Page 35 of Dopplebanger

“Already using my job against me.”

“I figure if I’m going to date a lawyer, I’d better learn to play dirty.”

He playfully pinched my side. Then he tucked me under his arm and started toward the tall spire of the Washington Monument. “We better get a move-on, or we’re not going to be able to see all the sights we want to.”

“Leading the witness,” I said, probably a smidge too proud of myself for using that, and a might too happy to be led by him, too.

Over the next hour, we took pictures as we walked through the World War II memorial, then alongside of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting pool. We paused for more pictures as we approached the giant seated Lincoln statue.

A slightly different mood hit us as we stepped inside the building, one full of reverence and awe. I laced my fingers with Evan’s, and he gave my hand a genial squeeze.

“Would it hurt my rep as a superhero if I recited you the Gettysburg Address without reading it off the wall?”

“Well, technically the Hulk is Bruce Banner, and he’s a total nerd. So I’d more say it’d be fitting.”

Evan’s jaw dropped. “Nerd? This coming from the girl who says ‘well, technically.’”

“Unlike some people I know, I’ve never kept my nerd status a secret. Never claimed to be a superhero, either. Cough, cough.”

My boyfriend threw his hand to his chest, as if I’d daggered his heart with my words.

I giggled and snuggled closer to him, moving his hand to cover the spot over his heart with mine. “You misunderstood.” I twisted us so that I could see the famous presidential speech but Evan couldn’t. “I’d be totally into it.”

“Four score and seven years ago…” he started, and as he rattled it off, here in this place where I could feel the history underneath our feet, the impact of the way the man honored had changed the world, I fell a little bit harder for Evan Haynes.

As promised, Evan carried all of my souvenirs. While both of us agreed we’d love to spend more time in D.C., the traffic would be getting bad soon, and I’d already gotten two texts from my parents asking when we’d be there. Guess we’d have to hit the Philly stuff on the way back if we had any time to spare, but I didn’t regret taking longer to really enjoy this stop.

It’d been nice to forget about what was coming tonight and tomorrow. Admittedly, I’d worried more than once that my parents wouldn’t like Evan. Sure he was charming, but he’d never been very serious or career-driven before. I was seeing awhole other side of him, though, and I had a feeling my mom would adore this version of my boyfriend.

That upped the pressure even as it brought comfort.

Since I wanted to hold on to the comfort, I wasn’t going to think about my dad’s opinion—he’d been overprotectivebeforeeverything went to shit with Kyle.

“Car’s this way,” Evan said as I tugged him toward the intersection to cross the street.

“I know, but we need to make one more quick stop. It’ll be like a drive-by. But you know, with walking. So a walk-by.” I’d noticed a building on the map, one that wouldn’t have caught my attention before, but after what Evan had said about being a lawyer… well, I hoped I was leading us somewhere he’d appreciate.

His footsteps slowed as we neared the building with the sign declaring it the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.

“A whole building dedicated to justice,” I said. “I assume anyway. This is a big law place, right? Or was it just historically a law place, and I’ve had us walk over here for noth?—”

Evan bracketed my face with his hands and crushed his lips to mine. He kissed me thoroughly, glanced at the building with awe, then kissed me again. “Thank you.”

Warm tingles danced up and down my spine. “Sure thing. Seemed silly to be this close and not see it. Would you ever want to work there?”

“Hell no,” he said. “I’ll stick to the lower profile cases. But seeing it is… It’s…”

“Your inner fangirl is squeeing?”

A crooked grin spread across his face. “If I admit that, I’m afraid I’ll have to kick my own ass. There’s you being into nerds, and then there’s me embarrassing myself.”

“Honestly, it’s good to see you so passionate about something. Maybe eventually you might want to work at an office besides your dad’s. I know he’s always on you, and you say you can’t live up to who he wants you to be, and I’d imagine that’s pretty stifling.”

His expression shifted, more serious with an edge of something else. Only for a moment and then he hugged me again. “You are the coolest, you know that?”

“Of course, but sometimes other people don’t see it,” I joked.

“Idiots,” he whispered. He took one last long look at the building and then we assumed the position that was quickly becoming a favorite—his arm around my shoulders with me tucked securely to his side—and headed toward the car.

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