places in our country, I will do whatever is in my power to see that situation rectified. Do you realize that?”
My turn to hold my head high. “Of course I do.”
“And yet you persist?”
“My father belongs there. I plan to prove it.”
“And what if you’re wrong? Are you willing to put your mother through that kind of heartbreak?”
There was the crux of it. I swallowed. “I’m not wrong.”
“How can you be so sure?”
I broke eye contact long enough to take in the hills around us, the warm scent of summer, and the sky above, so blue. There are things a person knows deep in her heart, her soul—things that had to be true, because if they weren’t, the universe, and everything in it, was wrong. I looked at him again. “I know me,” I said. “I know who I am, who my parents are, and were. My mother could not have loved my dad if he were anyone else. Remember, my father was a hero. That’s documented.”
“His dishonorable status is documented, too.”
“There’s been a mistake. I can feel it.”
Yablonski studied me. “And you’re willing to risk all because of this certainty.”
I’d be lying if I said the thought of hurting my mother didn’t make me weak in the knees, but I was right. I knew that more strongly than I’d ever known anything before. “I am.”
He gave the briefest of nods. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Paras. I will be in touch via Special Agent Gavin.” Yablonski smiled. It was perfunctory, not warm. “Leonard will meet you in a moment back at the car. He and I have a few matters to discuss first.”
Thus dismissed, I made my way back the way we’d come, frustrated and unsure. Why hadn’t Gav said very much? I had a few matters of my own to discuss with him, too.
CHAPTER 9
I CHECKED MY PHONE AS I WALKED TO THE car. One missed message from the White House. I dialed the interim chief usher’s number immediately. “You called me?” I asked as soon as he picked up.
“Yeah, Ollie.” Doug sounded overwhelmed as ever. Despite the fact that he’d been in the position for almost two months now, he still hadn’t found his groove. “Hang on, I have notes around here.”
As he shuffled through papers, I turned, gazing back up the hill. Gav had moved closer to Yablonski, and from their body language, it seemed as though they were having a far friendlier conversation than the one I’d experienced. I was too far away to hear anything, but to me it looked as though Yablonski was laughing. He didn’t strike me as a man with a particularly keen sense of humor.
“Here we go,” Doug said. “The First Lady asked that you come in tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I knew my voice betrayed my disappointment. “Has something happened?”
“Nothing earth-shattering,” he said. “I guess you mentioned a food convention to her?”
“The one Marcel is speaking at,” I said, confused. Doug should know this. “That’s on Saturday, not tomorrow.”
He sighed. “Yes, Saturday. It seems the Secret Service has been ordered to arrange for Josh to accompany you to this convention.”
“It’s on?”
“Surprised the heck out of me, too. The First Lady said Josh has been talking nonstop about the event ever since you invited him.”
I hadn’t exactly invited Josh. I’d brought up the subject and he’d run with it. I’d been certain the suggestion would be shot down by his mother, his bodyguards, or both. Doug continued, “Secret Service wants you here tomorrow to prepare. On such short notice, with limited opportunity for reconnaissance, they are extremely uncomfortable with the president’s son out in public at such a well-attended event.”
“They want me in tomorrow to talk about it?” I asked, still not understanding.
“Better than that,” Doug said, sounding amused. “Because the Service hasn’t had the chance to fully prepare, they want you and Josh to go incognito.”
“You mean wear disguises?”
“A consultant will be here tomorrow
My turn to hold my head high. “Of course I do.”
“And yet you persist?”
“My father belongs there. I plan to prove it.”
“And what if you’re wrong? Are you willing to put your mother through that kind of heartbreak?”
There was the crux of it. I swallowed. “I’m not wrong.”
“How can you be so sure?”
I broke eye contact long enough to take in the hills around us, the warm scent of summer, and the sky above, so blue. There are things a person knows deep in her heart, her soul—things that had to be true, because if they weren’t, the universe, and everything in it, was wrong. I looked at him again. “I know me,” I said. “I know who I am, who my parents are, and were. My mother could not have loved my dad if he were anyone else. Remember, my father was a hero. That’s documented.”
“His dishonorable status is documented, too.”
“There’s been a mistake. I can feel it.”
Yablonski studied me. “And you’re willing to risk all because of this certainty.”
I’d be lying if I said the thought of hurting my mother didn’t make me weak in the knees, but I was right. I knew that more strongly than I’d ever known anything before. “I am.”
He gave the briefest of nods. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Paras. I will be in touch via Special Agent Gavin.” Yablonski smiled. It was perfunctory, not warm. “Leonard will meet you in a moment back at the car. He and I have a few matters to discuss first.”
Thus dismissed, I made my way back the way we’d come, frustrated and unsure. Why hadn’t Gav said very much? I had a few matters of my own to discuss with him, too.
CHAPTER 9
I CHECKED MY PHONE AS I WALKED TO THE car. One missed message from the White House. I dialed the interim chief usher’s number immediately. “You called me?” I asked as soon as he picked up.
“Yeah, Ollie.” Doug sounded overwhelmed as ever. Despite the fact that he’d been in the position for almost two months now, he still hadn’t found his groove. “Hang on, I have notes around here.”
As he shuffled through papers, I turned, gazing back up the hill. Gav had moved closer to Yablonski, and from their body language, it seemed as though they were having a far friendlier conversation than the one I’d experienced. I was too far away to hear anything, but to me it looked as though Yablonski was laughing. He didn’t strike me as a man with a particularly keen sense of humor.
“Here we go,” Doug said. “The First Lady asked that you come in tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I knew my voice betrayed my disappointment. “Has something happened?”
“Nothing earth-shattering,” he said. “I guess you mentioned a food convention to her?”
“The one Marcel is speaking at,” I said, confused. Doug should know this. “That’s on Saturday, not tomorrow.”
He sighed. “Yes, Saturday. It seems the Secret Service has been ordered to arrange for Josh to accompany you to this convention.”
“It’s on?”
“Surprised the heck out of me, too. The First Lady said Josh has been talking nonstop about the event ever since you invited him.”
I hadn’t exactly invited Josh. I’d brought up the subject and he’d run with it. I’d been certain the suggestion would be shot down by his mother, his bodyguards, or both. Doug continued, “Secret Service wants you here tomorrow to prepare. On such short notice, with limited opportunity for reconnaissance, they are extremely uncomfortable with the president’s son out in public at such a well-attended event.”
“They want me in tomorrow to talk about it?” I asked, still not understanding.
“Better than that,” Doug said, sounding amused. “Because the Service hasn’t had the chance to fully prepare, they want you and Josh to go incognito.”
“You mean wear disguises?”
“A consultant will be here tomorrow
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