“I hope tea’s OK,” Bette said as she came back to the living room with a tray. “I know you’ve had a rough night.”

The senator tilted her head slightly. “You saw that photo.”

Bette nodded. She wasn’t sure what to say in this instance, so she chose to sip on her tea.

“It’s not the first time they wrote about me,” Barbara began. “But I feel the need to warn you either way.”

A perfectly shaped eyebrow arched in question. “About what?”

“The more time you spend with me, the higher the chance of you showing up in the tabloids,” Barbara said simply.

“I know that,” Bette replied.

“Are you prepared to expose your family to the limelight? Because I can guarantee they will latch onto you once they see you with me. Can you risk exposing Angelica to that filth?” Barbara asked calmly.

At the mention of her daughter’s name, Bette went into overdrive. Her mind went through different scenarios, each less optimistic than the last.

“I’m not saying they will camp outside your place. At the very least, we’ll be photographed when we show up at a public place. We’ll need to figure out what to do when that happens.”

Bette allowed the words to sink in for a fraction of a second before engulfing Barbara in a heated kiss. With her hands cupping Barbara’s face, Bette leaned in closer, deepening their kiss in the process.

She snaked her arms around Bette’s shoulders, gently pushing the woman away. After a few quick breaths, she dared to glance at the brunette. “Not that I mind, but what was that for?”

“For being so considerate,” Bette answered.

Barbara’s smile matched the other woman’s. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You did enough.”

“I’m sorry for not calling you last night,” the senator began. “Sam had a little too much to drink and I wanted to make sure he got home OK. By the time things settled, it was too late to call.”

She reached for her cup of tea on the table, listening as Barbara recounted her dinner with her assistant. “Was that when the photo was taken?”

The woman nodded, clearing her throat before she continued her story. “We were leaving the restaurant when the photographer took us by surprise.”

Very calmly, Bette returned the cup to the table. “You know, that comment is what starts rumors.”

Bette’s words drew Barbara’s intense scrutiny, the twinkle in her eyes belying the seriousness of her tone. “I have no disillusion what being with you entails, Barbara. I’ve thought about it, assessed the situation, considered the possibilities and decided we’ll deal with it as it comes.”

“What about Tina? She’s Angelica’s mother, too. Shouldn’t she be at least warned?” Barbara pointed out.

“That her daughter might be exposed to the paparazzi or that you’ll be spending more time with us?”

Never one to back down from a challenge, Barbara pressed on. “Both.”

She sighed. Why do people expect her to have an answer to everything? “Tina knows there’s a chance Angie might get photographed when she’s out with either one of us. It’s the nature of our jobs. So far, we’ve been lucky.”

“It’ll change in a heartbeat.”

“Yeah,” Bette breathed out.

“I’m not saying she will be photographed.” The conversation was not going the way she had envisioned. “Just another thing we have to watch out for when the three of us do show up in public.”