Page 47 of State of Alert

“I know. I thought the same thing yesterday.” She ran her fingers over the silk of his burgundy tie. “What’s up for you today again?”

“Going to Baltimore for the thing at the boys’ school.” His brothers, Brock and Brayden, had invited him to their elementary school and would be interviewing him in front of the student body.

“Oh right. They must be so excited.”

“Dad called yesterday to tell me they wanted new suits for the occasion and hair gel.”

“Stop it.” Sam laughed. “Oh my God. Please tell me it’ll be recorded.”

“It will.”

“I can’t wait to see it.”

“I’ve got lunch with the Maryland governor and Baltimore mayor followed by a fundraising thing in Baltimore with the Maryland Democrats, so I’ll be home late.”

“I’m already in a pissed-off mood, and I’m not even out of bed yet.”

“Should I warn Freddie?”

“You might want to.”

He held out his arms to her. “Come here.”

Sam sat up and fell into his warm embrace, soaking him in while she could. “I miss being able to pout like a five-year-old when I’m not getting my way.”

“It’ll be Friday night before you know it, and I’ll be back for the weekend. We should go to Camp David for Easter.”

“Do we have to?”

“I think we should. We’ve got a dedicated staff there waiting to welcome us back, and we need to make some new memories there.”

The bucolic presidential retreat would forever be associated with the sudden, tragic death of their brother-in-law Spencer late last year. Until disaster struck, Nick had been relaxed there in a way he seldom was anymore. She would go back for his sake, even if it would be painful. “Let’s do that.”

“The family time away from here will be critical to maintaining my sanity.”

“I know.”

“I’ll ask Dad if he and Stacy and the boys want to come. We’ll change it up this time.”

“Sounds good.”

“We have the Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn on Monday. I’ll need you and the kids there for that.”

“Lilia has it on my schedule, and I requested the day off.”

“You’re going to be okay today?”

“Yes, but I’m mad that you’re going away.”

“We have two more nights before I have to go, so we’ll make the most of them.”

“I’m still mad.”

Smiling, he kissed the pout off her lips. “Have a good day, my love.”

“You, too. Have fun with the boys.”

“I’m sure it’ll be the highlight of my time in office so far.”

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