But all of thathadhappened, and I’d been a willing participant.
“Anyway,” she said, not quite meeting my eyes. “I just wanted to say how cool it is that you two are together.” She turned to address Taylor. “And I wanted you to know I love the Marauders. I try to go to your games as often as I can.”
“Ah. So you’re one of our fifty fans,” Taylor joked, flashing her a self-deprecating grin while he rubbed slow circles over my back, a silent gesture of support in what was otherwise a terribly awkward situation.
“Guilty,” Maya muttered, gesturing somewhere over her shoulder. “Anyway, I’m just going to …” She walked away without finishing her sentence, shaking her head.
“That was …”
“It was.” I agreed with a beleaguered sigh. “Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long for someone to call out the elephant in the room. I’ve been expecting it.”
“You okay?” He asked, searching my face.
I nodded, stepping aside to let two junior staffers pass by. “I would have preferred for Wyatt to keep me out of it, but what’s done is done. All I can do now is move forward.”
By eleven o’clock,Kendra’s five-point lead had compressed to just one point, and the suite had dropped into near silence. Taylor was settled into a chair beside mine, his knee pressing lightly against my leg.
David was on his third call of the hour when the chyron updated.
Everything happened fast after that—the percentage ticking up, the margin holding, the anchor on screen turning to her co-host with a posture that meant they were about to project the winner.
The room erupted before she’d gotten out the full statement.
We’d done it.
We’d fucking done it.
I shot up from my chair and, without taking even a second to question what I was doing, pulled Taylor into my arms and kissed him deeply.
He went stiff for a half second, and then his hands speared into my hair, and he kissed me back with everything he had.
Eventually, I pulled back and stared down at his shining hazel eyes. The room was pure chaos, everyone shouting at once, champagne corks hitting the ceiling. I couldn’t hear a word Taylor was saying, but I could read every one of themon his lips. How proud he was. What an amazing job I’d done. That he was so glad I’d taken this job. That he was so happy I’d stayed.
I knew I should go to Kendra, congratulate her, and confirm the details of her victory speech, but I’d read through it so many times I could recite it by heart myself. Besides, David was already there, pressing a stack of three-by-five cards into her hand as Gerald guided her toward the door, her face nuzzled into his shoulder, Maya trailing after them with tears streaming down her face.
Taylor and I were among the last to leave.
His tie was gone, the top button of his dress shirt undone as we crossed the lobby toward the exit and out the revolving door. I was in the middle of recounting something one of the volunteers had told me concerning gossip she’d heard out of Merrick’s campaign when a man stepped out of the shadows.
“Sebastian Carruthers?”
“Sorry," I said, not paying him much attention. "I’m heading home. Call my office if you want an interview.”
I turned in the direction of the parking garage, Taylor at my side.
“Brent Cochran,The Boston Enquirer," he said, undeterred by the brush off, an oily smile slipping into place as he walked briskly at my side, his phone shoved in my face. “Congratulations on Senator-elect Bancroft’s win, but I want to ask you about Senator Hastings.”
“No comment,” I stated, picking up my pace.
“You must have some thoughts about his announcement earlier this week.”
“I wish Senator Hastings well in his campaign.” I dodged an icy patch on the brick sidewalk.
“There’s been quite a lot of speculation about the nature of your relationship with Senator Hastings, particularly given thatyou left D.C. right around the time that he and Celine Whitcomb married.”
Taylor growled and stepped between Cochran and me.
“No, it’s okay,” I murmured, gripping his arm.
