Kiss her. I’m supposed to kiss her—a quick press of my lips to hers, just something small enough for a tiny goodbye.

But when I lean in to do that, Parker tilts her face to the side, and my lips find her cheek.

Her fucking cheek.

I barely have the chance to even process it before Parker steps back, winding through the few tables and into the hallway.

“Let’s go, Fitz,” Mom says.

I nod, leading her back to front door. “I think it’s this way,” I say as we walk to our right down the street.

“You should probably figure this place out. You might be spending some time down here over the next four and a half years.” She drops her voice to a whisper as the sidewalk in front of us grows more crowded.

I try my best to smile at the curious, well-meaning people who look at us intently as pass. “I doubt we’ll be down here much. Neither of us is all that crazy about DC. I do get to go on Air Force One tomorrow though. That basically ends my presidential bucket list.” I wave to someone calling my name from a car.

But even though I don’t particularly care for the nation’s capital, the true words sour my stomach. I try not to give the feeling too much attention, but it grows, screaming.

And there’s a chance we’ll be divorced.

“Is everything alright, Fitz?”

I turn my head. “Parker and her parents, they aren’t incredibly close.”

“Didn’t look that way judging by the photos of that fundraiser you went to with them,” Mom says. “It was all over the paper. All the talk is about your wedding.”

I think back to the quick stint I did in Florida. Of course, Walter and Candice aren’t going to start something with Parker on a night meant to kick off his reelection campaign. But the camera never tells the whole story, like how Candice only spoke to Parker that night when she told her to go mingle with so-and-so. And any time the opportunity arose, Candice didn’t waste a minute talking about the wedding she’s planning for us before the season fully kicks off.

I eye my mom. “I have to tell you something.”

“Now? Not before you got engaged?”

“Things with Parker are complicated.”

She nods. “I’m not that insulted. You’ve always kept your romantic life to yourself. But I’d like to be in the loop a little so I don’t have to find out about it in the paper.”

“We’re eloping soon.” I don’t give specifics. “Around the Fourth of July.”

Mom stops. “What about the wedding?”

“I told you. Parker and her family aren’t on the best of terms. We figured the engagement party was enough. We don’t even want a big wedding.”