Chapter Nineteen
Still smiling, Nick got up and came around the desk. “This is a nice surprise.”
He’d removed his gray suit coat and rolled up the sleeves of a light blue dress shirt.
“You look beautiful.”
“Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you.” He put his arms around her. “Why does your hair smell different?”
“I’ve just come from the salon.”
“Ah, I see. I want the usual scent back tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Not that this one is bad. It’s just not you.” He nuzzled her neck. “What brings you by?”
“I needed this.” She tightened her arms around him. “Before things get crazy, I just needed this.”
“This is available to you any time you need it.”
“I wish that were true. I need it a lot.”
“What’s up?”
“Just a chaotic day capped off by a state visit. Nothing I can’t handle now that I’ve had five minutes with you.”
“In case I forget to tell you later, I so appreciate you being here this afternoon.”
“I’m right where I belong, but I need to get going before Lilia has a stroke.”
“One more minute.”
She held on tightly to the only man in the world who could make her thankful to be his first lady. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“Farnsworth and Malone told me they’re not retiring until we’re out of office because my dad would’ve wanted them watching over me while I try to do something no other first lady has ever done.”
“Wow. What’d you say to that?”
“I cried.”
“Aw, babe. I’m so glad you’ve got them watching out for you at work. That makes me feel so much better.”
“Me, too.”
“Tonight, after all the hoopla, let’s you and me have a date in the loft.”
“Yes, please.” She’d be dead on arrival tomorrow, but so be it. “I really gotta go.”
“See you in a couple of hours.”
“Good luck with the PM.”
“Good luck with the PM’s wife.”
Sam smiled up at him as he kissed her and then reluctantly released him to go change for tea.
Shelby had waitedhours for the chance to see Avery. Thank goodness Ginger had come to help with the baby because she never could’ve done it on her own while being so consumed by worry. Even after they’d told her Avery would make a full recovery, she wouldn’t be able to breathe properly until she saw him for herself.
“What’s taking so long?” she asked Ginger. “They said I could see him soon.”
“They’re taking good care of him. That’s what we want. Come sit for a minute. You’ll wear yourself out.”
Already long past worn out, Shelby sat next to Ginger and took the sleeping baby from her. “How could this have happened? Who would want to shoot Avery?”
“I keep thinking about the people who broke into the house. Could it be related?”
“I don’t know how. They’re in jail.”
“I’m sure the FBI and others are working to figure out what happened. He’s one of their own. They’ll be all over it.”
“I know.” Shelby blinked back tears that had threatened for hours. She was trying to be strong for Avery and their children, but it wasn’t easy. Her hormones were still out of whack from pregnancy and childbirth, not to mention the lingering trauma from the home invasion. Now she’d nearly lost the love of her life. It was all too much to bear.
A nurse came into the waiting room. “Mrs. Hill?”
Shelby stood quickly and then winced from the aches and pains that remained from the baby’s birth. “That’s me.”
“Would you like to see your husband?”
“Very much so.” She handed the baby to Ginger. “Thank you.”
“No worries. Take your time.”
The nurse gestured for Shelby to come with her. “Right this way.”
She had to remind herself to keep breathing as she followed the nurse through the doors to the recovery area. “How is he?”
“He’s doing very well.”
“That’s such a relief.”
“All he wants is to see you. And he asked about the baby.”
“We just had her a few days ago.”
“That’s what he said. He said he loves being a daddy.”
Shelby swiped at the tears that came despite her fierce desire to be strong for him. “He’s a very good daddy.”
She was in no way prepared for the sight of him attached to machines with tubes and wires everywhere.
He held out his hand to her. “Come here, sugar.”
That voice. That one-in-a-million face. Thank God he hadn’t been killed. What in the world would she have done without him?
Shelby took his hand and bent over it when her composure cracked.
“Aw, sweetie, I’m fine.”
“Now, you are.”
“I’m so sorry to put you through this.”
“Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. I’m just so, so thankful you’re all right.”
“Where’s my baby girl?”
“Ginger has her in the waiting room. She’s very excited to see her daddy.”
“I can’t wait to see her, too. Come here and give me a kiss.”
Shelby wiped away her tears and then leaned over the bed rail to kiss her love.
He wrapped his arm around her. “Everything’s fine. I promise.”
If he said so, it must be true.
“George is eager to speak to you about what you remember.”
“Give me five more minutes of you, and then you can send him in.”
Courtney Hutchinson was indeed lovely.
Sam wasn’t sure why she was so surprised by that, but as soon as she realized the other woman was more like her than not, she relaxed and tried to enjoy the opportunity to talk to another mom. They’d posed for photographers in the Blue Room and waited for Harold to pour their tea before they relaxed a bit. Sam had made sure to put her bandaged arm behind her guest to hide it from the photographer.
“Tell me everything about your work.” Courtney tucked a strand of sleek blonde hair behind her ear. She had the most adorable bob cut that would look ridiculous on Sam, but Courtney pulled it off effortlessly. “It’s fascinating to me.”
