I settled my hand on Everett’s arm and wasn’t surprised when he shuddered just a little. But I couldn’t dwell on that.
“Everett, I was wondering if you might consider coming to stay with us too. We have plenty of room and Reese is going to need you—”
That was as far as I got before Everett sealed all of our fates for the foreseeable future with just one simple word.
“Yes.”
Chapter 7
Everett
Nash was pouting.
I didn’t know how else to describe his surly attitude, but it was driving me crazy. Especially since we’d had the same argument at least half a dozen times since leaving Montana. I’d told him on more than one occasion that none of it was his decision to make, but he’d ignored my comment and had instead thrown out excuses for why taking up residence in Gage’s guest house wasn’t reasonable. Most of his arguments had revolved around how difficult it would be for him to protect me in an unknown environment. When he’d pointed out that at the least, Agent Simmons would have to come with us, I’d finally put my foot down. No way I wanted Gage and his family’s personal space invaded by agents assigned to protect me. So I’d told Nash the previous day that I’d decided to move forward with declining Secret Service protection.
He hadn’t liked my response, but he hadn’t argued with me, and when the director had called later that night, I’d adamantly refused to budge on the matter. Nash and I had returned to Virginia only long enough for me to pack enough stuff to last me for the time it would take Reese to recuperate at Gage’s house. I’d expected Nash and Agent Simmons to be gone the following morning when it had been time to head back to the airstrip to meet Ronan’s pilots for the long flight to Seattle, but Nash had been waiting for me by the car.
Just Nash.
He’d informed me that he’d arranged it with the director that he’d be the only agent accompanying me. It meant he’d be with me twenty-four seven, but it was a concession that I’d oddly been okay with. I’d refused to acknowledge that I’d been reluctant to see Nash go in the first place.
I was caught in this revolving door with Nash that made no sense. He irritated the hell out of me, but I couldn’t discount all the things he’d done for me in the past couple of weeks. Or the fact that I was coming to rely on him more than I should.
And not just for protection.
He’d become a source of emotional support that I hadn’t known I’d needed. And as much as I hated to admit it, I wanted to know more about him. Who he was and what made him tick. I knew I’d read too much into his behavior that night in my kitchen when I’d actually thought he might kiss me, but I still felt this strange need to know the man behind the mask. Yes, he was brusque and domineering and unyielding, but when I thought back to all the little things he’d been doing for me – making sure I ate, holding my arm when he seemed worried that I might not be able to keep myself upright, his gentle touch when I’d had that weird panic attack after Reese’s rejection – I wanted to somehow give that back to him.
He’d made the past two weeks more bearable.
I wouldn’t have expected that, and the fact that I’d misjudged him made me want to make up for it in some way. I’d already told the director that I thought they ought to take another look at the scandal that had gotten Nash demoted from protecting the second family to babysitting a former president. I’d learned from Grady before he’d left for Florida that Nash had been assigned to protect the vice president’s teenage daughter. At nineteen, the girl had long been considered a wild child, but when she’d told her parents that her primary Secret Service agent had made a pass at her, the uproar had been instantaneous, and Nash had been in real danger of losing his job. It had only been his impeccable service record that had kept him from being fired, but I suspected one more black mark and he’d be out.
After having spent so much time in the man’s presence, I knew in my gut he wouldn’t have broken protocol. On the off chance he’d been attracted to the barely legal girl, I still doubted he’d have made a move on her. His job was just too important to him… as were his precious rules. So I’d told Director Hill that Nash was being wasted in his current role, and Hill had agreed to look into it. I’d been out of that world for a while now, but I still had pull, as evidenced by the way the director had practically fallen over himself after I’d suggested that maybe Nash’s side of the story hadn’t been given the consideration it had deserved. I suspected once all this was over, Nash could very well end up back in the West Wing. No matter what, I’d do my best to make sure he got the chance, because he’d already proven his dedication to me. No, we’d never be friends like me and Grady had been, but I knew Nash was a good man and the character traits that drove me crazy were actually a good thing for someone in his position.