Epilogue One

Everett lets out a sigh. "This is so expensive," he mutters while reclining in his chair. We're seated in Georgetown's student center, papers strewn over our table and both our laptops open. It's been three hours and we've both come to a similar conclusion: We have no clue how to get someone—Everett in particular—elected to congress without spending a hefty portion of his trust fund.

"Well, it's a good thing you're super fucking rich," I mention.

He sighs again before tossing his pen onto the table. "Campaign budgets are public. If I lose, people are going to see how much I wasted."

"So, don't lose and it won't be a waste," I counter.

"Your strategic mind is unmatched," he drones, sardonic as usual. "Have I mentioned how much I regret making you my campaign manager?"

"I've never let you down. Remember how I got you elected student body president at Princeton? You owe me your firstborn child."

In typical Everett Logan fashion, he doesn't react. "You're lucky your girlfriend just walked in, or I'd be reminding you that you slept with a girl in every residential college during election week so they'd all spread the good word about me."

"Go for it. She likes that I'm slutty," I reply, shrugging.

Just then, Valeria's arms wrap around me from behind and she plants a kiss on my cheek. "Morning!" she chirps. She places a coffee in front of me, not a PSL, but one of those butterscotch brulée lattes, which I've been calling a BBL, but it hasn't caught on.

Everett gets a coffee too: "An almond milk toffee nut mocha for our vegan king," Cora announces, passing him his favorite.

He glances up at her, his expression stony, before he mumbles a halfhearted thanks.

I scoff. "Ev, she literally got your exact order and the best you can do is mumble?"

"I'm used to it," Cora replies, waving her hand over him. "Everett can't be seen in public with me. It'll derail his path to the White House."

Alyssa, looking too elegant for a college student center, now occupies the chair next to me. "Such a picturesque campus," she mentions. "Valeria showed me Healy Hall. Have you seen it? The clock tower reminds me so much of Nassau Hall at Princeton. First time I slept with Dalton's father was in Nassau Hall. We had to break in after hours. That should have been a red flag right there, but I was nineteen."

Everett's eyebrows are sky high. He holds up his phone. "Alyssa, can you please repeat that story for the camera? I need to save it and use it to harass Dalton."

She actually does it—like a fucking boss—before she rises and pushes in her chair.

"Well, this was so lovely. I appreciate you girls letting me tag along. I had to get out of the house. It's like a pharaoh's tomb for my soon-to-be-ex-husband." She rolls her eyes. "So, what do you all have planned for the rest of the afternoon?"

"Practice LSAT and then I'm streaming later tonight," Valeria answers.

"Lovely!" Alyssa remarks, giving Valeria's shoulder a squeeze. "Anything special planned for your stream?"

Valeria shakes her head. "Glass dildo. Nothing wild. I'm trying to keep it simple."

"Makes sense. And you?" she asks me.

"Watching," I admit. "And continuing my quest to catch up on all the television I missed while working nonstop for the last four years."

"Unemployment suits you so well, Lander," Alyssa says, nodding with approval. "But I'm glad you're helping Everett with his campaign. As someone who has never worked, trust me: It gets old."

"Ev and I are having fun," I reply.

"Fun?" Everett questions, nearly sputtering. "This is the first time the incumbent DC congresswoman isn't running for reelection in three decades. Lander, this is a matter of political unrest, not fun."

"The fact that you don't smoke weed is so off-brand," Cora chimes in, surveying Everett up and down. "Nobody loves plants more than you, and nobody needs it more than you."

Everett's eyebrow shoots up. "Don't get me wrong. If I weren't running a campaign, I'd be stoned off my ass right now."

Alyssa laughs and pinches his cheek. "Well, I'm off, my loves. Meeting up with my son. He's giving me the privilege of watching him edit an Excel spreadsheet for the next two hours. Generous, no? And last time we did this, that cute little blond showed up. Essie. Apparently, she wants to be an investment banker, and for reasons I simply can't understand, my son has eagerly taken her under his wing. Gosh, I wonder what that's all about." She winks before she kisses all of our cheeks. "Ciao!"

Valeria watches Alyssa depart. "I love her."

"Yep," Everett and I say in unison. Everyone does.

"Hey, thanks for babysitting Pierre while we're in Iceland," Valeria mentions, facing Everett. "You're our hero. Did you know Lander booked a guide to take us to see the aurora borealis?"

"Anytime. Although, I'm curious why you didn't ask Dalton to dog sit," Everett replies. "He's literally the human version of a golden retriever."

"Precisely why I don't trust him to babysit my puppy," I explain. "You're our most responsible friend. And if anything goes wrong, Cora is on the other side of the wall."

"Delightful," Everett mutters.

Cora rolls her eyes. "Well, as much as I'd love to stay and be disrespected by a nepo baby, I have to run." She rises and pushes in her chair. "I'm getting a fourchette."

I have no clue what that means, but Valeria lets out an excited squeal. "Finally!"

Likewise, Everett's face is in a tight frown, which Cora spots like a sniper. She taps the tip of his nose. "Google it," she says before spinning on her heel and leaving.

"Are you going to look it up?" Valeria asks Everett, who pretends not to watch Cora the entire time she walks away. "Bet you'd like it."

"I'd rather show my asshole on a livestream," Everett retorts.

I let out a scoff. "Honestly, Ev? You'd make a lot of money."

That night, I watch my girlfriend fuck herself with a glass dildo. As I watch her come, I'm so proud of her. She beams the whole time, genuine and satisfied, and even if only one person were watching and enjoying her performance, her happiness would be worth it. As it is, hundreds of people are watching, and the chat is going wild. I send her a private message: I love you.

When she's done, she comes out to the living room and asks, "Where's my tip?" before folding her arms.

I chuckle. "Baby, I'm unemployed."

Valeria cocks a brow before she snaps her fingers and points at the floor. "Knees."

I do as she says, sliding off the couch and getting on my knees in the living room of her condo—well, our condo now that I've sold my old place to Cora and moved into Valeria's. "Coincidentally, this was my next move," I inform her when I'm kneeling in front of her.

She places both hands on my cheeks and tilts my face. "Oh?"

"And I lied. I do have a tip for you tonight."

She's still mid-frown when I remove the ring box from my pocket. Immediately, her expression shifts to surprise—even though she shouldn't be surprised. She knew this was coming. She's known for a while.

"The smartest person I know once told me that being with a lawyer was a horrible idea, but I want to take my chances," I say as I peel open the velvet box. "Five months ago, you saved me. When I read that alert, I realized I had nothing to be proud of and nothing to miss. I was lost and I never noticed because I had done such a good job sticking to the plan. Fuck plans though. All that matters is having a partner who can help you take on anything. No puedo vivir sin ti. No quiero vivir sin ti."

Valeria's jaw lowers as she looks down at the ring, and the little curve I love so damn much starts at the corner of her mouth. Within seconds, it's a full-on, beaming smile.

And finally, I utter the two words I've wanted to say since the night I thought I was going to die: "Marry me?"