by K. A. Linde
Whatever papers were reporting about Hayden had clearly never seen her with Brady. There was no one else in her life.
Commencement began the next morning at nine thirty. Liz, Victoria, and their families were up bright and early doing last-minute touchups to hair and makeup, demanding an exorbitant amount of coffee, and looking bleary-eyed and excited.
Liz left her parents with Victoria’s parents in the living room to answer the door when Brady showed up around eight thirty to walk with them to the stadium. He was in a light gray suit and Carolina blue tie with a silver UNC tie clip.
“How are you this put together this early?” Liz asked.
“It’s my job,” he said. He placed a kiss on her cheek.
“You probably haven’t even had coffee,” she grumbled.
“Guilty.”
“So not fair.”
Brady laughed. “Can we have a minute alone before we leave?”
Liz’s eyes widened. “I don’t think . . .”
“Not for that!” he said, scandalized. “Your parents are here.”
“And I thought nothing stopped you,” she said, walking him into her vacant bedroom.
“Almost nothing,” he said, slapping her ass once he shut the door behind them. “I just wanted to give you a part of your graduation present alone.”
“Graduation present?” she asked, arching her eyebrows.
“Nothing too big . . . yet.”
“Oh, God. Please nothing bigger than the earrings,” she said, flashing him the diamond drop earrings he had given her in D.C.
“I make no promises about that.” He had a devilish smirk on his face when he reached into his suit pocket and pulled something out for her. “I know the necklace I got you wasn’t anything extravagant, but it had . . . has special meaning to me. I like to see that you still wear it, and I thought I could add to it.”
Liz bit her lip and pulled the necklace out from under her Carolina blue sundress.
“You’re wearing it,” he said, his eyes lighting up.
“I went over a year without it. I don’t want to do it again.”
“You won’t have to,” he assured her, then handed over a small pink box. “We have a whole hell of a lot more to look forward to than a necklace and a few charms.”
Liz’s smile widened and she took hold of the box. Inside was a small blue charm in the shape of a star. She looked up at him quizzically, wondering how this fit in with all of the other charms. An airplane for the very first time they had met and he associated her in a positive way to the feeling of flying he had always had as a child, the number 4 for the Fourth of July when he won her vote, a key for the time he gave her a key to his house at the gala, and a topaz gemstone to signify the end of November, when they were supposed to be together. Things hadn’t worked out quite the way they were supposed to, but the two of them were here now.
“You can’t guess?”
She shook her head. “What does it mean?”
He ran his hand down along her jawline and stared deeply into her eyes. “Your most romantic date is to lie in an open field and stare at the stars, but every day I’m with you is more romantic than the next. Romance had no meaning before you. So you must be my stars.”
Liz held the little star in her hand with a newfound appreciation. Brady always picked the most thoughtful charms. Each one held its own meaning for their relationship. Holding this star reminded her that she was his universe.
She dropped the tiny star into her locket and sniffed. Tears had started forming in her eyes and she hadn’t even realized it. “Oh, God.”
“No crying,” he said, wiping aside a tear that had escaped.
“I’m just so . . . happy. I never thought we would get here, and now we are. I love this so much, Brady,” she told him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He kissed her deeply on the mouth and she felt her body swooning into him.
Brady pulled back and just stared at her for a second. A smile touched his lips. “Liz,” he whispered. “I love you.”
A gasp caught in her throat.
She had known. But he had never said those words. Not like that. Not to her.
“I love you too.”
“I shouldn’t have held that back from you for so long. I’ve known how I felt, but before it was timing and now . . . well now I don’t have a reason. I love you, and I see nothing that could ever change that.”
Liz threw her arms around Brady and he held her against him for a long time. Probably longer than they should have stayed cooped up in her bedroom with guests over. When they walked back into the living room, Victoria had finally ventured out of her room. Daniel walked out of the living room to see her. He had graduated yesterday from Duke and was now joining Victoria for her commencement.
Victoria was in a skintight blue-and-white dress and mile-high blue heels. Her dark hair was piled high on her head with tendrils escaping. She looked gorgeous. If Liz had attempted the same updo, she probably would have looked ridiculous, but Victoria pulled it off.
“Hey, bitch,” Victoria said. “You look hot.”
Liz shook her head. “My parents are in the living room.”
“So are mine.” Victoria shrugged, nonplussed. “Let’s go graduate from this place. There is so much ahead of us.”
“Not even a little bit nostalgic?”
“I haven’t left yet. Where is the nostalgia?” she asked. “Don’t get all sentimental on me.”
“I’ll try not to.”
Victoria linked their arms together and paraded everyone to the front door. The walk wasn’t that long, and there was so little parking on campus that it didn’t make sense to drive. Their surrounding neighbors had the same idea and their group passed a ton of people in graduation caps and gowns.
Brady came up behind her and took her hand. Sometimes it was strange that she could still be out in public like this with him, but she wasn’t complaining. At least if there were pictures today, it would show them together and happy.
They located Savannah at the entrance, and to Liz’s surprise she was standing with Easton.
