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lips prickled by his leathery skin. “You could teach David Rodgers a thing or two about charisma.”
    They spent the next hour sitting quietly, enjoying their time together.
    ***
    As promised, David Rodgers arrived at the White Stallion Ranch at eleven thirty a.m. He was wearing an olive-green suit and a “Save the Children” tie covered with smiling little faces. After perfunctory greetings, Maria served lunch. Afterward, Kate and Rodgers retired to the den. Out of respect, they asked Trevor if he’d like to partake in the meeting, but in spite of his sore back, he opted to saddle up Breezy, his favorite filly, for a ride around the fifty-acre ranch.
    Kate felt like she was jumping out of her skin. It was as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room and drawing a breath was impossible. She wanted to believe that the uneasiness resulted from the pot of coffee she’d drunk, but she couldn’t deny that Rodgers gave her the jitters. The den, of course, didn’t help. The room exemplified her father’s propensity for big-game hunting. There were stuffed trophies everywhere: a moose head over the doorway, two elks above the brick fireplace, a life-size grizzly baring his teeth.
    To add to her discomfort, she’d forgotten to pack a business suit and was forced to wear jeans, cowboy boots, and a flannel shirt. Western wear had always been her favorite attire, but she felt out of place sitting across from a formally dressed presidential candidate looking like Annie Oakley’s great-granddaughter.
    Kate decided that the only way to approach Rodgers was head-on. “So, David, explain to me in detail why you’ve asked me to be your running mate.”
    He cleared his throat several times, and she sensed that the question caught him off guard. His green eyes were haunted by some inner anxiety. “You’re the best choice, Kate.”
    “Come on, David, an orator like you can do better than that.” She knew his primary motivation but hoped he’d be honest enough to admit it.
    “When you were elected to the city council in Topeka, you went against the grain. Got things done. Spearheaded revolutionary legislation. People noticed. I knew it wouldn’t be long before you were asked to run for governor. And you’ve done an extraordinary job in Kansas, but it’s time for you to set your sights higher. Kate, I need a pragmatic running mate. Someone capable of being my right arm, yet independent enough to make things happen. A vice president who stands in the shadows and treads water isn’t going to work for me. I want a partner with a backbone, with a roll-up-your-sleeves, get-the-job-done attitude. Doesn’t that describe you, Kate?”
    Her record had been well documented. Not only had Kate shocked the disbelievers by fulfilling all of her campaign promises, but she also instituted the Back-to-Work program, which granted private corporations substantial tax incentives for hiring and retraining displaced workers. As a result, several major corporations relocated to Kansas. In office for only two years, she had decreased Kansas unemployment from 11 percent to less than 6 percent, the third-lowest rate in the country, while increasing revenues 13 percent. Her face had adorned the covers of
Newsweek
and
Time
.
    She knew she’d done a good job and appreciated that he recognized her accomplishments, but he was still cleverly avoiding the central issue. “OK, we both know that I’m a terrific governor. But I can think of at least ten people more qualified than I for the VP nomination. Why am I in front of the pack, David?”
    He loosened his tie, unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, and sat forward in the chair. “It’s a new century, Kate. Being a woman is a powerful attribute.”
    “So my
gender
is more important than my qualifications?”
    “No, Kate, you’re political qualifications
are
essential—”
    “Admit it, David. If I were a man with the same track record, I wouldn’t make the cut, would I?”
    He smiled