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“I know itseemsattractive,” Ozzie said, “but relocating to San Diego would hurt me in the long run.” @DegenerateOz was all about jets (RIP) and yachts and exotic beaches and beingseen. There was absolutely no one and nowhere important in San Diego, and its beaches were hardly Seychelles or Nusa Dua or Côte d’Azur. They weren’t even Florida’s Gulf Coast. “How will I secure the best collabs if I’m hanging out in some sad-sack loser campaign office?”

Barclay sighed. “Maybe it’s a lever to push in the future.”

“Right on,” Ozzie said, grateful Barclay wasn’t giving him the hard sell. “Listen, Barc, it’s not as bad as you think. We only need to make the numbers work for the next eighteen months. We’re golden after that.”

Barclay narrowed his eyes, confused.

“When I turn twenty-five, I’ll receive a lump sum from my grandfather. I don’t suppose Ustenya’s people clued you in on the amount? They’re so fucking cagey. Drives me up a wall. But it’s a mil, at least.”

Barclay opened his mouth and stopped, leaving a little mouse hole in the center of his face. Ozzie had probably blown his mind with how easy this was turning out to be.

“I’m sorry?” Barclay said at last. “I thought... They told me... I’m sorry if they didn’t make it clear to you, but if you don’t go to California, the twenty-five-year gift is off the table, too.”

Chapter Fifteen

Talia

Talia poked her head out of the office to make sure the coast was clear. Dad never let them have pets growing up, and she had no concept of how long it’d take a person—in particular a Gabby-type person—to walk a dog. Talia had suggested letting it roam, but Jindos were “runners,” apparently, and capable of jumping six-foot fences.

Heart racing, Talia darted back inside and glanced at her sister’s phone, left face up on the desk. Why was Gabby here? Was shereallythreatened, and why? Talia found herself almost lost in the possibilities.We need you, she imagined her dad texting Gabby.Talia overthinks everything. She can’t handle this alone.

Paranoia? Perhaps. But yesterday she’d googled “duties field organizer senatorial candidate” and stumbled across a post for her own job.

Exciting up-and-coming candidate needs a Field Organizer, based out of Rancho Santa Fe. Supporter housing available! Work to promote progressive issues while living on a luxurious property designed in the style of an Argentinian estancia.

The luxurious part was mortifying, and who even knew about estancias, but what did itmean? Talia forced herself to believe someone had posted it weeks ago and forgot to take it down.

Her eyes skipped over to Gabby’s phone, and she snatched it, striking quick as a snake. The thing didn’t have a passcode or use face recognition, which was so trusting and so Gabby Gunn she could barely stand it. Yes, Talia understood this was a violation, but her sister did leave it open, and she swore she’d only read things pertaining to her.

Sweat beading on her hairline, Talia scrolled through Gabby’s texts, stopping when she saw her name in a preview. The text was from Sydney, and it said,Have fun in SD tell Talia hello.

Talia let her arm drop. She felt her body wither in shame. Whenever friends talked about sisterly bonds, Talia wondered why it’d never been like that with them. Was it their age difference, or Gabby’s quirkiness? Maybe it was Talia’s... however her personality could be described (please, don’t tell her). She wanted to be closer to Gabby, and had the chance to do this without Ozzie around, so did it matter why she’d come?

Talia tossed the phone back onto the desk and slumped in her chair. Five minutes later, Gabby returned with the Jindo, otherwise known as Korea’s Fifty-Third National Treasure.

“Sorry I took so long,” Gabby said, tying the dog’s leash to the table. “I met some of the other campaign workers. The TikTok influencers. Bea and Montana? They’re super prominent in the AAPI activist community.”

Talia tried not to scowl. This was par for the course. Her sister had a knack for drawing people in, for collecting new friends within five minutes of arriving somewhere. This unrelenting likeability stung because of how hard Gabby worked to avoid the rest of them. Moving to the country. Leaving get-togethers early. Attending Thanksgiving “dinner” only for the dessert. She did the bare minimum, and everyone accepted it because a little Gabby was better than no Gabby at all.

She’s here now, Talia reminded herself. Things could still change.

“Quick question,” Gabby said as she fired up her computer. “How would one leave the property?”

Talia startled, taken aback. “You just got here. You’re already going to bail?” Typical. So typical.

“I don’t mean right now. Eventually,” Gabby said, squinting as she typed.

“But why? The Ranch has everything you could possibly need. Anything it doesn’t, just ask Mindy to pick it up.”

“Mindy seems to have a lot on her plate,” Gabby said, “and I don’t want to bother her just because I need tampons or whatever. Is there an old beater around, or maybe some sort of shuttle system that ferries people to the Real World?”

“Real World?” Talia blinked.

“Unless this is a cult or something, and we’re not allowed to leave. It’d explain all the linen. Lol.”

Talia could not reply. She was, quite literally, speechless. They had a long way to go to get on the same page.

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