Page 12 of State of Grace (First Family 2)

“What’s up?”

Sam filled him in on the latest from Andy on the custody situation and told him what they’d decided about the lawsuit. “The first couple suing someone for a million dollars is going to make the news.”

“Yes, I suppose it will, but isn’t that the point?”

“Before we do anything more, run it by your people to make sure we aren’t causing more trouble than we’re solving with this.”

“I will, but I’m determined to send a message to this guy and anyone else who’d stab us in the back in our own home.”

“You know I agree, but I’m not the one who’s going to have to fend off the media attention when the word gets out. You need to be prepared for that.”

“I’m meeting with Terry, Christina and Trevor in a few minutes,” he said of his top aides. “I’ll run it by them.”

“Sounds good. And I’m hoping the grandparents can’t find a way around Cleo and Jameson’s airtight guardianship provision for Elijah.”

“There is no way around it. The parents have spoken and so has the guardian.”

Sam wished she could be so certain. “I guess we’ll see.”

“Try not to worry. We’ve got the advantage in this situation, and they know it.”

“What? Me worry?” She pulled into the lot at HQ, which was surrounded by media trucks these days. “HQ is overrun with news trucks. Do they think I’m suddenly going to get chatty about you and your administration?”

“Hope springs eternal.”

Her colleagues must hate the intrusion, Sam thought, not that most of them would ever say so. A few would, but most wouldn’t even if they thought it. “Gotta go to work. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Chapter Three

Nick ended the call with Sam and dwelled for a second on the tension he felt coming from her as they continued to adjust to the massive changes in their lives since he’d suddenly ascended to the presidency. He looked around the Oval Office, still amazed that he got to work in the most famous office on earth, that his family lived upstairs in the residence and people called him Mr. President.

Terry knocked on the door and stuck his head in. “Are you free, Mr. President?”

“I am,” Nick said. “Come in.” He brought his briefing book with him to the collection of chairs and sofas in the middle of the room and settled in his usual chair. When had he decided what his “usual chair” in the Oval Office was going to be? The thought amused him, as many things did in this new surreal existence.

Terry, Trevor and Christina took seats on the sofas as one of the butlers brought in afternoon refreshments, which were one of the best perks of his new job.

“Help yourselves, friends,” Nick said, gesturing to the tray of cookies, coffee and tea.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Terry said, taking a cookie and pouring himself a coffee.

Nick tried to eat only one of the delicious cookies per day, and he’d already had his allotment in the morning meeting with his cabinet. “What’s on the docket?”

“Brandon Halliwell called,” Terry said, referring to the chair of the Democratic National Committee. “He wants to discuss your choice for vice president before you announce anything. He said he has some thoughts about how Senator Sanford could be better used as the new secretary of State.”

“She’s my top choice to be vice president.”

“He’s aware of that and is asking you to reconsider. He and others believe she’d be better suited to the secretary of State role and that she’d be more interested in that. They want Henderson for VP.”

Nick held back a groan. “You gotta be kidding me. After everything we went through to narrow the field, he’s throwing this at me?”

“He is, and I have to say, sir, I tend to agree that Sanford would be a better fit for State,” Terry said.

“Whose side are you on, anyway?”

“Yours, sir. Always. But Sanford has deep diplomatic experience on the Foreign Relations Committee, and you do, in fact, need a new secretary of State.”