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He pauses, the compliment ringing unfamiliar ( as of late, anyhow ) and Hal's lips curve upwards into a smile as his head cocks slightly to the left. "Why, I didn't think you'd notice, Mrs. Wyler." drawls back. He'll take the good days when they come. "You don't look too shabby yourself." and he'll offer her his arm.

"Are you ready to rule the world simply by stunning everyone in that red dress?"

It's not one of Kate's...favorite activities, to put it lightly, ( well, anything that required her to talk to large groups of people in a slightly social setting would qualify ) but the Fourth of July bash was and had always been a big bash that was good for publicity. And, as diplomat and...a strong runner for Vice-President...

He stops pacing, phone held to his ear as he hears a lack of noise that wouldn't usually bother him. Except... Kate was supposed to be at a party, and even if she had seen his call, she wouldn't have been able to step out that quickly. It's not something then that he mentions, but he files it away, casually, as if he would revisit it when the time was right.

The words that he was about to say pause at the tip of his tongue and seem to fail him for a brief second, but he recovers. He always recovers, because the alternative was that it would mean that Hal Wyler was at a loss of words, and even in front of his own wife, that wouldn't do.

" --- I hope you're behaving yourself, Katie." He finally says, glancing out the window of the estate. "I know parties aren't your forte, but you know how important this is." He pauses, and Hal can almost see the set of her jaw, grinding down against teeth and everything she wants to snipe at him. She'd do it probably anyways, but Hal has the luxury of nobody around.

"Listen, I won't be home when you come back. I'm taking a flight to DC in a few hours. Can't say much more than that, but ---..." he pauses, was that a rustle of bedsheets?

" --- I'll be back across the pond in two days. Doctors cleared me for the trip." A lie. He hadn't been cleared, hadn't even mentioned it, but last minute trips often meant having to bypass other ...bureacacy, and if there was anything Hal was good at, was navigating around red lines.

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" I can't show up to a government building like I'd come from a RUN. " he rolls his eyes as though it were obvious. he peels the hem of his metallica t-shirt up and over his head, tossing it into the back of his car in exchange for a button up he kept hanging in the backseat. for emergency situations like being called in to consult. "... avert your eyes if you'd like? i don't care. "

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He looked at her for a moment. Mirth crossing his features for a second as he considered whether to tell her his honest truth or keep it to himself. Many years ago, Jared might have believed in change at all costs. The years of being an attorney however made him come to terms with reality the harsh way. People are only able to change if they truly want to.

"I shall hope so." he said eventually. Moving his wine glass to his lips. "Why do you ask? Need me to show someone the courthouse from the inside?"