Sarlacc had to have sources of income other than a Senator’s salary, as generous as it was. Despite that, he took me to a steakhouse that was the cheapest I’d heard of.

It was really good.
“So…”

“So, apparently, they’re going to change the policy so nobody can bring a non-student as their date because they’d rather do that to avoid being sued than let us do it.” I shook my head. “And then tell everyone why.”

“The entire needing a date thing is stupid anyway.”

He, I thought, would know. “How did you get around it?”

“Went with a friend who didn’t want a date either.”

Which I knew was an option for me. But…no. I was going to fight this. “I suppose changing the policy isn’t illegal.”

“I’ll talk to a lawyer. It probably isn’t, but we can make it bad PR.”

“Like a DC public school cares about PR.” With neighborhood school rules and all…the only reason I still went to that school after moving was because I’d got special permission so I didn’t have to change.

“You’d be surprised. Everyone cares about PR. The question is do you want it?”

“Given who I am, no. Given that they’re going to keep doing this until somebody makes a fuss…”

“You realize that some people are going to make this a race issue?”

I frowned. “Yes.”

“They’ll use it as an excuse for the race issue. It’s not acceptable to have issues with interracial, but you can have issues with same sex because religion.”

He had a point, although I laughed sharply at religion. “Religion. I’ve met angels. They have problems with me, but not for that.”

“Rivalry, I’d suppose.” He looked at me searchingly. “You’re no angel and no demon.”

“Right. So, yeah. Rivalry.” I thought of Sarael. “Level of friendliness varies.” I remembered how they’d asked Kanesha to sneak an angel feather into Hell.

I still wasn’t sure I’d forgiven them for that. But it had been her choice.

“I’d imagine there are things both you and angels don’t like.”

“Demons, for starters. Demons who try to get into my pants.”

He laughed. “I can bond with you on that.”

“Yeah, but what did she offer you? Money?”

“Money, yes, as if I needed it. Then she offered to fix my problem. That’s what you came in on the end of.”

“As if you had a problem.” Maybe he…no. He didn’t strike me as lonely.

“I have friends. That’s all I need. I’d be proud to call you one of them….age difference or no.”

I laughed. “I was thinking I was a daughter substitute.”

“No. I don’t want to meet your real parents.”

Oh dear.

He had to say that.