Logan’s hands disappear into his pockets. From his stance, Iseea younger George. Shoulders back, head up as he appraises me. “How long has this been going on?” he asks.
“Late January,” George says. “For all the reasons I’m sure Casey already went over with you about why you need to keep Aussie’s secret for her, add to that the filing deadline is a week from tomorrow, and I still don’t have a GOP challenger. If this comes out before then, I’m liable to be turfed.
“The primary is in August, and the general is in November. We can take a breather after that and sit down and talk then. I don’t think it’s asking too much of you to protect our privacy. I had to mourn your mother in public. I’ve always tried to shield the three of you as much as possible from politics and from being the focus of attention. That’s why I haven’t let you guys stump for me this time.
“But ifanyof this comes out, Declan and Casey could both get into trouble and I’d be forced to fire them. If the General Assembly didn’t try to recall me. Ineedboth of them to do my job. Iliterallycannot do this without them. I don’t only mean professionally. I mean…everything.”
When I look up, he’s brushing away tears. “I know this is out of left field. I know it probably doesn’t make sense to you, and Igetit. Hell, Declan and I arestilltrying to figure out how we got here, or what happens next. We just want our privacy while we do. I also want a chance to do all the things Mom wanted to help me do in office, much of which I haven’t been able to start yet because I had to take over in the middle of a term, and the circumstances. It was all I could do to get out of bed and make myself keep…living. And I didn’t have her to help me.”
He sniffles and looks down at me, then over at Casey. “They wouldn’t let me give up. They never gave up on me. They helped keep me moving forward, carrying me, even, when I didn’t think I could survive another day. Until one day, I realized I wanted to keep living. Then I opened my eyes and realized my will to live had returned.”
His gaze falls on me as he says that. “Neither of us expected this. Aunt Case sort of gave us a shove together.” I have to smile at that. “But it’s working for us, so I’m not going to question that part of it.”
He looks at his sons. “And I love Declan.”
I tip my head onto his shoulder and close my eyes against the prickle of tears hitting me. “Love you, too,” I whisper.
Fuckingterrified. That’s what I feel right now.
George squeezes my shoulder again and nuzzles the top of my head, kissing me there.
“What happens after the general election?” Ryder asks him. “Do you go public then?”
“I don’t know,” George says. “We’re taking this a day at a time. But once we go public, if I’m still in office, Declan will have to resign, and Ineedhim right now. We’ve got a lot of real estate between now and November, and I don’t have anyone on my staff who can replace him. I trust him.
“I also know he cares about you guys. He’s not after my money, or after a free ride. He’s got his own career andliterallyturned down a half-mil a year guaranteed salary to keep working for me. We’re not rushing into anything. Which is why we need the privacy even more. Our relationship will be a distraction and make it nearly impossible to do what I need to do to run this state.”
I force my eyes open again even though my head is still tipped onto his shoulder.
I can’t interpret Logan or Ryder’s expressions.
Aussie finally sighs. “Look, if I’m okay with this, you guys should be, too,” she says. “Dad does seem…happier.” She looks at me and smiles. “I’m just not calling Declan ‘Dad.’”
“Greatly appreciated,” I joke.
Ryder laughs first, and Logan thaws a moment later.
The boys both step in, and George and Casey nudge me forward to hug them.
“Congratulations,” Logan says. “I don’t… I don’tgetit, but if Dad’s happy, that’s what counts.”
“Yeah,” Ryder says. “That.”
“Thanks,” I say. I swallow back nervous tears trying to break free. “That means a lot to me. I swear I love him. Really.”
“He does,” Casey adds. “You guys know how I am. If I thought he was playing your dad, they’d never find his body.” She wears a fond smile as she ruffles my hair.
A scowl furrows Logan’s brow. “I thought you and Dad were involved with each other, Aunt Case. So, you’re not?”
“No,” Aussie says. “I thought Aunt Case and Declan were dating.”
“Well, nowI’mlost,” Ryder says. “I didn’t think either of those things. I guess I’m fricking clueless.”
“You’realwaysclueless, dumbass,” Logan teases.
Ryder gives him a playful shove.
George is looking at Casey now. “It’s…complicated. Can we just leave it all at that?” Then he kisses me, brushing his lips across mine. “Everyone’s getting what they want and need, and that’s all that matters. That, and our privacy. Are we good?”
