“Thank you for your help, Ms. Thomas.”
I grin at him over my shoulder. “Of course, Mr. President.”
I leave his office, making sure to wipe my face of my stupid smile before I do.
Roger glares at me. The other staff all stare.
I don’t care. I walk past them, head held high.10AdamCharles sits me down in the situation room and clears his throat.
“Adam, if you keep fucking this girl, you’re going to sink this administration.”
I frown at him for a second. I thought we were in here to talk about Pakistan again, since there are rumblings from the local militias and terrorist groups about some kind of retaliation.
But my fucking sex life?
“Not sure it matters, Charles,” I tell him. “I think people won’t care once we’ve done some good for them.”
“You won’t have a chance if you can’t keep your dick in your pants.” He sighs. “Sir.”
I laugh, unable to help myself. “I know it’s a bad idea.”
“Bad idea? Fucking hell, Adam. It’s so obvious.”
“I know, I know. It’s just…” I glance away from him for a second. “I’ve given up so much for so long. I’m ready for a change.”
He grunts softly. “I know you haven’t exactly… put yourself out there, since your wife and son. Since Marci and Travis.”
I flinch at their names. I don’t think their names, don’t read their names. It hurts still, even to this day.
But it hurts a lot less than I expected.
“But you have to realize how important what we’re doing is,” he continues. “We’re doing something real here, Adam. Fucking hell, I’m actually starting to believe in all your horseshit about changing this country and helping people.”
I grin at him. “You sound like a damn radical, Charles.”
He gives me a look. “None of it will matter if you don’t stop sleeping with that girl.”
I stand up and turn my back to him. I stare at the wall, at the blank white, hands clasped behind my back. I look down at my shoes, at their shiny black uppers.
“When Travis and Marci died, I thought I was dead, too,” I say softly. “I threw myself into politics. Everything I’ve done has led me to this point, and now…” I turn to him. I want him to see my face. “Now, with Maggie, I’m starting to feel again. Like a fucking human being.”
He sighs. “You can’t stop, can you?”
“No, I can’t. I’m not going to.”
He meets my gaze. We stand there for a second. I’m half expecting him to resign right here and now.
But he just grunts and stands. “Okay then. I guess we’ll figure it out.”
I nod. “Thank you, Charles.”
He hesitates at the door. “For the record, I’m against it. But… you’re my friend, and if this will help you, god help me, we’ll make it happen.” He gives me a defeated grin. “At least you won’t be the first President fucking someone you shouldn’t be in this damn place.”
I laugh and follow him out, heart thumping fast in my chest. I feel heady, high, stupid with desire and excitement. I spot Ramirez at the end of the hall.
“Get Maggie,” I tell him. “I’m going for a walk.”
He stares at me. “Sir?”
“Now.”
He nods and leaves. I head down a long hall, through a back door, nodding at some guards as I go. I walk along a tunnel through the back of the White House and emerge up at street level, five agents on my tail.
I lean up against an old brick wall and stare at the traffic. Nobody notices me. I’m just another political guy in a suit to them.
The agents spread out, so as to blend in a little bit. I wait maybe ten minutes before Ramirez appears with Maggie in tow.
She looks a little surprised. “Adam?” she asks.
“Come on,” I say, reaching out my hand.
She hesitates but takes it. We walk along the sidewalk, heading toward my favorite spot in the city.
“I just had a talk with Charles,” I tell her.
“Did he say that we can do this publicly?” She’s looking around, worried.
I laugh. “Relax. Nobody’s going to notice us out here.”
She bites her lip. “It’s still a stupid risk to take.”
“Maybe. But it’s after seven and nobody gives a crap about a guy in a suit holding hands with a girl.”
She sighs. “That’s all we are out here, huh?”
“Yep. Although there are a few creepy men in black sunglasses following a little too close.”
She grins at me, glances at the agents walking nearby.
“Anyway, Charles said he’d support this. Whatever it is.”
She looks surprised. “Really?”
“I think he’s turning into a true believer.”
“No kidding.”
“I know, right? If we can convince him, I think we can actually change the damn world.”
She laughs, squeezes my hand. “You mean, you can change the damn world.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Where are we going, anyway?”
“Just up there?” I gesture with my other hand.
“The Vietnam Memorial?”