came first, second and third. Her life had no room for a man, especially one like Ian Duncan.

      “You both make good points. But you are forgetting that my mother gave me my name for one single reason...so that I would stand on my own and embrace my womanhood.” Surry was short for Sojourner. She’d been named after the former slave turned abolitionist and women’s rights activist. And she had fully embraced Sojourner Truth’s famous “Ain’t I a Woman” speech.

      Ryla rolled her eyes at her friend. “We’re well aware of this crazy man-hater mantra you live by.”

      Ryla and Danetta looked at each other and began reciting in unison the words from the speech Surry loved so much. “I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that?”

      “Hey,” Surry interrupted, her feelings hurt. “My mother helped me memorize that speech word for word. And I have experienced a lot of success by the sweat of my own womanly hands.”

      “Yes, you have, Surry.” Danetta was at her breaking point as she leaned toward her friend and said, “But now you need help, and there’s no shame in that.”

      “Be a woman who is humble and wise enough to know when times have changed, and move with those changes.”

      “Okay, okay, you’re right.... Maybe I do need to give Ian a call.”

      * * *

      Ian Duncan was the hottest ticket in politics at the moment. He’d just finished a television interview with Anderson Cooper on CNN and then didn’t even have time to change his shirt for the ten o’clock interview he had scheduled with Lawrence O’Donnell, the host of The Last Word on MSNBC. Tomorrow he would do it all over again with a few other hosts on radio and television. The recent presidential election had been a big deal, but after that the most pressing question on everyone’s mind had been about the election of the reformed bad boy, Noel Carter.

      Noel had been written off after news broke about his illegitimate child. Even Noel had thought he had a better chance of losing than winning. But Ian always believed in his client, and he’d devised a strategy that enabled Noel to hold a victory party on election night.

      Done with his interviews for the evening, Ian threw off his suit and tie and jumped into the shower. As the hot water assaulted his body, Ian went over his next steps one by one. He had about a half dozen offers on the table from clients interested in working with him. At this point, Ian had to be very selective. He could take only those who fit into his eight-year plan.

      Ian and Noel had been friends since college, so he’d taken the assignment knowing that if he lost, all the planning he’d done would be for naught. Congressional wins were nice, but Ian’s eight-year plan included managing his first presidential campaign. So, from this point on, he wasn’t taking on any more local campaigns. He was looking to run campaigns for senators and governors now. He just had to stay focused and work his plan.

      As he stepped out of the shower and toweled off, Ian tried to turn his mind off work. A good night’s rest was what he needed, but his thoughts quickly drifted to Surry McDaniel. He thought about giving her a call before he went to sleep. It had been two weeks since he asked her out, but he still hadn’t received a response. The girl was definitely playing hard to get, but Ian had patience. From the moment he met Surry, Ian felt a connection. He had to find out more about this woman and he wasn’t prepared to give up. Not just yet.

      Dressed in a ribbed T-shirt and black silk pajamas, he threw back the covers and was about to get into bed when his phone rang.

      He picked up the phone, and a nasally voice on the other end asked, “Is this Mr. Duncan?”

      He sat down on the edge of his bed with the phone against his ear. “I know this is an old joke, but my father is Mr. Duncan. I’m simply Ian.”

      “Well, Ian, I have Governor David Monroe on the line. He would like to speak with you. Do you have a moment?”

      Was this woman kidding? It was widely rumored that the popular North Carolina ex-governor was considering running for president. It was hard to believe, but the 2012 election had wrapped up only two weeks ago, and politicians were already putting out feelers for the next elections.

      Ian certainly hadn’t expected to hear from any presidential candidacy hopefuls—those political elites normally put in calls to his father. To date, Ian had handled mostly local, statewide and national congressional races. But he had every intention of becoming the kingmaker his father was several times over. “Of course I have time to speak with the governor. Please put him through.”

      “Ian, my boy, how’ve you been?” Governor Monroe greeted.

      Ian had met the governor eleven years ago when he was interning for his father. Maybe the governor had reached out to him because he was trying to reconnect with the great Walker Duncan. “I’ve been wonderful, Governor. How have things been for you?”

      “I’ve been working my backside off since I left the governor’s mansion. And to tell you the truth, I’m itching to spend eight years in another mansion that just so happens to be in Washington, D.C.”

      “Are you sure you want to take that on? You’ve been a private citizen for two years now. Can’t you think of anything more fun than running for president of the United States...like getting run over by a bulldozer and spending months in traction for instance?”

      The governor laughed and then confessed, “I’m a political animal through and through. When it’s in your bones, you can’t quit even if you want to.”

      “So, what can I do for you, Governor?”

      “I need a new campaign manager,” Governor Monroe said without beating around the bush.

      Ian wanted to leap, skip, jump and dance. This was it...his chance to prove to his father that he had what it took to be a kingmaker, just like him.

      Governor Monroe was saying, “If you could come out to North Carolina so we can talk, then we could see if we will be a good fit for each other. How about it?”

      “When would you like to meet?”

      “Can you be here on Monday?”

      Ian could be there tomorrow if need be. But he wasn’t about to throw all his cards out just yet. “I’m still finalizing a few things from the last election. Can I give you a call back in the morning to see if I can get there by then?”

      “That works, but I need to know something from you soon. I want to get a jump on this thing.”

      Ian hung up after promising to provide Governor Monroe with a final answer by