She became expert at the delicate art of dodging the advances without scaring away the donor. After all, she was at the university on a grant, in the US on a visa. Both could be revoked. Enduring mawkish, dirty old men for a few hours over dinner each month seemed a tolerable price to pay to continue her work.

Patrick had been different. Substantive, intense. Looking back, she now saw that she’d mistaken his lack of humor for sincerity, maybe even integrity. She’d met plenty of wealthy men, men who could have provided her the security and stability she craved, but she could never imagine giving herself to the others. In Patrick, she saw a sense of purpose. He’d reaped billions extracting oil, gas, and minerals from Latin America; he succeeded where many others had failed. “I won’t pretend it was charity work. I was there to make a profit, and many people profited,” he’d said with unexpected candor. But he maintained that he always wanted to give something back.

“I create value and promote values,” he’d explained that night, as he told her about the schools and hospitals he’d built across Latin America.

Later it would become his campaign message. “Building Value, Strengthening Our Values. The American Way.”

Now it seemed so empty. So dishonest.

“If you think you can rebuild without private investment, you’ve got your head up your ass,” he’d said after the salad was served.

“I beg your pardon?” she’d replied, amused.

“I looked into your research. No matter how low cost you make the infrastructure rebuild you’re proposing, no matter how promising Venezuela’s push to ‘democracy’—” he used air quotes around the word “—there is no way you can turn your country around without private corporate buy in.”

She’d disagreed vehemently, but was dazzled by his knowledge, taken by his brisk questioning.

By dessert he’d made an offer. If she’d join him for dinner the following night, he’d consider funding her research. To her surprise, she’d said yes. On their third date, he’d flown her to rural Colombia to give her a tour of the hospital he’d built there, his commitment to giving back to the communities where he made his fortune. “I do as I say. Building value, and values,” he said.

That day trip had slipped into a weekend and within three months they were engaged. They married quickly; it was the logical way to speed her application for citizenship. Then he’d entered the race for governor and she’d put her research on hold. She was needed on the campaign trail. Later she delayed her return to school because as Colorado’s First Lady, there were ribbon cuttings and working groups and endless interviews. She finally withdrew from the PhD program altogether when Patrick’s presidential campaign began. Life on the road was too demanding.