Page 76 of Bi-Partisan

When she’s gone, I turn to Adrian and slip my hand into his and squeeze to get his attention. I offer him a small smile. “Hey, this is going to go great. I promise.”

“How do you know that, though?” he asks, his eyes focused more on the barn in the distance than on me.

“Because you’re great,” I say with emphasis.

His eyes cut to mine.

“You are smart, kind, and personable—and I know you don’t think you are because you say you generally hate people, but we both know that’s not true. People like you.”

He nods, but there’s still a small furrow between his brows. It takes some serious restraint not to smooth it out with a kiss.

“What are you worried about?”

“I guess I’m just worried I’m going to make you look bad if I’m too quiet or… I don’t know. It’s just that I see the kind of scrutiny that politician’s wives get put under, and I know that’s doubled because we’re queer. And I know the purpose of this was to—” he stops short, realizing anyone could hear us even if we don’t see anyone. He blows a frustrated breath and stares down at his feet. “But it seems like it might be doing the opposite with everything Mitchell is saying, so I just wonder if it’s worth—”

“Darlin’, look at me,” I say seriously. “Let me worry about Mitchell, okay?”

He opens his mouth to protest, but I continue on, lowering my voice.

“The only reason he’s saying half the shit he is about me is because he thinks it’s his one advantage. He’s banking on being able to get people to question my loyalty because it’s easier than getting them to question my capability. I am younger than he is and the incumbent.”

“But the polls,” he points out.

I inhale sharply, then let it out slowly. “I know. This is a close race. But it was always going to be a close race. If none of this happened, if the photos had never come out, if he didn’t have our relationship as ammo, he would have just found something else to use against me. I knew that before I met you. Hell, me knowing that is why I met you. I went to The Lavender Gimlet that night to blow off steam because of how stressed I already was about this election.”

“And then you were outed,” he mumbles.

“Yeah, and that sucked,” I admit. “But you started to say that you wonder if this is worth it, and I would say, without a doubt, that it is. I like you, Adrian. I like having you in my life, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let Mitchell’s words take you from me.”

His breath catches, and his hand tightens around mine. “Jamie…”

With a soft smile, I lift his hand to my face and kiss his knuckle—the most I can do right now without probably creating another scandal. “We really need to go, but I want you to promise me that you’ll let me worry about Mitchell, okay?”

“Okay,” he says with a nod.

With one last kiss to his knuckle, I let our hands drop to our sides, then lead him over to where Mina is still furiously typing on her phone.

“Ready, sir?” she asks.

“Ready,” I confirm.

We walk together up to the barn that acts as a welcome center and market on the weekends when the farm is open to the public. Shauna Bailey and the photographer are already there, talking with Peggy Mills, who greets us with a friendly wave when she sees us. As soon as we reach the door, Adrian drops my hand and stays a step behind me.

“Mr. Montgomery, thank you so much for coming all the way out here,” she says.

“It’s my pleasure, Mrs. Mills. I’m looking forward to seeing the improvements you’ve been able to make,” I say, offering my hand for a handshake before turning to Shauna and the photographer. “Ms. Bailey, it’s good to see you again.”

“Likewise, Mr. Montgomery,” she says with a smile. “This is my photographer, Mike Hall.”

“Nice to meet you, sir,” he says before adjusting the camera equipment on his shoulder to offer a handshake.

As Mina offers her own handshakes, I turn to Adrian and motion for him to come forward.

“And this is my partner, Dr. Adrian Wilks.”

Peggy extends her hand. “You’re a veterinarian, correct?”

“That’s correct,” Adrian says, smiling a little stiffly as he shakes her hand. “I mostly work with household pets, but I really enjoyed my farm rotation in vet school, so I’m excited to be here.”

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