Page 25 of State of the Union (First Family 3)

“Right.”

“Where is he now?”

“Locked up for the latest B&E. If things don’t pan out in Richmond, my next stop is at Jessup to see him. The ex-boyfriend told me Daniella had people in Richmond and where to find them. He isn’t sure they still live there, but I figured it’s worth a shot to scope the place out.”

“Definitely.”

“Thanks,” Jeannie said. “You know… for caring about Carisma.”

“It’s about time someone cared about her.”

“That’s how I feel, too, and I’m strangely unconcerned about getting in trouble if there’s any possibility of finding her and reuniting her with her mother and siblings.”

“Right there with you, partner.”

Nick loved everything about Camp David, from the no-frills accommodations to the hiking trails to the basketball court and the barbecue pit that was built during the Eisenhower administration and never upgraded. A feeling of historical significance hung over the place as he stood on the same porch FDR had once occupied with Winston Churchill. He took a deep breath of the fresh, cold air and felt himself begin to truly relax for the first time since his life—and that of his family—was turned upside down by President Nelson’s sudden death.

The ability to move around freely outside was such a gift after being under lock and key at the White House. Most days, his outdoor time consisted of the one-minute walk to and from work on the West Colonnade. That was often the only fresh air he got all day as he passed the Rose Garden on the way to the Oval Office. In comparison to that, Camp David was paradise.

He’d known, of course, that being president would be confining. Being vice president had been confining, but this was even more so. The intense confines of the presidency had to be experienced to be truly understood. There were days when he wondered what would happen if he simply stood up, walked out the doors of the Oval Office and headed for the gates to freedom.

The Secret Service wouldn’t let him get far before they’d be on him, redirecting him back to the gilded cage where he belonged, like a cockatoo who’d staged a naughty escape. He was entertained by the fantasies of the many ways he might escape, walk away and never look back. Except he’d never leave his beloved wife and children. Escaping with a party of six plus a crazy dog would be far more complicated than a solo mission.

Sam came up behind him and slipped her arms around him, resting her head on his back. “What’re you thinking about out here in the cold all by yourself?”

The hug and the question reminded him of the first week they’d been back together after her ex-husband had tried to blow them up. “I like it here. I can breathe here.”

“It is pretty.”

Someone who didn’t know her as well as he did wouldn’t have heard it, but to him, her anxiety came through loud and clear. He turned to face her. “What’s wrong?”

“What? Nothing. We’re on vacation. What could be wrong?”

“Samantha, you might be able to get away with that with anyone else, but not with me. I can feel distress coming from you.”

She scowled at him. “Knock that off. I don’t like it when you know me too well.”

“Tough shit,” he said, smiling. “I know you better than anyone, so tell me what’s wrong.”

“I just have this odd feeling right here.” She rubbed her chest. “Came on when I realized how hard it would be to get back to the District if I need to.”

“Why would you need to? You’re on vacation.”

“Right, but you know… Always on duty, like you are. But unlike you, I can’t just hop aboard Marine One and get back to town in forty-five minutes. It would take a motorcade and coordination and time.”

He rested his hands on her shoulders. “Let me set your mind at ease. If you need to get back for any reason, I’ll go with you so we can use the chopper, okay?”

“You don’t want to do that. Not to mention, the press would have a cow over you taking me back to town on your chopper.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to make it so you can relax and enjoy yourself this week after a very, very rough couple of months. That includes lending you my helicopter with a personal escort back to town, if it comes to that.” He kissed the tip of her nose and then her lips. “Are we good now?”

“We’re better than we were. Thank you for understanding.”

“I get it, babe. Even when you’re not on duty, your squad is your responsibility, and you take that seriously.”

“I do, and even though I left them in Gonzo’s perfectly capable hands, I sort of freaked out when I realized how far removed from civilization we are up here.”

“Don’t worry about a thing. Just breathe in the fresh air and the woodsmoke.”

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