Page 51 of Hacker Betrayed

Zack Tucker

“Sir…you might want to look at TMZ,” Texan said. It wasn’t very often the Secret Service agent who protected me during my time in the office was hesitant.

My head hurt from the night before. I was in Vegas for my friend's wedding. Everyone went to a nice dinner afterward, and I retired to my room and drank a bottle of vodka.

My two friends weren’t the only ones to get married. My public relations manager during my time at the White House got married this weekend.

I swiped across my phone and opened the gossip page. There my face was at the top of the screen. Zack Tucker leaves a wake of women in his path while in Vegas.

“Could be worse.”

Texan raised a brow. “You know, every time your face hits one of these pages, people go crazy as soon as we step out the door.”

That’s one reason I kept somewhat of a disguise in my bag.

“Maybe if I did settle down, they would leave me alone.”

“I think this is a bad idea,” Texan sighed as I jumped out of my seat and headed for the bedroom.

I changed into a pair of jeans and a white shirt. I grabbed the baseball cap from my bag and a pair of dark sunglasses.

“Only one agent on me, and stay back. I think I will hit the bar as a regular person.” I walked out of the hotel room and down to the lobby. It was still early, so nobody was up except for the massive amount of paparazzi at the hotel's door. I sauntered to the bar area, where a woman sat by herself. She had on cargo pants, black hiking boots, and a fisherman hat. Or maybe a park ranger hat.

“Is this seat taken?” I gestured to the open one next to her.

“Go ahead.”

She didn’t even look in my direction. Instead, she had the article of me up on her phone.

“Can you believe him?” I asked. Laughing at the fact the article was about me.

“It’s ridiculous. He walks around with his head in the clouds and women bowing down at his feet. There are real issues in this world, and he ignores them.”

The pint-size woman sure could bruise a man’s ego. “I’m sure running the country wasn’t easy. You know, he started politics at a young age. Maybe he wants to live a little now that he’s out.”

The woman huffed. “When he was in office, I sent his team information on what their infrastructure plan did to the environment. I’ve sent him emails, called, and tried to get meetings. If he cared, he would have a meeting with me.”

“Sorry didn’t catch your name,” I asked.

She turned, and pushed her black-rimmed glass up her nose. Her brown eyes stared into my soul. She didn’t have any makeup on, making her even more breathtaking. “Hannah Waters.”

I remembered the emails and calls. Never put a face to the name—I assumed the woman who harassed my inbox to the point I had a separate folder for her emails was older. “What would you do for a meeting with him?”

“Anything! Today is my last shot. I drove for two days straight when I heard he would be here. I spent the last of my money on a room here. I’m not sure how I’ll make it home, but he must stop building the factory in Virginia.”

The factory was primarily green and would supply hundreds of jobs to the rural area. “Maybe I can make a deal with you. If you agree to a six-month engagement with me, I’ll get you a face-to-face meeting with Zack Tucker.”

She chewed on her lip. “Why? You’re a good-looking man. I’m sure you don’t want to tie yourself to someone like me.”

“I think you are exactly what I need.”

“Sure, but I’m not going to be strung along with this deal. I doubt you know him, anyway.”

I grabbed a napkin and a pen.

Engagement contract.

Six months, must live together and sleep in the same bed.

---