“Who’s the guy?” Brady asked Liz.
“My tennis instructor.”
“That’s who you’ve been taking tennis lessons from?”
“Kind of hot, right?” He shot her a glare. “Joking. Savannah is totally into him. I guess I kind of set them up by accident.”
“Well, he looks better than the last one. What was his name? It was something ridiculous.”
“Forrest,” Liz offered.
“Yeah. That’s him.”
“Well, Easton is nice. He’s applying to law school and wants to be a politician. So be nice.” She elbowed him in the ribs.
“I’m a politician, baby. I’m always nice. You should know that,” he said, his voice dipping seductively.
“You can be nice like that later,” she whispered.
“I fully intend to.”
They reached Savannah at that point and Brady gave his little sister a hug. Easton puffed up a little until he got a good look at Brady.
“You’re Congressman Maxwell,” Easton said in awe.
“That I am,” he said, sticking his hand out.
“Honor to meet you, sir.”
Liz laughed and shook her head a little. “Easton, this is my boyfriend, Brady.”
Easton shook Brady’s hand and then dropped it as if he couldn’t figure out exactly what Liz was saying. “I knew you were dating someone, but . . .”
“Yeah, you’re not too observant,” she said with a giggle.
“So that makes you . . .” He pointed at Savannah.
“His little sister,” Savannah offered.
“I’m in the presence of political royalty.”
Savannah just laughed. “I guess
so.”
“Well, it’s really nice to meet you,” he told Brady, “and put all the pieces together.”
Victoria came up and nudged Liz along. “Show’s over, folks. We’ll see you after graduation!”
Brady gave Liz a kiss on the cheek before Victoria dragged her out on the football field. They found seats next to each other and started flipping through their commencement booklets. Soon the entire stadium was full of graduates and their friends and families.
The chancellor stood up and gave an introductory speech, and then it was an endless bout of speeches ending with the keynote speaker, a certain basketball player who had played at UNC during college and gone on to play professionally for the Chicago Bulls. Then students stood, diplomas were issued, tassels moved from one side to the other, a congratulatory response followed, and then they were free. Hats flew in the air all around Liz. She laughed and hugged Victoria, tears streaming down her friend’s beautiful face.
“I thought you weren’t nostalgic,” Liz cried.
“We hadn’t graduated then,” Victoria told her. “I’m going to miss everything so much.”
“Me too.”
They hugged again. Four years together had officially come to a close and now they had to venture out into the real world. It was daunting, terrifying, and exhilarating all at the same time. Liz smiled at Victoria and threw her own hat up into the air.
The group from graduation arrived at Bin 54 to celebrate later that evening. Victoria’s parents had left that night to get back to New Jersey, so she and Daniel had even joined them. The restaurant was a madhouse because of graduation. Luckily Brady’s parents had reserved the cellar room well in advance, and there was enough room for everyone.
Savannah was walking up the stairs toward the bathroom when their group arrived. She grabbed Liz by the arm and whispered, “Do you have a minute?”
“I’m here with my parents. I have to make introductions and such,” Liz offered apologetically.
“Everything okay?” Brady asked, looking between the girls.
“Fine,” Savannah said immediately. “Just wanted to talk to Liz. Can you do introductions?”
“Sure, Savi. You sure you’re okay?”
“I said I was.” She straightened taller and gave her best impression of the Maxwell confidence.
Brady nodded. “All right. I’ll see y’all in a minute.”
Liz followed Savannah up the last few stairs and then stood at the top curiously. “What’s this all about?”
“I invited Easton.”
While that was surprising, since Savannah and Easton had only met this week, it wasn’t completely unheard-of for Savannah. She had invited Liz in a similar fashion to one of these events last year. “So?”
“Lucas is here,” she whispered, glancing over Liz’s shoulder.
“Oh.” Well, that made more sense. Savannah and Lucas had had an off-again, off-again relationship as far as Liz could tell. Savannah was head over heels for him, but he showed interest only when it was convenient for him.
“What should I do?”
“What do you mean, what should you do? You invited Easton, who is a great guy, to dinner with your parents after knowing him a week. You can’t exactly kick him out now.”
“I know,” Savannah said, swatting her hand. “But what do I do about Lucas?”
“Do you still like him?”
The answer was written all over her face. “I mean . . . I guess.” She shrugged.
“Right. Well, do you like Easton?”
“I just met him . . .” Savannah glanced away. “But yeah, I do. He’s not like other guys at school.”
“Then I think the best thing to do is to probably concentrate on Easton. If it doesn’t work out then you’ve done nothing but make Lucas insanely jealous,” Liz offered. She wasn’t sure she was the best person to ask advice about what to do when you liked two guys. Her answer had always been Brady . . . even when it shouldn’t have been.
Savannah laughed in an uninhibited manner, which really worked for her. So often she was reserved because of her upbringing. In moments like these, she was stunning.
“Okay. Thanks,” Savannah said. She looked down and then back up at Liz. “You know how I once told you that I would never like my brother’s girlfriends after Erin tried to act like my sister?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I guess I lied. You’re one of my best friends, and I really wouldn’t mind you as a sister,” Savannah admitted.
