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

offered the opportunity of a lifetime and everything had changed.
    “What about my teaching position?”
    Lauren chewed her lip. Beth was a respected professor of history at Georgetown and as much as she wanted her for this, believed that she’d be perfect for the position, she would never ask her to permanently give up something she loved so much.
    “How about a sabbatical? Or a leave of absence? The university would have to be stupid to let you go completely if they could stop it.” She winked and offered wryly, “I could have Devlyn sic the IRS on them until they comply?”
    Beth burst out laughing. “No need for that. I… well… maybe I could lighten my load to just one course a semester and still do this?”
    Lauren nodded quickly. She’d take Beth on any terms she could get. “Anything.”
    Now Beth was getting excited, and it was starting to bubble over. Her dark eyes twinkled, and Lauren knew she had her. “I’ll have to talk to David about it.”
    “Of course.” Yes! Lauren grinned wildly. She set her purchase onto the countertop, and, after a moment’s deliberation, snagged a gold gift bag covered in tiny red hearts from the display near the register. She sucked at wrapping things. The card, however, was something she wanted to make herself. She began rooting around in her leather purse for her wallet, but Beth beat her to the punch, shoving a MasterCard at the ebony-skinned sales associate. Lauren could pay her back later.
    The woman gasped as she took in Lauren. “Aren’t you—?”
    “No,” Beth blurted, cutting off Lauren before she could even open her mouth. “She’s not. I know she looks like it. But look closer, you’ll see what I mean.”
    The woman surveyed Lauren critically as she took Beth’s credit card. “Sorry, you’re right.”
    “She is?” Lauren asked, bewildered.
    “Oh, yeah. Lauren Strayer is way skinnier. No offense, ma’am,” she added quickly, not wanting to lose the sale.
    Lauren’s gray eyes turned to slits as she glared at Beth, who looked like she was about ready to sink into the linoleum. “Oh, Beth?” she drawled in a singsong voice.
    Beth gulped. “Yes?”
    “You’re fired.”
     
    *   *   *

 
     
Monday, February 14, 2022
     
    DEV ROLLED HER shoulders, humming in pleasure when she felt her spine and neck crack and move back into proper alignment. It was
8:30 p.m.
She was bone-tired and all she really wanted to do was call it a night and go to bed early, but she knew she still had something very important to take care of. It had been on her mind all day and, much to her private embarrassment, Dev felt a little like a high schooler with her first crush. God, I hope she likes it. What if she doesn’t like it?
    With slightly trembling hands, she took the two boxes from her desk drawer and headed out of the office. She laughed a little, realizing she was making herself crazy for nothing. Glancing at the clock, she frowned, knowing she’d missed dinner with the family and that the kids would already be in bed.
    That meant Lauren would be in her room working or in the kitchen playing cards with whichever agents or staff members had drifted there over the course of the evening. Dev smiled a little and shook her head as she exited the Oval Office. That discovery had been a bit of a surprise. Devlyn had overheard Amy, one of the agents who was permanently assigned to the Marlowe children, complaining about the $75 she’d lost to Lauren that week and the six pounds she’d put on since they started playing cards in the kitchen near all that food.
    Dev stopped at Liza’s office and rapped on the doorframe. Two agents, who shadowed the President’s movement through the White House, stopped as well, staying well back to remain as unobtrusive as possible. Her personal assistant worked nearly as late as she did. “Liza?”
    The reed-thin young woman glanced up quickly from her computer. “Oh, Madam President, I’m sorry I didn’t hear—”
    “No