More Than Words(82)

There was a knock on the conference room door, and then Jane called, “The results are in.”

Rafael walked out the door first, Nina a few minutes behind. The rest of the team was gathered around the television set in the corner.

“Here it comes,” Mac shouted from the other side of the office.

Rafael walked closer to the television.

“Ninety-four percent of the vote has been counted,” the newscaster said. “And the race is . . . still too close to call.”

Everyone groaned. Mac walked out of the room.

“It’s okay if I don’t win,” Rafael said, almost as much to himself as to everyone else. “If I lose, there’s another Rafael in another universe who won and all of you were part of it.”

Jane looked at him as if he were speaking a language she’d never studied.

“He’s talking about the multiverse,” Nina tried to explain.

“Breaking news!” said the newscaster. “Ninety-six percent of the vote has now been counted, and we can declare a winner in the race for Gracie Mansion!”

Nina felt the room take in a collective breath and hold it. Their media push could’ve changed everything. Or nothing at all.

“And the next mayor of New York City is . . .”

“You’re killing me!” Jorge yelled at the screen.

“Rafael O’Connor-Ruiz!” the newscaster shouted.

Jane started crying. Nina felt tears in her eyes as well—tears of shock and relief and happiness.

Rafael crossed the room in two giant steps and kissed Nina, dipping her backward.

“We’re still supposed to be a secret,” she said as she tried to pull away. Cell phone flashes went off.

“Remember how I ran as my whole self?” he said to her quietly. “And I won? Well, part of that is that I’m dating you. And I want the world to know.” Then he kissed her again.

“Can I post this?” Samira asked.

Rafael quirked an eyebrow at Nina. Slowly she nodded.

“Post away,” Rafael said. Nina knew this would be all over the Internet in about five seconds, but she didn’t care. Whatever came next, she could handle it. They could handle it together. They were partners. She felt Rafael’s tears on her cheeks—and wondered if he kept kissing her so no one would see him cry.

She pulled away from him, just a centimeter, so their lips were no longer touching, but their noses were. “I love you,” she whispered, so quietly that even in a room full of people, only he could hear. It was the first time she’d told him that. The first time she realized it was true.

“I love you, too,” he said.

Then he wiped the tears off his cheeks and faced the room to thank his staff before they headed over to the victory party, where Nina would meet his family for the very first time. She wished her father were with her, her own piece of family, but Caro was meeting her there instead. Priscilla and Brent, too. Family by choice instead of by blood.





79



A week after Rafael became the mayor-elect of New York City, and a week after the world found out that he and Nina were a couple, the Vorpal Sword Philanthropic Foundation got its official 501(c)(3) designation and was open for business.

“How do you want to celebrate?” Rafael had asked Nina a few days before, while they were having dinner in Nina’s apartment. “My schedule’s insane, but it looks like I’ve got an hour and a half on Saturday. Maybe we can do something then?”

Even in the midst of all of his meetings, Rafael made time for Nina whenever he could. And she loved it.

“Have you seen the people taking trapeze lessons along the Hudson?” she’d asked back, as he refilled her water glass.

“I actually have,” Rafael said. “Though I’ve never done it myself.”

“Me neither,” Nina said, “and it scares the hell out of me, but I want to do it. Let’s celebrate this weekend by flying on a trapeze.”

When Leslie and Pris heard what was happening, they wanted to be part of the celebration, too—Leslie said she’d take the whole week of Thanksgiving off and come to Manhattan early with Cole and Vijay. And Caro said she’d love to fly, as long as she wasn’t too old. Nina assured her that she wasn’t. And then called Tim and left him a voice mail inviting him as well. He hadn’t called her back.

“I don’t mind if you want to invite TJ, too,” Caro had offered. “I know he misses you.” The two of them were talking, trying to find a way back.

But Nina hadn’t been ready yet. “Maybe for Thanksgiving,” she’d told Caro.

When Nina got to Pier 40, she looked up at the ladder she’d have to climb, the platform she’d have to jump off.

“Maybe this wasn’t my best idea,” she said to anyone who was listening.

“Are you kidding?” Leslie answered, Cole in tow. “This was absolutely your best idea. Well, after starting a charity with your family’s money. We’re gonna fly, Nina!”

“I’m gonna be a superhero!” Cole said. He was wearing a T-shirt he’d made himself with a big lopsided C on the chest and had already had what he declared was the very best day ever because he got to meet the NYPD detail that traveled with Rafael.

Rafael left the officers behind and came over to put his arm around Nina. She noticed a few people surreptitiously snapping a picture of the two of them, but she didn’t mind. She and Rafael had decided that they wouldn’t hide anything. They’d be themselves, be open with the media, live their lives authentically in the spotlight and hope that authenticity would make them real to everyone—no fa?ades, no glamours. And if they were criticized, so be it. It made living a life on display easier when you weren’t trying to hide anything, when you were simply being yourself.