Chapter 25
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Jax
NOVEMBER
The week my story broke, I made an agreement with the senator that I would go down to part time until the election. Now that the campaign was ending, Senator Marsden could promote from campaign employees to fill any vacancies left on his DC-based staff. Preston and I decided we wouldn’t ask him about the Buzzfeed article, and he never offered any hints confirming he tipped off Katie. I did catch him reading Wild and Wicked , the first book in my most popular series, on a flight shortly afterward though, so I think it’s safe to assume it was him.
I found a therapist as one of my first acts with my part-time schedule. My tendency to bolt when events created upheaval and the way it related back to the loss of my parents and grandma wasn’t something I should grapple with alone, especially with Preston in my life. He even joined me for a few sessions so we could work on our communication and talk through how my leaving had affected him. I hated knowing it hurt him, and appreciated the opportunity to talk through it with a professional.
Preston and I started referring to each other as partners, instead of fiancés. Even though I moved back in with him, I didn’t put the ring back on. We decided we wanted me to wear the ring because it was right for us, not because we had made an agreement over wine and French food when we barely knew each other. So not quite a Sandy and Ryan level move to keep dating each other, but our own spin on it. We eventually told all his brothers the truth. Hayden took it the hardest. Duncan threatened to make us plan the next service event for BII in “all our spare time.” But when they saw nothing in our relationship changed except a ring, they accepted things and moved on.
Election night arrived on a crisp night in Rhode Island. The energy at our election night party buzzed cautiously optimistic. As the senator predicted, we took a slight hit in the polls after The Dispatch’s story ran. We recovered from it stronger than before after Senator Marsden demolished his opponent in their debate last summer. It honestly wasn’t even fair, and I almost felt for his opponent when I caught him crying in the wings after the event. But then I remembered he called me a hussy for what I wrote, and I got over that in no time.
None of the rest of Preston’s family could make the trip tonight, but that didn’t mean they weren’t making their support known. A group chat had officially been set up for the brothers and their partners. Charlotte and I looked forward to some more non-Brandt energy joining the thread. We were hopeful another addition was right around the corner.
Duncan
My assistant is keeping me up to date and says the exit poll numbers look strong.
Hunter
Seriously, you can’t track that yourself?
Duncan
What else are assistants for?
Hayden
My boss, ladies and gents.
But getting back on track, Char and I have ordered take out and are glued to MSNBC. We keep looking for you guys in the crowd.
Charlotte
I keep looking. Hayden keeps eating.
Spencer
Make sure you give the senator a good luck kiss for me. He looks handsome in his suit.
Preston
Making note to self to get him a restraining order against you before you move to DC.
Jax
I dunno. I think he’s got a shot.
Spencer
Meh, maybe. Maybe not. I think I’ve had enough of the over-controlling type in my life for a while. DC is my oyster. Let the bi boy run free.
Jax
We’ll definitely need to be sure we’re in town for Pride next June.
P reston and I were moving to Massachusetts in January so he could get involved in the local community and launch his campaign in his home state later next year. We found a cute little place in the Sixth Congressional District that had a home office for each of us and allowed pets. Preston adorably thought we were getting a dog, but I knew at heart we’re both cat people. Spencer planned to move into Preston’s studio. We hoped to be able to hang onto it until the election in two years.
“Preston, The Providence Times wants you for a quote about the senator’s speech at the fall festival last week.” Laurel walked over, a headset in one ear and a clipboard in hand.
“Duty calls,” he said, giving me a kiss on the cheek and walking over to the reporter in question, shaking their hand and putting on his politician’s smile. I loved all of his smiles, but that one in particular could make me do anything he wanted. I banned him from using it all but once a week whenever I realized I had done the laundry four weeks in a row.
“So, you ready to sign up for another six years of this?” I gestured at the party with my glass of wine. Laurel looked around thoughtfully.
“I think I am, or at least the start of it. Caitlin’s talking about marriage and kids, but is getting promoted next year. We each want to attempt to carry a child, so I think I’ll go first, knock on wood.” She knocked on the back of her clipboard. “So who knows if I’ll make it the full six years, but I also no longer want to ring the senator’s neck on a daily basis, so maybe I will.”
“Weekly though still, right?” I said conspiratorially.
“Absolutely.” She grinned back. “How are you feeling about the move? Ready for what comes next?”
“I am.” I looked back and forth, making sure no one nearby was paying us any attention. “My agent sold my next book series to a traditional publisher, under my real name. It’s a small-town sapphic cowgirl romance.”
“Jax! That’s amazing. I’m so proud of you, and also want you to send it to me ASAP. But does this mean the paranormal series you were telling me about is dead? Because I so want to read about the alien senator falling in love with a human girl.”
I laughed. “Not dead. We put in the contract I could continue publishing paranormal independently. So don’t worry, you’ll get your alien romance.”
“And if your alien senator happens to look like a senator we love to hate, I won’t be the one to tell him.”
I sipped my drink conspiratorially. There was no telling where inspiration would strike.
Preston rejoined us, slipping his arm around my waist, pulling me back against his chest.
“What are we talking about, ladies?”
“Aliens, romance, senators. The usual,” I answered, gazing up at his handsome face.
“Ah, your books then.” Preston smiled knowingly. Having someone to brainstorm with in person was new, but we were having a lot of fun, too.
Laurel covered the ear not wearing an electronic contraption and tapped the earpiece, listening closely.
“Gotta go. Alien senator, I mean Senator Marsden, wants his dinner before the polls close. And then he wants to see you, Preston, to go over the speeches one last time.” She took off like a shot, dodging people effortlessly, brushing no one in the crowded room.
“Speeches? I thought you only wrote the victory speech?” I looked up at Preston.
“I did.” He looked back at me with that eyebrow waggle I loved so much. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”
I laughed, clasping Preston’s hand around my waist with my free one. “He’s going to be so mad.”
“Nah, I’ll just tell him I knew he wasn’t going to lose. It’ll pump up his ego. Besides, what’s he going to do, fire me?”
I turned and looked him in the eyes, my tone more serious. “How are you? Last speech before it’s your turn. You’ve avoided the question every time I’ve asked for the last week.”
He smiled softly at me. “Earlier this week, I didn’t have an answer for you. Tonight? I’m okay. I’m ready for whatever comes next.”
I stepped into Preston’s arms, stretching up on my tiptoes for a light peck before pulling back to meet his eyes.
“That makes two of us.”