Page 39 of State of Alert

Only when her stomach growled, loudly, did she realize shehadn’t eaten in hours. The last freaking thing she felt like doing was eating, but if she had any prayer of sleeping, she needed something. She picked up the phone and ordered a grilled cheese and tomato soup, the ultimate comfort food.

“Coming right up, Mrs. Cappuano.”

“Thank you so much. Sorry for the late order.”

“No problem at all, ma’am.”

The White House butlers were amazing and always willing to get them whatever they wanted or needed. She feared they’d be spoiled completely rotten by the time they moved out. While she waited for dinner, she went to check in on Aubrey and Alden, who were sound asleep and wrapped up in each other. She ran light fingers over downy blond hair and soft cheeks. “Love you to the moon and back,” she whispered as she kissed them both, sad for the day she’d missed with them.

On days like today, she seriously thought about leaving the department to become a full-time mother and first lady. What would it be like to no longer have to worry about chasing murderers and dealing with nonstop bullshit? It would probably feel pretty damned good.

Today had been a shit show from the get-go. First, she’d been stuck inside the comms vehicle while the rest of her team executed the operation she’d put together to capture Harlan Peckham. If their target had spotted her in the group outside the church where they’d used Federal Judge Corrinne Sawyer to lure him, he would’ve made them right away, so she’d had to be tucked away with Vernon while the rest of her team put themselves in harm’s way.

That would never sit right with her and had her doubting every decision she’d made since Nick became president. Was she putting the people she cared most about on the job in danger every time she showed up to work a shift?

She’d taken down Harlan Peckham single-handedly when she’d spotted him walking down a city street after he’d failed to show at the church. In the end, they’d arrested the man who’dkilled Tom Forrester and shot Avery, but she wouldn’t soon forget the impotent feeling of being sidelined while her team handled the dangerous part.

Melding her high-profile personal life with her high-profile professional life had made perfect sense to her until she’d realized that choice would take her off the front lines on days like today—while the people who reported to her risked their lives.

LeRoy Chastain, one of Sam’s favorite butlers, delivered her meal a few minutes later.

“Thank you so much, LeRoy.”

“Always a pleasure, ma’am. You’re all over the news tonight. Congratulations on the arrest.”

“Thank you. I think.”

He laughed as he set the tray on the coffee table for her. “I tossed in a couple of the cookies you like so much.”

“You’re the devil, but the good kind.”

His chuckle was full of joy for a job he’d told her before he loved. “Can I get you anything else?”

“This is absolutely perfect. Please thank the kitchen for me.”

“I’ll do that, ma’am. You have a nice evening.”

“You, too.”

Sam’s spirits lifted considerably when she heard Nick greeting LeRoy in the hallway. The two men laughed at whatever Nick had said. They would miss these people when they moved out, and she had a feeling they would be missed, too. Gideon Lawson, the chief usher, had told her the entire staff was in love with their family—and vice versa.

“Is that my husband, the leader of the free world, returning from battle?”

He offered her a small grin as he took a seat next to her on the sofa and leaned in to kiss her.

“Want some grilled cheese?”

“Just a bite.”

She held half the sandwich while he took his bite.

“God, that’s good. Why’s it so much better here?”

“Because we don’t have to make it ourselves?”

“That’s possible. One more bite.”

“Take this half. I’m happy with the other half.”

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