“Oh, well… Um, mostly it’s frustrating and upsetting and overwhelming to me. And that’s on a good day.”
Courtney smiled at her description of the job.
Sam held up her bandaged arm. “As you can see, I recently had a not-so-good day.”
“Is it broken?”
“No, just a bad sprain and some road rash, but it was the last thing I needed this week.”
“I read about the prosecutor who was murdered. Did you know him?”
Sam nodded. “I knew him well. His office prosecutes our cases. His death is such a tragedy.”
“I’m so sorry for the loss of your colleague and friend. Where do you even begin to figure out who did it?”
Sam hadn’t expected to discuss her work, but she preferred that topic to many others that could’ve come up. “We look for motive. Who would’ve benefited from removing Tom from the equation? That kind of thing.”
“I really admire that you’re doing both jobs. I can barely handle my official duties as Matthew’s wife. I can’t imagine an intense full-time job on top of that.”
Sam smoothed a hand over the skirt of the most gorgeous wool suit she’d ever owned. The chunky tweed included a variety of colors, including pink, purple and navy. She’d be hard-pressed to describe it except to say she loved it and couldn’t wait to tell Marcus that. “My goal is to survive every day, to make sure as many balls are kept in the air as possible and that my kids are fed and loved and have what they need. It’s a bit of a Tilt-A-Whirl, to be honest.”
“I’d say so.”
“I could never do any of it without the tremendous team of supporters I have here and at work. They’re the ones who really make it happen. But enough about me. Tell me about you and your family.”
They talked about kids, the funny things they said, the unique challenges of raising them in the spotlight and Courtney’s work on behalf of cystic fibrosis research.
“How’s your daughter’s health?”
“She’s doing very well. They’ve made amazing advancements in treating CF, and while it requires daily management, she’s living a relatively normal life.”
“That’s wonderful. I’m so glad to hear it.” She noticed Courtney hadn’t touched her tea. “May I warm up your tea?”
“Honestly?”
“Of course.”
“I’d rather have a glass of wine. Would that be possible?”
“This is the White House. Anything is possible here.” She smiled at Harold, who was positioned by the door. “We’d like to trade our tea for wine, please.”
“Right away, ma’am. What kind of wine do you prefer?”
Sam looked to Courtney.
“Rosé would be wonderful.”
“Make it a double, please, Harold.”
“Coming right up.”
“Since we’re being honest…” Sam wasn’t sure if she should be, but whatever. She only knew how to be herself, and herself was blunt. “I was kind of dreading this meeting. I feared I wouldn’t know what to talk to you about, and I hate tea.”
Courtney laughed. “It’s like drinking dirty bathwater.”
Sam laughed right along with her. “Yes, exactly! I know people love it, but I never have.”
“Me either.”
“This is my first state visit since Nick became president. I’ve been so nervous, but you’re just a regular person like me.”
“You’re not a regular person.”
“Oh my God. Yes, I am. If you only knew… I worry all the time that my ‘regular-ness’ will cause embarrassment for Nick.”
“I never would’ve guessed that. Your public persona is a bit intimidating for someone like me coming to meet with you.”
“Nothing to be intimidated about with me unless you’re a murderer, or you mess with my family. Then I can get a little ugly.”
“Can’t we all? I’ve been appalled by some of the things that’ve been said about your husband since he took office. The shooting at Fort Liberty… Such a tragedy.”
“Indeed. It’s been hard to take. People saying awful things about him simply because he stepped up when asked by President Nelson to be vice president and then again when the president died so suddenly. A service member killing other personnel because he doesn’t support the commander in chief. It’s…”
“A lot on top of a lot.”
“Yes. It certainly is.” Sam appreciated that the other woman understood—probably better than anyone Sam had spoken to since Nick became president.
“Do you have to go there to offer support and condolences?”
“We were told we’re not wanted there, which stung a bit.”
“I’m sure it does. With all the sacrifices you and your family are making so he can serve his country at the highest level, it’s not easy to face the constant criticism.”
“No, it sure isn’t. It’s nice to talk to someone who understands.”
“I really do. Matthew came into office with an ambitious agenda that’s run up against fierce resistance from all corners. Somedays, you wonder why you bother to try.”
“We have to keep trying. That’s what Nick says.”
“He’s right. Of course we have to keep trying, but sometimes it’s just exhausting.”
“All the time.”
Harold returned, bearing a tray with two glasses of wine that he served to them.
“Thank you, Harold,” Sam said.
“Yes, thank you.”
“May I remove the tea service?”
“Yes, please, but leave the cake. That won’t go to waste.”
Smiling, he said, “Yes, ma’am.”
“Don’t you get tired of being called ma’am?” Courtney asked when they were alone again.
“So tired of it. I’ve got my Secret Service agents calling me Sam when it’s just us, but that didn’t happen overnight.”
