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Very senatorial. Very focused on the people’s business.

A woman from the Chamber of Commerce told him he seemed different lately. “More relaxed,” she said, patting his arm. “Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.”

“Thank you,” Hank said, in his most senatorial voice. “I’ve been sleeping better.”

He had not been sleeping better. He had been sleeping less, thinking more, and lying in bed staring at the ceiling. But the woman didn’t need to know that.

He got back to the hotel at ten-thirty. Chad would be late-shift—Saturday at BJ’s, which meant three deep at the bar and no time to talk. Hank texted anyway.

Survived the fundraiser. How’s your night?

The response came twelve minutes later.

Chaos. Birthday party in the back room ordering drinks with names I swear they’re inventing. Miss you.

Those two words at the end, tossed off like nothing. Hank read them three times.

Call when you’re off?

Will be late. 2ish.

I’ll be up.

You don’t have to.

I want to.

A pause. Then: Okay. Talk soon. And a heart emoji—small, red, the first either of them had sent.

Hank stared at it. A cartoon heart. The kind of thing a teenager would send. He was a forty-year-old senator sitting in a Marriott in Cumming, Georgia, staring at a cartoon heart like it was the Rosetta Stone.

He set an alarm for 1:45 a.m. and turned off the light.

The phone rang at 2:17.

Hank had been awake since 1:45, but dozing.

“Hey.” Chad’s voice was tired, with the rasp of someone who’d been talking over music for six hours.

“Hey. How was the rest of your night?”

“Profitable. Exhausting. Blake only dropped one tray, which we’re counting as growth.” The sound of movement—a door closing, bedsprings creaking. “How was the chicken?”

“Rubber, as promised. The green beans had potential.”

“High praise from a senator.”

“I have low standards and high hopes. It’s a dangerous combination.”

Chad laughed. Hank closed his eyes and let the sound lift him.

“How’s Georgia?” Chad asked.

“Warm. Familiar.” He paused. “Shelby says hello, by the way.”

“Does she actually say hello, or did she say something more specific that you’re sanitizing?”

Hank considered this. “She may have offered some unsolicited advice. About our relationship.”