Page 95 of Bi-Partisan

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she says to me before turning on her heel and heading out.

Once she’s gone, I turn back to him and grin. “Hey.”

“You did great,” he says with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

I close the distance between us and pull him in for a hug. “Thanks, darlin’.”

His arms circle my waist, but when he doesn’t melt against me like he usually does, I can’t help leaning back to inspect his face.

“Is everything okay? Is something wrong?”

He shakes his head, and his shoulders relax a little. Although it seems like a conscious effort. “I’m just tired.”

I sigh and give him a serious look. This isn’t just him being tired. “Talk to me.”

He bites his lip. “I’m having a bad anxiety day. I didn’t want to say anything and distract you before the debate.”

I frown a little. That sounds exactly like him, but it also doesn’t sound like the whole of it. I don’t want to push it too much, though. So I force the worried voice in my head away, lean forward, and press a kiss on the crease between his eyebrows. “I’m sorry. You still could have said something, but I appreciate you thinking about me like that.”

He hums noncommittally, and I kiss his brow again.

“Would tea and cuddling help?” I ask.

“It wouldn’t hurt,” he replies.

“I’ll take it,” I say with a chuckle. “Come on, let’s go home.”

He’s quiet the entire drive home, but not as withdrawn as he was before. And while we sit on the couch with our tea, he seems to calm even further, so it probably is exactly as he said—just a bad anxiety day. But as we’re getting into bed, and he settles on his side facing away from me, I can’t shake the feeling like there’s something he’s not saying.

Adrian Wilks <3

Oct 12, 6:03 PM

Home yet?

About an hour ago

Okay good. You didn’t text so I got a little worried

Sorry Joseph and Molly were demanding food. I also figured you were busy with campaigning

Not too busy to know if my wonderful boyfriend died in a fiery train crash or not

I’m pretty sure if there’d been a fiery crash on Amtrak you would have heard about it before now

Okay fair. But still

And actually now that the debate is done we’re pretty much focused on GOTV stuff which is more my volunteers than me

Although I do actually have a meeting I need to run to. But I’ll call you tonight before I go to bed?

Sure

Cool

Miss you already <3

Oct 17, 6:40 PM

---