Page 295 of Innocent

As if he, too, can sense when my tank is on fumes and needs refilling.

And all since Elliot’s admission to me, and us formalizing it with the piercings.

I guess we’ve co-collared each other.

Now if I could just convince Elliot to release his fear and propose to Leo, life could be perfect.

* * * *

By seven thirty, four states in the Northeast have already been presumptively called in Elliot’s favor. We’re reasonably sure we’ll carry Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, too. Ohio’s exit polls put it at too close to call, as are Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois, and South Carolina.

As the evening clicks on and more states are called, with Elliot already looking safely ahead in the results, I start to see interesting exit polling numbers arriving from Texas.

Interesting meaning even in traditionally red districts, and ones electing GOP candidates in down-ballot races, they are trending toward Elliot.

Texas gets called in Elliot’s favor a little after ten p.m. and everyone in the suite explodes in cheers.

We’ve been down to the ballroom a few times with Ciro and his wife to address the crowd, where the attendees roil with excited energy.

Leo accompanies us and hangs back with me in the wings to watch and listen.

He leans in to whisper into my right ear. “If you thought the matchmaking attempts were crazy before, just wait until tomorrow. You’ll probably have a dozen or more requests from people for inaugural ball dances with him.”

My deep growl bubbles free, surprising me and making Leo chuckle. Several times, even though Elliot’s focused on the crowd and not looking back at us, he reaches up to his left ear.

Even though he can’t see me, I reach up in response.

Call and answer.

Out of sight, but still on his mind.

And…now knowing what I know, and that Leo doesn’t, it sort of sums the bulk of my relationship with Elliot. All the times we weren’t together—which, back then, was hardly ever—I was still on Elliot’s mind.

I blink back the sudden prickle of tears. All the time Elliot spent alone because he was worried about me and wanted me and Leo to have each other.

Talk about selfless.

Leo drapes his left arm around my shoulders. “I’m so proud of both of you.” His fingers gently dig into my shoulder through my blazer. “I know this has been hard on you and on him, but I don’t have the words to express how much I love both of you right now. I know the next eight years will be rough, but I can deal with it as long as I know the two of you have each other to lean on when I can’t be with you.”

I close my eyes for a moment, struggling not to break down sobbing.

I don’t want to spend another eight years without Leo between us. I know Elliot doesn’t, either. Despite this new thing between the two of us, Leo is our foundation, and we both know it. Elliot can only help me out so much before it drains him in bad ways.

Only when I know I won’t cry do I open my eyes. Elliot’s speaking, reaching up to his ear again.

I start to reach up to mine when I feel Leo gently flick the daith in my ear with his right hand.

When I look, though, he’s not smiling.

“I’mnotleaving you, baby boy,” he whispers. “Ever. I won’t leave either of you. I willalwaysbe here when you need me, until we can finally be together permanently. Even when you can’t see me, I’m there.” He gently flicks my daith again.

Emotion chokes my throat so tightly that all I can do is nod.

He squeezes my shoulder one more time before releasing me and drifting back to speak to one of the detail.

* * * *

Stella arrives at the hotel at ten p.m. and I’m shocked that she hasn’t tried to sneak a plus-one into the festivities. I think the fact that Elliot issued standing orders to Secret Service to not allow her to bring anyone unless they were cleared a minimum of two weeks in advance helped chill her out. The last two people she tried to get clearance for were denied nearly instantaneously. One wasn’t a citizen, and the other was under federal investigation for failure to register as a foreign agent.