Page 10 of A More Perfect Union

“Are you going to saysomething?”

“Frankly, I’m notsure what to say. The promotion is one thing, but reassignment?”

“Wondering if you’rebeing praised on one hand and punished with the other?”

“Something likethat.” Zoey wasn’t sure how to feel. She’d taken pride in her command, but nowthat she was back stateside, she’d had a hard time reintegrating to regularbase life, especially in light of her role in the Nine Tech scandal. She’dheard work at the Pentagon was mired in bureaucracy, but with over twentythousand fellow employees, she’d have a better chance at blending in andgetting her career back on track.

“Bloomfield likesyou. He got good feedback from counsel’s office.” Sharp shrugged. “And no, Ididn’t make this happen, although when he asked I told him I thought youdeserved the bump. Besides, the Pentagon is already silly with majors.”

“Will I be workingwith you?”

“Probably. In somecapacity. You’ll have a week to relocate, and then you’ll report back here. Idon’t know exactly what Bloomfield has planned for you, but I do know you’ll beworking with the Joint Chiefs. And that’s part of the reason I wanted you tocome to this party tonight.”

In the excitementabout her impending promotion and the news she wasn’t getting booted, Zoey hadalmost forgotten they were headed to a function. “Where exactly are we going?”

“Julia Scott isthrowing a birthday party for her girlfriend.” They were stopped at a light andhe glanced at her with an expectant expression. She rolled the name around inher head, but she couldn’t quite place it without more context.

“I give up.” Theminute the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to reel them back in. “Waita minute. Julia Scott, President Garrett’s chief of staff? And hergirlfriend…Addison Riley? Chief justice of the Supreme Court?”

“Those are the ones.”He looked out the window and she was grateful he couldn’t see her mouth washanging open. “We’re almost there, so if you have questions, ask them now.”

“I guess the mostobvious one is how did you score this invitation? I figure you’ve met JuliaScott at the White House, but defense briefings are a little different thansocial invitations.”

“If you want to get aheadhere, you have to learn to schmooze a little. You’ll have plenty ofopportunities to socialize, mark my words. But I got an invite because I’m anold family friend. I served with Addison Riley’s father, and Margaret and I aregodparents to her and her brother Jack.”

“That makes you DCroyalty, doesn’t it?”

“Hardly,” he saidwith a grunt of disdain. “But I know how to make nice when I need to. Thisparty will be loaded with VIPs. It’s the perfect opportunity for you to get toknow some of them and make a good impression. I’ll introduce you around, buthave a little fun. After this week, you deserve it.”

“Thanks. Speaking ofMargaret, how are she and the kids? I’d love to see them. George and Luke haveto be almost out of college by now, right?”

He drummed his handon the armrest and craned his neck as Carl braked to avoid a car that turnedlate into the intersection in front of them. When they finally pulled forward,he replied to her question. “Marge is good. George has a year to go, but I’mnot sure he knows what he wants to do with his life. Luke’s at Annapolis, so hedoesn’t really have a choice.”

Zoey nodded at therundown but made a mental note that he didn’t sound as enthusiastic as usualwhen talking about his family. George’s lack of direction had to be adisappointment. She could relate, but for completely opposite reasons. Herfamily had been plenty disappointed when she’d announced she was joining theservice. They’d acted like she was throwing her life away, but if she’dreturned to their tiny Texas town after a full ride at Texas A&M, thatwould have been the true waste. At first she’d missed the easy comfort of smalltown life, but she’d quickly adjusted to the routine of military life and thebuilt-in camaraderie. David and his wife had been particularly welcoming, andshe’d come to think of them as her second family, but the one that came firstwhen she needed the kind of comforts a family was supposed to provide.

A few minutes later,they pulled up to a large Tudor style house in what Sharp told her wasGeorgetown. Every window was lit and the massive sycamore trees were sprinkledwith lights. They waited in a line of cars inching toward the valet stand. Theteam of valets worked quickly, and it wasn’t long before a young man in a navysuit jacket opened her door and reached out a hand as she climbed out of thecar. While she waited for Sharp, she took a moment to drink in the atmosphere,grateful for her uniform since, based on the attire of the other guests, shewasn’t sure she owned any clothes dressy enough for this occasion. When theyreached the door, a man in a butler uniform ushered them in and pointed out theway to the bar and buffet.

The house was exactlythe kind of significant, but not ostentatious dwelling Zoey would expect for ahigh profile power couple. Chief Justice Addison Riley had been on the benchfor a year and had already distinguished herself as a no-nonsense jurist, andJulia Scott, President Garrett’s former campaign manager, had taken over thejob as his chief of staff soon after he started his second term. When Addisonand Julia started dating, gossip columnists across the nation made it the meatof their news reports for months.

“General Sharp, thankyou for coming.”

A striking red-hairedwoman headed their way, and Zoey pegged her as Julia Scott. Zoey didn’t spend alot of time following DC politics, but she didn’t know any lesbian alive whohadn’t soaked up the news about Julia and Addison’s relationship with ferventinterest. She could hardly believe she was actually here in their home.

David handled theintroductions. “Julia Scott, meet Major Zoey Granger. The major is an oldfriend and she’s in town—”

“For the hearings, Iknow,” Julia said with a smile as she clasped Zoey’s hand. “Major, it’s nice tomeet you in person. C-SPAN’s cameras don’t do you justice. You handled yourselflike a champ last week. Thank you for your service.”

Zoey returned thesmile, hoping to hide the fact she was a bit disconcerted to know thepresident’s right hand had paid attention to her testimony before the Senate.But it made sense Julia would have been briefed by someone from the JointChief’s office. “Thank you, ma’am. It’s easy when you have the truth on yourside.”

Julia winked atSharp. “This is a good one. I hope you plan on keeping her around.”

“Trust me, we wanther working on our team,” Sharp said.

“Well, don’t let mehold you up. There are a lot of people to see and Addison is out on the backdeck, but you should make your way to the buffet. I hear the tiny prime ribsandwiches are going fast. Feel free to use your uniforms to cut in front ofeveryone. I’m pretty sure Jack is over there now employing that strategy withgreat success.” Julia waved as she wandered off into the crowd greeting otherguests.

“She seems very nice,”Zoey said.

“Until you piss heroff and then she’s a hellcat.”

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