Liz placed her hand on her heart and then hugged Savannah. “Thanks. Maybe a bit ahead of yourself, but thanks.”
“Sorry to keep you from introducing your parents. God, I’m a wreck.”
“You’re fine. Don’t worry about it. You probably saved me.”
“Brady is great at introductions anyway.” Savannah shrugged.
“True, but you can never be too sure,” Liz said.
“All right. See you in a minute. I’ll space out our entrances so it doesn’t look like we were conspiring.”
“Were we conspiring?”
“Just get down there,” Savannah said, gently pushing Liz toward the stairs. Liz laughed and then jogged back down to the dining room.
She really was unprepared for the number of people who were in attendance for this dinner. It was more like a graduation party. At the head of the table sat Brady’s parents. Her parents were seated across from them and then Daniel and Victoria, a blank seat for her, and then Brady. On the other side of the table sat Lucas’s parents, whom she had met at this restaurant last year, their youngest daughter, Alice, then Savannah’s open seat was wedged between Lucas and Easton. Surprisingly enough, seated next to Easton was Clay’s girlfriend, Andrea, which could only mean one thing . . .
“Hey, beautiful,” Clay said, wrapping Liz around the middle and pulling her into a hug.
Liz laughed, returning the hug lightly. She could feel Brady’s eyes on them. “I didn’t know you would be here.”
“How could I miss your graduation?”
“I wasn’t aware you knew I was graduating.”
“Family outing and all that,” he said, gesturing behind him. “You do remember Andrea, right?”
Liz glanced at his girlfriend, who was tall and slender, with too much makeup, bleached blond hair, and clothes that probably cost more than Liz’s entire wardrobe. Andrea glanced up at them then and smiled at Clay.
“Yes, I remember. Nice to meet you again,” Liz said.
She looked up at Liz as if she were an alien. “Have we met?” Andrea asked.
“Yes, at Jamie’s art exhibit in D.C.”
“Oh, Jamie!” Andrea crooned. Her entire face changed. She lit up like a lightbulb. “I love her work. She’s so megatalented. She is selling her work at a fraction of what she should be selling them. Seriously like mega brillz. I want to keep her in my house and have her just paint for me so I can fill the house with her work.”
“You already have,” Clay teased her. Their eyes locked and a moment passed between them before Andrea scoffed at the attention.
“Don’t make fun of her work. She’s the fucking shit, Clay.”
Clay raised his hands to fend her off. “Who am I to talk about the things you love in life?” he asked with a teasing smile.
Liz extracted herself and walked toward Brady just as Savannah entered the room.
“What was that all about?” Brady asked as she slid into her seat.
“Girl stuff.”
“With Clay,” he corrected.
“Probably wants to piss off his girlfriend,” Liz offered.
“Or me.”
“Not everything is about you.” She glanced over at Clay and Andrea and saw them glaring at each other, but there was something about them that showed that they cared. Maybe it was the years that they had been toget
her, or maybe she was just imagining it, but she was pretty sure she had seen something pass between Clay and Andrea that almost seemed like affection.
Savannah took her seat between Easton and Lucas and sent Liz a sly smile. Stuck between two guys, what a rough life.
Glancing around the table at her family, Brady’s family, and all of their friends, Liz couldn’t help but admire the entire group. Everyone she cared most about was sitting at this table right now, and they all looked completely comfortable. Well, aside from Savannah.
Liz’s parents chatted easily with Brady’s parents. Victoria was making somewhat pleasant, albeit inappropriate, conversation with Lucas. Daniel was leaning over the table to talk to Marilyn about his and Victoria’s decision to go to Johns Hopkins. Brady was trying to get to know Easton, and Savannah had just said that she wouldn’t mind Liz as a sister. It all felt so right.
A waiter came around and filled champagne flutes for everyone except Alice, who was only sixteen.
“Excuse me, everyone. I’d like to propose a toast,” Brady said, sliding out of his chair. “To Ms. Liz Dougherty, for being the most beautiful, brilliant, strong-willed, caring, and gracious woman I have ever met in my life. Congratulations on completing your degree. You’ll always look back on these days with fond remembrance, but this is most assuredly only the beginning of a very successful and prolific career.” Brady raised his glass. “To Liz and Victoria.”
Everyone raised their glass and toasted Liz’s and Victoria’s graduations.
Liz’s smile couldn’t have been bigger as she stared up at the man she loved. Seeing the adoration on his face made the rest of this day have even more meaning. He was right. She had felt it at the ceremony. This was just the start of her life.
Chapter 17
POSTGRAD STRESS
Liz’s parents left the next day with all the reluctance that was to be expected, offering to help pay for things if she needed it, and encouraging her to continue to pursue her dreams. As if there were another option for her.
Her first article went live on the website that week. Liz had very low expectations for an article about education policy in an online magazine. She was just proud that she was published all on her own and received her first paycheck from it. Brady celebrated by taking her out for frozen yogurt and the most normal thing he could think of: they went and saw a movie.