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retreats, three beach houses in Malibu, Maui, and Maine, and four yachts. This is who gets you to the attorney general’s office, Bucky.”
    JT raised his eyebrows. “Attorney general? Why not lieutenant governor? Hypothetically. And don’t call me Bucky.”
    “Lieutenant governor is fine and extremely powerful in Texas. But it limits your opportunities outside of Texas, for any future-hypothetical-national political office. For a hypothetical candidate starting out, attorney general is your best first run. Or congressman.”
    “Or senator? What would Dad Hightower say if he had some competition in the primary?”
    Spencer looked grim. “Yummy. Breakfast.”
    JT chuckled at her joke. “What if I had you on my side?” He was teasing, but she could tell he was trying to get a sense of where her loyalty might be.
    “I couldn’t be on your side, Bucky.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because if I was on one side of a race and my father was on the other, that means one of us would lose. And Hightowers never lose.” Spencer took a sip of her drink, skimming over the assembled guests again, finally focusing on Liam relaxing easily on the couch, his denim clad legs stretched out.
    “Sometimes they do. I don’t recall you living in the White House after Dad Hightower ran for President.”
    JT’s voice teased, but a brick sank in her stomach at his words.
    “Sorry, Spencer,” JT apologized under his breath.
    Spencer gave him a faint smile and nod. She had learned the gracious art of ignoring jokes and jabs about her father’s failed Presidential bid years ago in grade school. JT’s gentle teasing was nothing compared to the viciousness of middle school mean girls. Outwardly, she remained calm, good-natured, even. Sometimes Spencer could make a distant, well-worded comment on how her father loved being a Senator from Texas. Or how her mother was relieved to not have to find an oval rug to fit an oval office. And after so many years of moving on and ignoring it, it was mostly true that she didn’t care.
    Mostly.
    Of course, it was fine that the country hadn’t elected a President Hayes Hightower. But in a family that prided itself on always winning, the fact that Spencer had been part of the defeat still didn’t sit well.
    Her high school therapist had said Spencer wanted absolution. The competitive grown up Spencer wanted a recount, hanging chads and all.
    She focused on her friend again, elections fresh on her mind. “You definitely do not want to run against my father.”
    “So, attorney general, huh?”
    “You have the resume, the experience, the contacts. It’s nonpartisan—well, it has the appearance of being nonpartisan—and you can pick your cases. And you make sure to only pick cases you can win.”
    “Like you do.”
    She didn’t only pick cases she could win. She just won no matter what. It was deep in her DNA. She caught the attention of Liam across the room, and her solar plexus tightened again.
    “So any more advice? Especially for free?”
    JT was asking her for help. She forced herself to tear her eyes away from Liam. But she knew he was still there, watching her, with a sharp stare that seemed to tear right through her. Spencer collected herself and focused back at the rest of JT’s friends. “These people are important, but you’re loyal, Bucky. You need to make sure there are no skeletons in their closets.”
    “I know these guys. They’re good people…”
    “Yes they are. And good people do bad things.”
    “God, you’re jaded. What do you want me to do, hire a private investigator?” JT scoffed.
    Spencer ignored JT’s simplistic suggestion as she straightened, smoothing out the wrinkles of her shirt. “There are more cost-effective and efficient ways to get information.”
    Forty-five minutes later, when the dinner dishes were cleared and refills of drinks were poured, JT announced that before the traditional birthday weekend Texas Hold ‘Em game started, there would be a new game…