“Have a seat.” Maria indicated the couch. “Let me put my things away. I’m sure Rosa is in the kitchen.”
Rosa must have heard them, for she popped around the corner from the rear of the house and came forward with open arms. “Princess! I’m so glad Maria convinced you to come.”
Win cringed at her childhood nickname but submitted to a hug gladly, although she wondered why Rosa thought she needed convincing. “Maria said she had something to tell me.”
The women exchanged a glance. “Let me fetch you both some food first,” Rosa said. “I made a snack.”
“If you see a strange man in the garden, it’s one of Win’s bodyguards,” Maria called after her. “Warn the girls, please?”
“Of course. I’ll make enough for everyone.”
Win smiled at Maria, knowing full well one of Rosa’s snacks was far more like a feast, and there would be enough if she’d brought ten bodyguards. She took a seat in the living room knowing she couldn’t stop her ex-nanny from serving her food and that Rosa wouldn’t stand for her trespassing in her kitchen. While they waited, she and Maria talked of Maria’s children, who were playing outside. Win wondered what they’d make of the serious men who were patrolling their yard.
A half hour later, Win said, “I can’t eat another thing,” stopping Rosa from fetching her another empanada. “Maria will kill me if she has to alter my dress again tomorrow.”
“You need fattening up,” Rosa said.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Maria muttered.
“I’ve loved catching up with both of you, but I have to get going soon,” Win said quickly. “Was there something you wanted to ask me?”
“Something we need to tell you,” Rosa said.
The front door swung open again, and a woman in her late twenties rushed in. She had a cap of black hair and large, expressive brown eyes. “Rosa, who are those men outside? They weren’t going to let me in. I came to ask about—Oh, you have company. I’m sorry.” She marched forward purposefully, evidently quite comfortable here, and introduced herself to Win. “I’m Lenore. Lenore Henderson. I help out at the community garden, like Rosa.”
Of course. Both Rosa and Maria were green thumbs, and Win knew they were very active in their neighborhood.
“She does far more than that,” Rosa said. “She’s a community organizer, for one thing. She led the push to loosen restrictions on accessory suites in San Mateo.”
“All part of a day’s work,” Lenore said brightly. She blinked. “Wait, I know you,” she said to Win and cocked her head. “Don’t I?”
Maria laughed. “You should. She’s your opponent’s daughter.”
“Opponent?” Win looked from one to the other.
“Win Lisle? Well, that explains those hacks patrolling out front. I love you on Base Camp. What happened? Why’d you leave?”
What happened indeed, Win thought bleakly. I lost my chance to be with the man I love. “Things didn’t work out,” she said.
“That’s too bad. I think Base Camp is phenomenal. Inspiring, even.”
“You’re the one who’s inspiring,” Rosa told her. “Lenore’s running for Congress against your father,” she told Win. “She’s fighting for federal fair housing legislation. Investment in renewable energy. Lowered tuition at state schools. An end to predatory lending practices.”
“Sounds like a great platform,” Win said weakly. “I’ll vote for you.”
Lenore laughed. “You don’t have to lie. I know you’ll back your father.”
“No, I won’t,” Win said sharply, then dropped her gaze to the floor when the other women eyed her curiously. “I wasn’t lying; I will vote for you if you mean what you say.”
Lenore took another look at her. “The rumor I heard was you came home because your father’s backers demanded it. Seems like if you’re willing to do that, it’s because you support what he stands for.”
Win lifted her chin. “I came back to help my mother through her cancer treatments. She’s supported me all my life.”
“Hmm.” Lenore shrugged. “I’ve been supporting myself since I was sixteen. That means I get to have my opinion and my parents get to have theirs, you know? And they don’t sic a bunch of babysitters on me.” She nodded toward the door to indicate the bodyguards outside.
Easy for her to say, Win thought, but she wasn’t going to explain her past to a stranger. “I appreciate the way my parents provide for my security.”
“I appreciate the way my parents value my independence. Security isn’t worth much if it comes with a leash.” Lenore turned back to Rosa as Win absorbed that blow. “I was wondering if you still had those pieces of cardboard we found outside the appliance shop. I need to make some signs over at the garden.”
“Of course.” Rosa led her toward the back of the house. Win found Maria watching her kindly.
“She didn’t mean to insult you,” she said softly. “Lenore says what she thinks.”
“Is she really running against my dad? She’ll never win.”
“But she’ll get people talking about issues they haven’t been talking about much,” Maria said. “This is a progressive community, but it’s also a wealthy one for the most part. It costs so much to live here you can bring in six figures and still feel the pinch of a high electric bill.” Maria lifted her hands. “You think we’d cram so many of us in one house if we had another choice? It takes all our combined income to pay the bills. We need people like Lenore to speak up for us—for all of us.”
Win nodded. “I wish I was like her.”
“You could be. You were when you were on that show. I watched every episode. Mija, why would you leave a man like Angus and come home? Is it because of the baby?” She nodded at Win’s stomach.
“The baby is Angus’s,” Win confessed, “But my mom was so sick. She needed me—”
A strange
