Matthew' s favorite meal, a braised short rib risotto that took four hours. The Ge

or two, lit the c

hour late. At 9 p.m.,

p.m., my phone buz

We' re finalizing the Senator' s new policy brief on infrastruc

hat familiar, important edge to i

understand. Work

I promise. This weekend,

, my voice flat. I kne

scraped the expensive meal into a Tuppe

one in bed, I saw a new Instag

at The Tune Inn, a dive bar on Capitol Hill. They were all grinning, holding up beers.

s sharp, aimed

s that the real work happens after hou

own. I tapped the comment

ressi

it

. It was Matthew. His voice wasn' t tir

? What are you

ean?" I asked,

Gabrielle' s post. It look

," I said. The lie felt smooth on my tongu

was after. A quick drink to celeb

e couldn' t possibly get away. Two days later, I found out he' d spent that entire afternoon consoling Gabrielle because her firs

ollow. "I' m overthinking it. Your career is import

before he

e one I' d decorated, the one I paid half the ren

at chilled my bones, this w