Page 26 of Ace

“Sorry he posted a picture of you. If he got it from my room, we’ll have words.”

From his room? She was glad he couldn’t see her pleased smile.

“What are you smiling about?”

“What?” She looked around and then up. And there was Dex, smiling back at her from his helmet. “Video screens, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s a nice feature if I’m flying with you. Otherwise it stays off.”

She laughed. “In answer to your question, that picture was on the cover of the nonprofit conference bulletin. It’s everywhere.” She looked up at him. “If it’s also in your room…”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Suddenly feeling very juvenile, she laughed. “Remember when our parents forbade us to enter each other’s room?”

“I’d totally forgotten that. How old were we? Like twelve?”

“Right. If you’d have tried anything back then, I would have decked you.”

“You still did deck me.”

“Only when you deserved it.” She laughed. “But honestly, that was the most ridiculous rule they ever made.”

“Right. And then they were so happy when I took you to prom.” He snorted. “A political match made in heaven.”

“But come election time, they were suddenly enemies.”

“Just cause your dad switched sides.”

“He did not switch sides.”

“Gi, of course he did. One minute he’s all supportive of the Downing Bill and the next he’s lobbying against it.”

“No, no, see, you never understood this. He was always in support of the bill, but then your guy added all those extras. He couldn’t back the union portion.”

“Once he started fighting it, a lot of the senators dropped their support. Dad almost didn’t pass it.”

“He shouldn’t have passed it. It’s not worth the extras. They should have written up a new bill, clean, with no tagalongs.” She stopped and laughed. “And you know what? I don’t care one bit about this bill.”

“Neither do I. But our dads sure did.”

“Yeah. They never got over it.”

“Your dad and I agree now more than we used to.”

“And your dad and I agree. He’s doing amazing work worldwide. It’s because of him we were able to start the nonprofits we did. He sponsored the bill that sent me to Panau.”

“I didn’t know that.”

She was pleased to hear it. For a little bit she’d suspected Dex had something to do with her success, and she was pleased to realize she’d made it on her own—with the senator’s help, of course.

For a long time, she just looked out the window, drinking in the plane, the altitude, Dex, everything. Did she love the life she’d created for herself? Of course. She could never stop helping the people in the world who needed the basic necessities of survival. But did she love this other world too? She admitted she did. Debating with Dex, even for a minute, had felt thrilling. She laughed at herself.

“Enjoying yourself?”

“You know I am.”

“Want to enjoy yourself even more?” His eyebrow rose in challenge.

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