Page 68 of November

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” India said.

“Were you my anonymous campaign donor?”

India looked down at the wineglasses and said, “Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wasn’t sure you’d take the money if I did,” India replied, looking up at her. “And I wanted to help close the distance a little between you and Colter. I know it’s not enough to do a lot with at this point. I wish I had met you months ago. Maybe it would’ve helped more then. But–”

“It helped now,” she interrupted. “I was able to air my commercial.”

“You were?” India asked, brightening a bit.

“Yeah.” Maisie smiled. “I don’t know if it’s going to do much, but it’ll be on TV, so maybe that’ll get me a few more votes.”

“That’s great, Maise. So, you’re not mad?”

“No,” she said. “I’m grateful.”

India seemed to sigh in relief and replied, “I’m glad. I worried you might be upset about it and wouldn’t want… this.” She motioned between them.

“I do. And I should apologize for the other night.”

India looked confused.

“The night I was at your place and invited you to the soccer game.”

“Okay. Why are you–”

“I think it was sort of a test,” she admitted. “I wanted to see what you’d say.”

India nodded and replied, “And I said no.”

“Your face does this thing where you look like you’re weighing all your options, and then, you say no to the thingsyou don’t want to do.”

“Itdoes?”

Maisie nodded this time and replied, “It does. I think that’s what hurts the most. It’s not just that you don’t want to do something. It’s that I can see you thinking about all the other things you could be doing or eating, in the case of the first date thing, and then you choose something else. It kind of feels like you’re choosingnotme.”

“What? Maisie, no. I–”

“I know that’s probably unfair, but I wanted to explain where I was coming from.”

“I’m sorry. I… I didn’t know I did that.”

“Finley never told you?”

“No, but–” India stopped. “No.”

“I wanted to spend time with you. That was really why I invited you. I asked to see how you would react, yes, but I just wanted to see you again. I had already promised Lainey and Paige that I’d be there, though, and I didn’t know how else to have both, so I suggested you join me there.”

“You did?” India asked with a slight smile.

“I did. I just wanted you to know that.”

“Well, I think that deserves the good wine,” India said and looked down at the empty glasses again just as the doorbell rang. “And pizza.”