When presidential candidate Jamisen Powell meets volunteer Sarah Lee Pearson, he is shocked to discover her eyes mirror his own. But Sarah was raised by two loving parents and has no questions about her heritage. Instead, after their death, she merely longs to find an extended family. She becomes convinced that Powell could be a distant relative. Powell, on the other hand, has spent twenty-five long years haunted by the memory of a daughter kidnapped from her bed. He suspects Sarah could be his long-lost daughter. As both launch separate covert searches for the truth, Sarah is found by the estranged parents of the man who raised her. Suddenly, the truth will no longer set her free. It could destroy the happy memories of her childhood. Hang on to your seat, and more importantly, hang on to your heart, as one woman discovers the true meaning of family.
U.S. Senator Jamisen Powell walked into the suburban Milwaukee American Legion Hall and stomped his feet. “Damn, it’s snowing out there. I’ll be surprised if anyone shows up.”
Daniel Winters hurried over to him, grinning. “It’s mid-November in Wisconsin, Senator. It snows. But we’re kind of like the post office. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night...” He grinned. “The only thing that would keep people home would be the Packers playing the Bears. And that’s not happening for a few weeks.” He shook the Senator’s hand. “Nice to see you again, Jamie.”
Jamie nodded. “I’m a Patriots fan, myself. Though I wouldn’t mind a Super Bowl battle with the Packers.”
“In that case, you’d be on the losing side, sir.”
Jamie turned to the woman who had spoken and looked directly into a pair of eyes that mirrored his own. Startled, he asked, “And you are?”
“Sarah Pearson, Senator.” She extended her hand.
Jamie tried to cover his shock. My God, she could be my daughter. She looks so much like Anna. And she has my eyes. What the hell? Jamie took her hand and shook it, then hung on. She blushed and he let go.
His campaign manager, Dirk Stevens, who stood beside him, cleared his throat. “Let’s review the agenda, shall we?” he suggested. He nodded at Sarah. “Thanks for your support.” Then he walked away, pulling Jamie by the arm. “No hitting on the hired help, Senator,” he muttered.
“Oh, for crying out loud, Dirk. I wasn’t admiring her tits. I saw a familial resemblance. I was just wondering if she was a relative. God knows, my brother has all sorts of bastards running around. She could my niece.”
Dirk frowned. “Well, I don’t think I need to remind you about the importance of keeping your hands to yourself, Jamie. Better men have been knocked off their pedestals for sins of the flesh.”
Jamie snorted. “Not even a consideration. All I want is to be president. I have no intention of dishonoring my wife.”
When they settled around a table, Winters asked, “Is everything okay, Mr. Powell? For a moment there, you looked like you had seen a ghost.”
Jamie shook his head. “No, it’s just that Ms. Pearson looks familiar. She reminds me of someone.” He shrugged. “You know how it is. They say everyone has a twin in this world, their own doppelgänger.”
Winters nodded. “Perhaps. Slee is one of our stars. National Merit Scholar. Top of her class at Wisconsin. Even spent a year at Oxford. She is becoming quite skilled in international law. We were worried the State Department was going to scoop her up, but for some reason, she turned them down. We are quite proud to have recruited her.”
Still curious, Jamie said, “I am sure her parents are quite proud as well.”
Winters shook his head. “I’m afraid the poor woman has no family. Her parents died when she was a teenager. They couldn’t find any other relatives, and I believe the mill that had employed her parents spared no expense searching for some. Got stuck in foster care for a few years. She never says much about it, but I sense it wasn’t a happy experience.” He frowned. “Can you imagine having your entire family ripped out from under you at such an early age? That girl is quite the survivor.”
“Indeed.” Jamie’s eyes scanned the room, looking for Sarah. He found her chatting with some other volunteers. He studied her. “Why do you call her Slee?”
“Oh, her full name is Sarah Lee. I guess when she was a child, she couldn’t pronounce it, so it came out Slee, and the nickname stuck.”
But Slee could also be a child’s mispronunciation of Sally.
“What is she? Twenty-eight? Twenty-nine?”
“She just celebrated her twenty-ninth birthday,” Winters said. He smiled. “Don’t get any ideas about dragging her off to the White House with you, Jamie. She’s ours.”
She is Sally’s age. Jamie’s gaze did not leave her. It has to be a coincidence. He forced himself to look away. Get your head back in the game, Powell. He turned to Dirk. “Let’s review my remarks, then I’ll mingle with the volunteers a bit. Get them motivated.”
People Also Bought:
