Madame President - Tara Sue Me Page 0,11

audible until an assistant waiting in the bedroom opens the door to let them in. I take a deep breath and make my way to the other room to greet the people who will prepare me to start the next part of this crazy day.

Hours later, I worry the night has been too much for Jackson. I feel partially at fault, I should have found a polite way to turn him down when he asked to escort me. No matter how I try, he won’t take my apology.

“I’m the idiot who thought there was only one,” he says after we leave our fourth ball.

I have two more to stop at before I can call it a night, unfortunately, and Jackson refuses to let a car take him back to the hotel. Being with him feels like I always imagined having a brother would feel like. He’s protective and takes his role as keeping me safe seriously. Even so, I can see the pain he’s trying valiantly to hide, and I have to try again.

“Captain Phillips,” I start, but he holds up his hand.

“President Fitzpatrick,” he says. “I said I’d be your escort for the night and that is what I’m going to do.”

There are reasons he’s risen so high in the Navy and hearing him talk, they become even more evident. It occurs to me that I outrank him and could, if I wanted, command him back to the hotel. But the mere thought seems cold and underhanded. He’s made his mind up and I respect that part of him, so I promise myself I’ll take this gift he’s generously offered of ensuring his Commander-in-Chief didn’t go unescorted to her Inaugural Balls.

I’ll be wasting more breath if I try to insist we don’t have to dance, having already tried that at the second ball. If I wanted to have my way, I could make it happen, but he sees this as being an honorable gentleman and I will not take that away from him. Part of being the most powerful woman in the world is knowing the right time to use that power. Which sometimes means setting it aside.

There are only two more balls left to attend. Surely we can make it through two more.

We pull up to the next location and Jackson hops out on his side of the car so he can be by my side, ready to give me his arm after I step out. He moves too fast, though, and lets out a gasp of pain. I glance at him, but his expression might as well be stone. I hold his arm as lightly as possible as we make our way inside.

We’re met by a large group of people and after shaking a dozen or more hands, I turn around to ask Jackson if he’s ready to be introduced, but he’s not there. Odd. He didn’t disappear at the other four balls. Scanning the small room, I find him leaning against the wall, and cringe inwardly.

I make my way toward him and it’s not until I’m steps away I see that he’s talking with someone. Navin Hazar.

I haven’t spoken to Navin since he turned down my offer to escort me tonight, and I can’t help but wonder what he’s discussing with Jackson.

“Madame President,” Navin says.

“Mr. Hazar.” I look over to Jackson. “Captain Phillips, are you okay?”

His expression is one long grimace now. I shouldn’t have let him do this. It’s much too soon after being released from the hospital.

“Actually, Madame President,” Jackson says. “I was just chatting with Navin. I’m going to take you up on that offer of a car back to my hotel. Navin said he’d step in and finish the evening with you.”

“He did, did he?” I arch an eyebrow at the man in question, not for one minute will I ever forget his refusal of my offer. “Why would he do that?”

“Navin and I met a few weeks ago when he interviewed me so when I was telling him I didn’t feel great, he offered to step in.”

“And he knows he made a mistake,” Navin says.

I quickly cover my shock at his statement. Instead, I open my mouth to tell him I don’t want nor require his assistance, and that I have no problem attending the last two balls alone. Two thoughts change my mind. One, Jackson will never let me go alone, and two, I actually want Navin to escort me. But before I can move forward with Navin, I have