“But . . .” she said, cutting Liz off. “He is happier.”

Liz beamed. She made Brady happier. She wasn’t sure Heather could have said anything that would have made her feel better in that moment.

“He’s not happier with me, mind you. And even I can objectively admit that your speeches are good. I read the draft you gave him of his acceptance speech for the primary.” Heather cut her eyes back to Liz. “It’s solid.”

“Thank you,” Liz said, a little shocked.

“The only problem with that is that you can’t fuck up now.”

“I didn’t plan on it,” she said stiffly.

“If you hurt him, if you break him, if you make him forget what is important, then you’ve ruined a brilliant and driven man. Just remember that.”

Well, it seemed the old Heather still existed.

“I’d never do that.”

“Intentionally. Now don’t do it unintentionally either. Prove to me that you’re not going anywhere,” she said before turning and walking to the event planner.

“How pleasant,” Liz muttered under her breath.

“Ready to go, baby?” Brady asked. He extended his arm and she placed her hand on his elbow.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

They walked through the double doors into the massive ballroom decorated in black and gold. A group of people waited at the entrance to greet them. And then came the almost endless number of pictures. Liz was introduced to person after person she was sure to never remember. Only a few faces were familiar from previous events, and even then she wasn’t sure she remembered all of their names.

Barbara, whom she had met at the Jefferson-Jackson gala, was there and hugged her as if they were old friends. Liz promised to find her later to talk about the education for underprivileged children that they had discussed earlier in the summer. Apparently Barbara had thought it a great idea and wanted to help. Liz was a bit floored by it, but Brady just whispered how important and charming Liz was and then they moved on.

Finally at the end of the entrance line was Brady’s family, with Clay noticeably absent. Marilyn gave her a firm hug. “You’re doing great,” she said discreetly, then pulled back to observe her for the cameras. “You look lovely, dear.”

“Thank you,” Liz said graciously.

Savannah was in a strapless gold number in a silky material that hung on her frame as if she were a runway model. They hugged and Liz realized how much she had missed her. They hadn’t been around each other much since Hilton Head. Liz had never had a chance to ask her about what had happened with Lucas, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to admit to having even witnessed it.

“We should hang out more,” Savannah said with a laugh.

“I know. I feel like we’ve been together but apart all summer.”

“Agreed.”

“Is Easton here?” Liz asked, glancing around.

“No. He went home for the summer after he left Hilton Head.”

“That sucks.” Or maybe it didn’t. Liz spotted Lucas standing near Chris and his girlfriend, Mollie.

Savannah followed her gaze and her face darkened. “Well . . . that doesn’t suck,” she said pointedly, nodding her head at Lucas.

Savannah sighed. “If you say so.”

Liz didn’t get to say anything more, because Brady touched her arm to motion her for another picture. Liz stood among his family as if she belonged there. The flash went off several times and then they were free of the first crowd. Now they had to mingle with the other guests for pictures.

After a seemingly endless number of people she didn’t know, though Brady somehow remembered every single person’s name, they found a familiar face.

“Chelsea,” Brady said in welcome. “You remember Liz?”

“Yes, of course. We met at the JJ gala,” Chelsea said. Her hair was tied in a stylish French twist and her makeup accented her almond-shaped eyes. She had on a stunning blue beaded halter gown.

“Nice to see you again,” Liz said politely. Liz wasn’t sure how happy she really was to see Chelsea. The woman had been aggravating Brady all summer about that damn environmental bill.

Just then Clay materialized at Chelsea’s side. “Hey, babe. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you,” he said, putting an arm around her waist.

Chelsea rolled her eyes as Liz herself had done a number of times. “Hello, Clay.”

Brady fumed at the sight of his brother. “Clay,” he said warningly.

Clay put his hands up as if he were innocent. “I was just talking to our old friend. I didn’t realize she was even going to be here. God, it’s been what, like two years, Chels?”

“I’m typically around during election time,” she said dismissively. “It’s kind of my job.”

“I bet,” Clay said with a wink.

“Picture?” the photographer asked, rearranging them so Brady was between Liz and Chelsea, and then snapped the photo.

Brady leaned forward toward Clay, but Liz could hear what he whispered to him in a dangerously low voice: “Try to stay out of trouble for once in your life.”

“High on my priority list,” Clay said sarcastically.

Liz placed her hand on Brady’s arm. “Just leave him.”

Brady nodded and walked away with her after he excused himself from Chelsea. “He is the only person who gets under my skin.”

“Other than me?” she joked.

“You’re different.”

“Just imagine what it’s like living in your shadow. He graduated from the best law school in the country and is clerking for the Supreme Court and you’re still the golden boy. That can’t be easy.”

“Why are you defending him?”

“Because you’re as blind to the good in Clay as he is to the good in you,” she told him plainly.

“If there was ever good in Clay, then he lost it a long time ago,” Brady said, as if he were unable to reconcile the image he’d had of his brother for so long with the one Liz was presenting.

“You should just give him a chance. You’re more alike than you realize, which is where I think some of the tension stems from.”

“I’m nothing like him.”

“Well, you’re both stubborn,” she pointed out. He shot her a warning look. “This won’t be resolved tonight, but maybe you should consider resolving it in the future.”