He smiled again and he leaned back on the couch. “No, Cindy was upset that I pulled out of the race, but she also knows that she should’ve never pushed me into it like that. And that we all have a lot to answer this community for.” He sighed, and even though his eyes looked tired, they had a fire in them that I hadn’t seen there before. “As for the interview, I had to say that, because you were right that us keeping quiet is not going to make things any better. I have to step up, we all do. Day called me tonight and said he wants to have a meeting and talk about doing anti-racism training with recruits that we’d talked about.”

I nodded, surprised at the news. “Holy shit, that’s huge.”

“It’s a start.” There was that strong voice that I’d heard only in the courtroom, the one that said, I will get this done.

“He wants to work with some community organizations that do this work, ask for their expertise. I was hoping you could help with that, or if you can’t, at least put us in touch with some of the ones you work with.”

“Yeah, of course. I’d be happy to help.”

Instead of answering, he leaned over, grabbed my sweater and pulled me in for a slow and chaste kiss, as if he needed to work himself up to being like we’d been before.

“You could be it for me, Patrice. You know that right?” Easton was always brave enough to show me his heart, even when I’d handled it so poorly.

But this time I would not waste another minute, second-guessing this enormous gift I’d been given. “I know you’re it for me. I’ve known it since that day at the Brew and Wine festival last summer.”

He smiled and shook his head as he got close enough to press our foreheads together. “Now, I know that is bullshit, but I appreciate you saying it.”

I smiled again, in that helpless way that only happened with Easton. “It’s true. I knew it then and I know it now. I’m here aren’t I? Like Nesto’s been telling me since I took the Cornell job, I could front like I was here for a million different reasons, but I knew very well that one big one was you.”

This time the smile was big and the kiss was long and deep, when we pulled apart, the glint in his eyes looked a lot like my future. “That’s a good place to start.”

Epilogue

Epilogue

Six Months Later
Easton

“How am I expected to be studious when you’re bare chested and wearing your hot teacher glasses?” I complained to Patrice as I walked out of his bathroom.