“People aren’t taking you seriously after those photos, huh?” Senator De Berg’s response was tinged with a touch of glee. Dorsey couldn’t read Liza. She just blinked and held her composure at the senator’s remarks. Maybe she had a lot of practice dodging mean comments. “If you’re still having trouble getting into the room where it happens, call me.” The senator was smug. Dorsey wanted to punch the smile right off his face.

“I have had trouble being taken seriously since the gala. I’ve lost followers and credibility.” Liza was clear-eyed and focused. The vulnerability she could express while still looking like a badass was a thing of wonder to him. “But if I got into this work just for the likes, I would have quit a long time ago.” She gave the senator a hard stare. “My work doesn’t have to be public and loud to be good. In fact, you’ll find that my ‘amateurish’ proposal has been vetted by several council members and may quietly land on their desk for approval. And then my quietly drafted legislation will make it just a little harder for companies to come in and overturn apple carts.”

“Dorsey, you hear this? Liza’s got plans for all of your work.” The senator was out for blood.

“I wish Liza luck in all of her endeavors. I hope in the future we can work together toward the same goal.”

The senator’s face did some facsimile of a smile. But his eyes burned in anger. “Okay, cut the horseshit,” he said through forced laughter. “You don’t want her to succeed. How could you? She’s your enemy.”

“A wise man said I should choose my friends for their good looks, and my enemies for their intellects.” Park looked from Dorsey to Liza, then to the senator. “Who said that, Dorsey?”

“Oscar Wilde, I believe.” Dorsey dabbed at the corners of his mouth.

Liza looked up. “You know, it’s funny, when it rains, it pours. They got money for wars but can’t feed the poor.” Liza smiled and took on the same confident air as Park. “Who said that, Chicho?” Liza looked at her friend.

Colin shot daggers at Chicho, and Chicho put her head down.

Before Liza’s face could fall, Dorsey answered, “I believe it was Tupac.”

Park winked at him, and Dorsey had to stop himself from kicking him under the table.

Dorsey was egged on nonetheless and continued. “It’s interesting how government deprioritization of the poor gets translated into corporate responsibility.” Dorsey was rewarded with a surprised look from Liza.

Liza moved her food around her plate. “Dorsey, you know Tupac, but not Harry Potter?”

“Oh, I can explain this.” Park put down his fork. “Dorsey is a die-hard West Coast rap aficionado.”

Dorsey shook his head. “Not this again.” It was Park’s favorite piece of knowledge about Dorsey.