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Not wanting to monopolize too much of Miranda’s tiardens Well lit, it wasn’t as nificent a view as it would be in the dayti, with fountains, butterfly and hue She followed the statues, stopping at each one to marvel at their construction These weren’t replicas of other famous statues They appeared to have been sculpted just for Craig and Miranda In fact, there was one of a couple entwined, staring at each other, that wereand Miranda would notice if she hid out here all night until sunrise

"I suppose you want to have a big-ass garden in your huge backyard in your fantasy home someday, too?"

She turned to see Gray behind her "I don’t need so tree for a tire swing And okay, a nice-sized backyard for my currently nonexistent children that I hope to have so to be hard to have all that and your epic career in the White House, too"

She lifted her chin "Why can’t I have both? Why do I have to choose?"

He looked taken aback and she realized she was letting her passion for this topic get the best of her "Sorry It’s a subject I’ve had so through the garden and Gray led her to a bench overlooking a rather impressive fountain She took a seat and he sat next to her

"Hey, I was joking But obviously someone told you that you couldn’t have a career and your fantasy husband, children, and house with the tire swing?"

"I was once told that I could choose my career track to the White House or a family, but I’d have to sacrifice one in order to have the other, and I’d have to choose"

"Probably my father"

"No It wasn’t your father It was someone else A mentor whoreat in political office, but I’d never be successful at it if I also wanted to have a family It would stretch me too thin"

He laid his arm over the back of the bench and stared at the dolphins spouting water out their mouths "Frankly, I think that’s a crock of shit and see"

She turned toward hi resswomen and senators with husbands and children, aren’t there?"

"Yes"

"Then why couldn’t you have both?"

She looked down at her lap "Honestly? Despite it being what I’d like, it really is a fantasy I don’t seea career in public office I don’t have the background for it"

"Bullshit, Evelyn Where was that fire froo, when you said you wouldn’t settle for less than everything you wanted?"

She always did this, always vacillated bethat she wanted and what she knew she’d likely never have A poor girl with no roots, no established background, and no means didn’t--shouldn’t ever--have aspirations like she had

But she did have those aspirations, wanted those things, and she couldn’t help herself

"Tell me where you’re from," he said, his voice soft as the darkness

His tone eased some of her anxiety She leaned back, the solid feel of his arm a comfort instead of a distraction

"I’m from everywhere My father did construction jobs, so we moved around a lot when I was a kid"

"How ht back "Probably once a year at least So on the work It was important to him to always have a job so he could provide for the family, so herever the as"

"Which hy you never had a house"

She turned to face hi down roots e knee’d have to pull them up and ers trailing down her spine She shivered

"It ed "It was an adventure, at least when I was younger Seeing new cities and toas fun My teen years were more difficult It’s harder to fit in and h school and you’re in and out like that"

"But you settled in at college?"

She smiled at the memory "You have no idea what it was like to be able to spend that aveI formed friendships there that I’ll have for a lifetime"

"See, that’s the kind of huine you as anything other than a viable candidate, especially since you’ve put down roots in DC, which I assuraduated college I got etown, too"

"Look at you Already a lock for political office"

She laughed "I don’t know about that, but I have goals Pretty lofty ones"

"So what do you want to do when you grow up?" he asked with a teasing smile

"Seriously? I’d like to run for office Start locally, then work my way up to a statewide office Thenwe’ll see I don’t want there to be lioals to have And you’re plenty young enough to see theh Are you even thirty yet?"

"Not quite yet"

"Lots of ti you want, Evelyn The career, the husband, the kids, and that house with the tire swing"