Page 50 of Space Oddities

“About damn time.” Rose pushes back from the table, a streak of sunlight catching her hair, the glitter making her look like an unhinged angel. “You guys were worse than watching Jules and Holt. And since he’s my brother, that’s saying something.”

Jules flips Rose off while taking a sip of her soda. Rose retaliates with a two-finger salute.

“Is the fundraiser for his father’s campaign?” Jackie asks, ignoring Rose and Jules’ silent squabbling. “I was invited to that.” She bounces happily in her seat. “I actually get invited to things now.” For the girl who never even got invited to her own prom, Jackie has been both pleased and dumbfounded by her recent popularity. “But I had to decline as astronauts aren’t allowed to be politically affiliated.”

“Well, sugar. Youdidsave the International Space Station.” I tilt my head to the side. “But what do you mean bycampaign?”

With one final glare at Jules, Rose answers me. “That’s what the fundraiser is for. The upcoming senatorial campaign.” She picks up a sparkling taco. “I got invited too. All the Wests did.” She shrugs before taking a bite.

An icy trickle of foreboding seeps inside my chest. “Senatorial?”

Rose nods, her cheeks full of egg and chorizo.

“The senator is trying to shore up his campaign funds, as well as hobnob with Houston’s elite, I’m sure.” Jules shakes her glass before taking a pull on her straw, getting mostly air. “Even without the political conflict thing at NASA, you wouldn’t catch me there.” She shivers. “Ugh, politics and PR, two of my least favorite things.”

“Senator?” Goosebumps break out over my arms. “Politics?”

Three sets of eyes turn my way.

“Ian’s dad,” Jules says slowly, putting down her glass and frowning at me.

It’s suddenly hard to breathe.

Rose swallows the large lump of taco in her mouth with a hard gulp. “You didn’t know?”

I shake my head, my eyes wide.

Jules’ brows pinch together. “How do younotknow?”

“I don’tknowhow I don’t know!” My voice fluctuates with hysteria. “What kind of question is that?” Black dots swirl around the edge of my vision.

“Whoa. It’s okay.” Rose pats one of my hands that are gripping the edge of the table. “He’s just a politician. They’re not that special.”

Justa politician. She doesn’t know what they can do. The power they wield.

“I’m sorry, Trish.” Jules looks unusually sincere. “I honestly thought you knew.”

All I can do is shake my head again, the small bits of background information I have on Ian floating through my head. They were all carefully gleaned over the past few weeks from various conversations. Jackie once mentioned Ian’s family coming from money while we were out drinking. During a football watch party, Rose rolled her eyes at Ian for rooting for his hometown team, the Dallas Cowboys. And Jules made a throw-away comment about how both she and Ian have domineering fathers.

But no one ever said anything about politics.

Even during our time together at his house, Ian never mentioned it. True, I never asked for details. I hadn’t thought them important, and honestly, I was afraid he’d ask me for the same if I tried.

And now, after years of avoiding anything and everything to do with rich, powerful men,especiallythose in politics, I’m sleeping with the son of one. And a high-ranking one at that.

“I’m going to need another drink,” I manage.

Rose shoots up in a cloud of glitter, her boobs bouncing. “On it.”

Jules sucks air through her front teeth, rocking back in her seat. “So I guess now would be a bad time to mention I figured out you’re Audrey Cole?”

“What the hell?” Rose drops back down, the old, worn, wood bench seat cracking beneath her. “You knew?”

“Oh, good.” Jackie straightens in her seat. “You all know.” Either oblivious to, or ignoring, the undercurrent of shock, she smiles. “I was hoping we could discuss this soon.” She turns to me, eyes shining. “I havesomany questions.”

Jules straightens, slamming her motorcycle boots on the concrete floor. “Wait.” She holds up a hand. “Iwasn’tthe first to figure it out?”

“Please.” Rose scoffs. “I knew, like, day one.”

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