“This wine is delicious.”
“It is. I’ve always loved rosé the best.”
“Me, too.” Courtney held up her glass to Sam. “Here’s to new friends who get it.”
Sam touched her glass to Courtney’s. “I’ll drink to that.”
The second glassof wine had probably been a mistake, Sam thought, as Lilia accompanied her to the residence to dress for dinner. She was a tiny bit wobbly but elated after a delightful time with Courtney Hutchinson. With hindsight, she’d wasted valuable energy worrying about something that’d turned out much better than fine.
Before they’d parted company, they’d exchanged phone numbers so they could stay in touch after the visit.
Skip Holland used to tell his daughters not to be overly impressed by illustrious people. The putting-their-pants-on-one-leg-at-a-time saying came right from him. She should’ve taken his advice as she’d prepared to meet with Courtney. Turns out, she’d been every bit as intimidated as Sam had been, which was amusing. She didn’t think of herself as particularly intimidating, except when someone was irritating her on the job, so it had come as a surprise that Courtney had been nervous about their meeting, too.
While Lilia waited in the sitting room, Sam went into the bedroom to change and encountered her husband in a tuxedo.
“Holy smokes.”
“What?”
“You in that tux. Yum.” She went to him and rested her hands flat on his chest. “It’s giving me ideas.”
“We don’t have time for ideas. How’d it go with Courtney Hutchinson?”
“We had a great time.”
“Is that right?”
“Yep, and we had two glasses of wine.”
“Ah, that accounts for the somewhat glassy look in your eyes.” He kissed her. “I’m glad you had a good time.”
“We really did. She’s very nice and normal.”
“Unlike you.”
Sam laughed and then burped. “Whoops.”
“Oh my God, Samantha. Are you tipsy before our first state dinner?”
“Maybe just a little, but it’s not my fault. She said tea tastes like dirty bathwater, so we asked for wine instead.”
His smile was devastating all the time, but extra devastating when he was dressed to kill. “I’m so glad you enjoyed yourself. Now hurry up and change so we aren’t late for a very important date.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. President. I may need you to zip me into my dress.”
“I much prefer to unzip you.”
“Save that for later.”
“Oh, I will. Don’t worry.”
She went into her closet and quickly changed into the underwear and dress that Marcus had dropped off earlier. The burgundy velvet dress that left one shoulder bare was one of her favorites of all the amazing things she’d gotten to wear as second and first lady. She added the key necklace and bangle bracelet Nick had given her and then placed her engagement ring on top of the band she wore to work.
As she stepped into a sexy pair of heels, she wished there was something she could do to hide the bandage on her wrist, but that wasn’t going to happen. Thank goodness the cortisone shot was working, and her hip didn’t hurt at all.
After a deep breath to prepare herself, she stepped out of the closet to find him leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.
His face lit up with pleasure when he saw her. “Wow.” He made a circular motion with his index finger, asking to see the full picture.
Sam gave a careful little spin on her heel. God forbid she should aggravate her hip again.
“Sexiest first lady in history.”
“I thought we’d already decided that honor should go to Eleanor Roosevelt.”
“None of them has anything on my first lady. She’s a knockout.”
“Are the kids ready?”
“Celia said they’re good to go as soon as we are.”
The Littles would be joining them for photos and appetizers before returning to the residence for dinner. Scotty was along for the full ride, at his request.
Sam and Nick stepped into the hallway, where the kids were waiting for them—Scotty and Alden in tuxedoes and Aubrey in a tiny version of Sam’s dress.
“Oh my goodness! Look at you guys!”
“You look so pretty, Sam!” Aubrey said.
“So do you! Do you feel fancy?”
“So fancy!”
“You boys are so handsome!”
Scotty put a hand on Alden’s shoulder. “Alden wasn’t digging the top button, but I convinced him that grown-up guys have to button the top to wear a bow tie.”
“You look very grown up, Alden,” Sam said.
His blond hair had been slicked down, and he grinned with pleasure at the compliments.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” Nick said.
“The road to downstairs,” Scotty replied.
Nick smiled. “Makes for a quick ride home.”
Sam stopped to give Celia a hug. “Thank you so much for all you do for us. We’d never survive this without you.”
Celia had declined their invite to attend the gala, preferring to hang out with the kids instead.
“It’s my pleasure, honey. You all look gorgeous. Best-looking family in the world.”
“Aw, thanks. We clean up pretty well.”
“I told the kids’ agents I’d be right here waiting for them to come back up. Don’t worry about a thing.”
“I never do when you’re here.”
“I love every minute of it. Have the very best time.”
“Thank you. Love you.”
“Love you, too, sweetheart.” Celia hugged her. “He’d be so, so proud.”
“I hope so.”
“I know so. He’d be busting his buttons.”
“Thank you for that. I needed it.”
She took Nick’s hand and walked with him and the kids downstairs to greet their public.