“And you still like it there? This is what you want—politics?”
She nodded. “I do bitch and complain about it, but yes. I’m an analyst now, but I could quickly move into one of the senator’s offices. I’m less than a year away from being an advisor. Can you imagine that? It would be huge.” She traced the rim of her glass. “Preston loves his job. He’s a senate aide. He wants this for me.”
I ignored her last comment. “And to think we started out wanting to be pro-bono attorneys.” I winked at her.
That was a million years ago. Greer and I had been pre-law at Carolina. We both thought we could fight social injustice and join causes that we were passionate about. I ended up joining a law firm close to home and Greer moved to D.C. to work as a senate page.
“At least at American you’re doing that. The clinic helps people,” she reminded me. “So does teaching.”
“It does.” The liquor started to warm my limbs, and if I didn’t think about my feet I couldn’t feel how badly they ached. “I just never thought I’d be a teacher. I’m going to be one of our stuffy law professors.”
Greer almost spit her drink across the table. “Please, God. If you do, you have to wear little pins on your suit jacket—you know the ones you can change out for each holiday. Oh, and maybe try to make a theme with each case you cover. And you definitely need to wear glasses.”
“I have an entire year before I get to that process, but maybe I’ll start collecting pins now so I’m fully stocked.” I laughed. I had an image of a shoebox filled with Santas, shamrocks, and Easter eggs.
She looked over my shoulder. “Oh, Pres is here.” Greer jumped from her seat and ran to greet him.
Preston towered over her. He looked like every other guy in the city. He had brown hair, cut short. He wore a button-up blue shirt with a dark blue tie. He could sit with those other two at the bar and I’d never be able to pick him out of a lineup.
He moved to the city after a senate campaign he worked on was successful. He and Greer met in the Capitol cafeteria.
They walked toward me hand-in hand.
“Hey, Elliot” He leaned over to give me a side hug.
“Hey.” I faked a smile.
I noticed the guys behind us were ticked. They grumbled at each other once they realized Greer wasn’t available, and they were out at least forty dollars.
Preston sat across from me. His hands clasped on top of Greer’s dainty fingers.
She looked at him as if she could devour him on the spot. Her blue eyes sparked under the calming lights of the bar.
“What are you two drinking?” Preston glanced at our glasses.
“Cosmos.” She giggled. Her cheeks were pink.
“I think I’ll get a
beer.” He raised his hand for our server, before placing it around her shoulders. She leaned in to him as he whispered something. Greer burst out laughing.
I wiggled in my seat. “I think I’m going to make a trip to the ladies’ room. I’ll be right back.” I threw the straw bag over my shoulder and walked away in search of the restrooms.
I needed a second. Just one tiny moment to take a breath away from the suffocating reminder I was alone. I didn’t need what Greer had right now. I knew that. I didn’t want a guy like Preston. But something about being around them made me want more than what I had. It made me thirst for someone in my life to share all these changes with.
I didn’t have a person. There wasn’t someone at the end of the night to check in and tell them I made it to D.C. safely. There wasn’t someone to call to tell them I made it through my first day of paperwork. I didn’t have someone to tell me tomorrow would be better. That tomorrow I’d find my way.
There was a plush sofa in the sitting area before the ladies’ room. I sat down and leaned my head back on the cushions. One thing at a time. New city. New job. New apartment. That was plenty to focus on without getting involved with someone.
I hated self-pity. I wasn’t going to wallow. I had everything I wanted. I needed to march back to the table and finish the night the same way we started it—by celebrating.
I stood, inhaling fully. As I swerved through the tables I noticed Greer and Preston were standing next to their chairs. The waitress was taking Preston’s credit card. I felt a quick wave of relief that Greer didn’t pay for the first round of drinks.
“What’s going on? I wasn’t gone that long.” I looked at them.
Greer sighed. “I got a call. I have to get to work. There’s a meeting at seven in the morning and the file isn’t ready.”
“But it’s so late.” I had no idea what time it was but it had to be close to ten.