First Lady by Blayne Cooper, T Novan Read Free Book Online Page A

after…” she licked her lips and swallowed hard as she usually did when mentioning it, “Devlyn’s shooting.”
    Beth’s gaze softened as she regarded her friend. Lauren really was trying. She’d been through an almost unimaginable life change over the past year, and Beth reluctantly gave her credit for always doing the most prudent thing when the children or Dev were involved. Her track record when it came to decisions involving herself, however, wasn’t nearly as good. And, Beth admitted, it wasn’t like she could truly relate. She didn’t know what it was like not to be able to run over to a convenience store without turning it into a major production. Or how a simple baseball game or theater tickets now took weeks of planning.
    Lauren wanted to make Beth understand. “I knew we wouldn’t be alone today.” Her eyes pleaded with her friend, who she knew damn well wouldn’t give her quarter. “This was sort of private, Beth.” Her cheeks flushed pink. “It’s our first Valentine’s since… well, you know.”
    Beth grinned cheekily. She most certainly did know, along with everyone else on the planet. “And you didn’t want to be watched as you bought your girlfriend sexy undies?” She gestured to the robe in Lauren’s hands. “That’s really nice, by the way.”
    Lauren scowled as her temper flared. Sometimes she felt as though she was smack dab in the center of a pressure cooker. “This trip wasn’t the Secret Service’s business!”
    “Do you really believe that?”
    Lauren crossed her arms over her chest. “Would I have said it if I didn’t?”
    Beth rolled her eyes. “Does your need for privacy overrule everyone else’s needs? Devlyn loves you and you will have protection one way or the other.” She paused and turned towards the perfume counter. “Does it have to smell like they wax the floor with cougar piss and ox musk? Yuck!” She turned back, but despite the non sequitur her face was very serious. “When those agents are forced to sneak around to protect you, they aren’t doing their job the way they are trained to. They aren’t private security, Lauren. Or even CIA or Office of Homeland Security agents, trained to fight in the shadows. They’re Secret Service, who will literally put their body between yours and a bullet if they’re able. Their lives are put in greater danger by protecting you on your terms,” she said flatly. “Stop fighting the inevitable.”
    Lauren blinked. In a few short sentences Beth had distilled the issue into something she couldn’t… wouldn’t ignore and put her in her place to boot. The very thought of one of those men or women risking their lives for hers made her sick to her stomach as it was. Why isn’t she on Devlyn’s staff? “Shit.”
    Beth’s expression was a little smug, knowing that she’d won this round. With Lauren, victory was rare. “Exactly.”
    “Be my chief of staff,” Lauren said suddenly.
    Beth stopped walking and stared. “Huh?”
    “Be my chief of staff,” Lauren repeated. “Michael Oaks and Devlyn both insist that as First Lady I’ll need one. I didn’t know there was such a thing. I guess it’s the equivalent of David’s job only for the President’s other half.”
    Beth blinked a few times, wondering if she could really do that.
    “You’re not only my best friend, well, besides Devlyn, of course. But you’re smart and know the ropes, Beth. I’m going to need help and I trust you. That’s more than I can say for 99% of
Washington
.” Politics, Lauren had learned long ago, could be a very nasty business. “I could use your wisdom on a permanent basis.”
    “Is that an age crack?” Beth asked with faux annoyance. At 41 she had a solid decade on her friend.
    “Basically.” Lauren laughed.
    Beth’s mind was racing, and she was fast warming up to the possibility of really doing this.
    Lauren recognized the gleam in the shorter woman’s eyes. It wasn’t that long ago that she herself had been