“What do we have to talk about?” he asked, nuzzling her neck. “I’m not usually a talk-first kind of guy.”

Liz pressed her hands on the front of his tux. “I know, but I think we should.”

“You’ve been teasing me all night and you’d rather talk?” he asked seriously.

“Rather talk? No. Need to talk? Yes.”

He dropped his hands from her zipper and nodded. “All right. Are you okay? Did something happen?”

“Well, kind of. I just . . . wanted to tell you in person,” she said, walking over to the couch and taking a seat. He sat next to her with a concerned look on his face. “I lost my job offer from the New York Times.”

“What?” he asked. “When? How did that happen?”

“It happened Tuesday after the article ran about Erin.”

“Tuesday,” he said numbly.

“Yes. I, um . . . I really wanted to tell you,” Liz tried to explain. “Nancy, my contact at the paper, called and said that they could have overlooked our relationship and they wanted to see if it would all blow over. But then when more and more information came out, she couldn’t fight her superiors. They had to cut me loose.”

Brady ran his hands back through his hair. “Cut you loose. They cut you loose because . . . of me.”

“Well, because of Erin.”

He gave her a pointed look. “Erin is because of me. I’ve ruined everything for you. You left me for my career to begin with, and now that we’re together I’ve destroyed yours. You’re not working for the UNC paper and you no longer have the Times. That’s the equivalent of my losing the campaign.” Even saying that seemed to pain him.

“Look, it’s not your fault. I chose this, Brady. I chose you. We both knew what could happen.”

“Yeah, but, Liz . . . your dreams of becoming a political journalist. I took you to the White House briefing room yesterday. If I’d known . . .”

“I still would have wanted you to take me.” She took his hand in hers. “Dreams can change, anyway. My mentor is looking to get me into graduate programs’ late admittance. I’m going to apply to some online columnist positions. I’ll be okay.”

“I know plenty of people who could help.”

Liz cringed. “I was afraid you might say that.”

“Why do you look like that’s the worst thing I could say?”

“I know the business is who you know rather than what you know, but I want to make it on my own merit.”

“Liz,” he groaned. “I’ve destroyed your chance at the New York Times; you can at least oblige me the chance to help fix it.”

“This is why I didn’t tell you over the phone. I want to do this on my own, prove it to myself. Professor Mires encouraged me to take this in stride, and said that sometimes one closed door means another one opens. As much as I appreciate your help and know it’s coming from a good place, I want to open my own door.”

“Okay, but if doors remain closed, you’ll let me help?” he pleaded. “At least promise me that. I want to help.”

“All right. If nothing works out, then we’ll try it your way.”

She hoped that time would never come.

Chapter 13

MAKING AMENDS

Liz spent the next three weeks working away on her final term paper for her internship and managed to get it to Professor Mires on the Friday before spring break. She hoped it was everything that she expected of her, but turning in a first draft always made her anxious.

Professor Mires thumbed through the large document and nodded her head. “This looks great. I’ll read through it over spring break and get it back to you on Tuesday during class.”

“Sounds good. Thank you,” Liz said with a smile. “Have you heard anything from your graduate school contacts?”

“Ah, yes,” she said, standing and rifling through some paperwork. “Here are a list of places that you should apply. They’ll be looking out for your application. I would recommend including the project that you presented at the colloquium last spring as your writing sample. It was superb.”

Liz took the list and scanned it. Five places. Out of all the graduate programs she was down to five choices, and that was only if they accepted her late admittance. Missouri, Northwestern, Columbia, Maryland, and American University. At least two of them were in or near D.C.; that wasn’t terrible odds.

Brady flew her to D.C. for the week of spring break, since she didn’t have to be in New York City for her internship. As disappointed as she was about not working with the New York Times, it was a dream to spend an entire week with Brady. No interruptions. No rushed meetings. No secrets whatsoever. Just the two of them together every second they could be.

She got to see his office and meet the staff. Heather actually managed to act like a normal human being, even though it was clear that they were still on rocky ground. Elliott took her on a tour of the Rayburn building, where Brady’s office was located. Liz and Elliott joked and laughed while they wandered down the plethora of corridors.

She and Brady had lunch on the steps of the Capitol building. He took her to fancy restaurants and dive bars and rooftop parties. He took her on a tour of old cemeteries. She insisted on peeking in at Hayden’s sister, Jamie’s, latest artwork and sighed in relief when she wasn’t there. They snuggled in bed and watched bad movies over Chinese food. She fell asleep in his lap while he read on his iPad.

And they had sex. Lots of incredible sex. Nearly every morning and every night until her body was sore and satiated. If that was even possible with Brady Maxwell.

The next two months were a wonderful haze of Brady. They fell into an easy routine where every weekend he would fly down to Chapel Hill or she would fly up to D.C. Liz focused on her graduate school applications and the articles she was writing for fun on the side that she had submitted to a few online columns. She also started up regular tennis sessions with Easton. It made her feel better about having so much extra time and kept up her stamina, which she needed when it came to Brady.

Soon she was closing her booklet on her last final exam in her college career. She felt a little sentimental turning it in to her professor and walking out the doors. Campus was quiet. She had one of the last exams of the day, though there were still a few days left in the exam schedule.