He chuckles. “I’m not done writing it yet. Been kinda busy the past ten years.” His smile fades and he lightly clinks glasses with me. “To steady nerves and the patience of Job.”
“I’ll drink to that.” I take a sip. I’m not much of a drinker, but Leo and Elliot have taught me the finer art of sipping spirits, and this one is extremely smooth.
Kev settles in. “How you feeling?”
I lean back in my chair. “Between us?”
“Always. Being POTUS is the second-loneliest job in the world. Want to know what the loneliest is?”
“Owning a president?”
He raises his glass to me. “See? You’re a smart man. You got this. And yes, any time you need an ear, you can always count on me for counsel and confidentiality. So. Howareyou feeling?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“That’s not surprising.” He takes a sip. “You really love him though, don’t you? I don’t mean as a friend—I mean the way you love Leo.”
I slowly nod. “Yeah. This gotwaymore than complicated.”
How did I even get here? Eight years ago, I was a grad student given the opportunity of a lifetime. A complete innocent when it came to the greater world at large.
And now…
Now, I’m an experienced, cut-throat DC political operative who puts the most powerful man in the world on his knees and fuckshisthroat.
Take that, Mom and Dad.
I swirl my glass under my nose and inhale the sharp, sweet aroma. This isreallygood whisky.
It feels a shame to waste it on…
Well,me.
Kev’s studying me. “Leo’s proud as hell of you guys.”
A familiar swell of melancholy rolls through me. “He’s the one who should be doing this job.”
Kev cocks his head. “Why do you say that?”
“Do I need to spell it out? He’s our owner. He’s once again relegated to the sidelines. If he was here, he’d finally get to spend the time with Elliot that he deserves.” I realize I’ve reached up and touched my daith while talking. I do that a lot.
“He couldn’t do as good a job as you are.”
I scoff at that. “Uh, he’s got over eight years on the job as a presidential body man. I think he’s got alotmore experience than me.”
“WithShae, yes.Youknowyourboy better than Leo does. For starters, you’ve spent more time with him.”
“But Leo’s been in a relationship with him longer.”
Kev shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter. YouknowElliot better. Don’t kid yourself—Elliot totally belongs to you. Or, he belongs to youfirst. Never forget that the heart’s not a finite pie. Just like I ended up knowing Shae better in more ways than Chris despite their years together. Yourjobis to know Elliot better than Leo does. I see the way Elliot looks at you, and heneedsyou. Doesn’t mean you both don’t love Leo—I know you do. But like Shae’smygirl, Elliot isyourboy.”
Part of me knows he’s right, and part of me hates to hear it spoken by someone else.
Because it means I’m stuck in this job, and not only because I gave Elliot my word.
But because I couldn’t bear to leave him to the mercy of someone else. Especially knowing what I know about him and how he feels about me. No matter how difficult and ugly this job gets, I’m here for the duration.
Unless I have to sacrifice myself for him.
