Mr. Elwood and Jaxson were at a table near bay windows that stretched to the ceiling, cuddled up and in conversation when we arrived, and as soon as they saw me, they stopped whatever they were saying. I flushed in shame and slid into the booth, taking the seat closest to the windows, while JP got in after me.
My gaze immediately dropped to the array of hot sauces, salt-and-pepper shakers, and a menu in the middle of the table. The cardboard menu was crooked on its stand and the shakers in disarray to the point that my hands shot out before I knew what I was doing, fixing up the centerpiece until the cardboard was straight once more and the shakers were sitting together in front of the menu. The green hot sauce simply had to be on the left, so I put it there and then decided the orange one shouldn’t be beside it and slid it to the end. Green, red, orange. I tapped the table happily when I was done and glanced up to see both Mr. Elwood and Jaxson staring at me curiously.
“They were messy. If a business wants to make a good impression, it needs to be clean and organized.”
They blinked a few times before Mr. Elwood shrugged and turned to JP. “We have another issue. The media is back to crucifying Ross again.”
JP sighed and leaned forward. “What about this time?”
Jaxson grabbed the menu I’d just straightened and opened it to read. I watched him, not sure if I should have been listening to the conversation. I didn’t know if JP wanted me to be invisible or not, but Jaxson didn’t seem to be interested, or maybe he’d already given his opinion to Mr. Elwood. They probably talked a lot. What would it be like to come home to somebody to talk about your day with?
“They had opinions on the upcoming budget. Ross allocated funds away from the police department to sanitation services and a few other community programs. It wasn’t much, but you know how people are. Any change can be picked apart. We need to find a way to get him in the spotlight again, this time with something positive. Fucking vultures.” Mr. Elwood kissed Jaxson’s cheek, and Jaxson smiled in response. “Jax suggested we spend some money on the public schools, get them some more equipment.”
“That could work,” JP said with a nod. “It would certainly win favors with the family oriented voters.”
“I’m not sure it’ll make an impact,” Jaxson said as he passed the menu to Mr. Elwood. “We need something big, something that’ll make the media turn their heads toward us and bring all their nice cameras.”
“What about charities?” I didn’t even realize it was me who had spoken until they all turned curious eyes on me. Swallowing around my nerves, I raised my chin. “Charities always look good.”
“Eh, charities have been done before. That’s not anythingnew, and the media will see through it,” Mr. Elwood grumbled, before he muttered something about getting chimichangas.
I glanced at JP for permission to speak up, and even though he frowned at me, he understood enough to nod in encouragement for me to continue. I took a deep, steadying breath. “Not the charity I’m thinking about. The mayor has been supportive of your relationship, right? More than supportive, he’s been an advocate for LGBTQ rights since it came out that you were engaged to a man, and that’s earned him a reputation as a human rights advocate. Not long ago, people praised him for being your supporter.”
Mr. Elwood leaned back into the seat and crossed his arms. “No thanks to you.”
I winced but continued, “Give the people what they want to see, and actually do something while he’s trying to gain favor with the media. There’s a new LGBTQ shelter opening on the southside for young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five who’ve been kicked out of their homes because of their sexuality or gender identity. They’ve been pleading for funding from businesses around New Gothenburg. Helpthem.”
Mr. Elwood stroked his chin. “I’m listening.”
JP smiled at me in encouragement and it gave me the confidence to continue.
“If the mayor directs funding resources to A Home for the Heart, he’ll look like an even bigger advocate of the LGBTQ community. Did you know that New Gothenburg has one of the biggest gay communities in America?”
“I did not,” Mr. Elwood said in surprise. Even Jaxson seemed to be paying attention to me.
“Well, we do. Trust me when I say that by putting money to this cause, Mayor Midberry will get some loyal voters. He’s already proved he cares by supporting you. This won’t just be seen as a cheap media ploy, at least not to everyone.” Each word I said upped my confidence. Squaring my shoulders, everything I’d learned at college came back to me. It didn’t matter that I’d failed a single class, I’d always been better at actually doing the job than the essays. “It’ll help someone who’ll use the money for good, and it’ll give the mayor the positive media he needs.”
Jaxson sighed and nodded. “It’s a decent idea. He’s right about the LGBTQ community in New Gothenburg. It makes up a sizeable number of the voters who volunteer during campaign season, and they did spin Ross into a good light when he came out supporting you.”
Mr. Elwood hummed and then smirked. “All right, we’re helping A Home for the Heart.”
I grinned in triumph and tilted my head slightly to glance at JP. He was smiling proudly in a way that had my heart racing and my skin hot. I wanted to reach over and touch him, but I couldn’t, and had to shove my hands in my lap instead.
“Here, read the menu and decide what you want, Kalinski. I still don’t like you, but I’ll buy lunch for that suggestion,” Mr. Elwood grumbled.
I nodded furiously. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
11
JP
Brushing a hand along the side of my black wool waistcoat, held closed with silver hook clasps rather than buttons, I examined myself as I turned to the side in front of the bathroom mirror, then took a step back to bring more of my body into view. The material darted in just enough to make me look refined and not sloppy. I’d paired the waistcoat with an almost sheer black long-sleeved shirt that clung to my muscles, and since I wasn’t going to Triple X tonight to play, I’d stuck with what I considered a modest pair of gray leather pants. They clung to my thighs but didn’t scream “fuck me.” The black leather boots I had on were simple, though they nearly hit my knees. I wasn’t sure why I wanted to look good tonight, or at least I refused to allow myself to think about it. My original plan had been to drop Max at the front door.
I couldn’t bring myself to leave him at the club alone.
Fumbling with the medicine cabinet, I opened it so I wouldn’t have to look at my face anymore. I paused, hand in midair, when I went to grab for my cologne but toothpaste sat in its usual spot. Max had been in here, too. It was like he couldn’t stand the idea of unorganized nooks and crannies in my house. God help me when he discovered the library. I hadn’t shown him that room yet—one of the turrets at the back of the house—mostly because it was freezing in winter. I had no doubt he’d be in there for weeks once he discovered it. I’d shoved my books on shelves when I moved in and left it at that.
The three colognes I usually wore were arranged in alphabetical order, and everything else in the cabinet had been moved around and was in some type of organization only known to Max. I chose a scent at random and spritzed myself, putting it back in the same spot quickly. I closed the mirrored cabinet door, and then there I was again, tense and scowling. My auburn hair was brushed back but longer than I usually kept it, so that the waves curled below my ears. I tried out a smile on myself and it didn’t look right.
