Madame President - Tara Sue Me Page 0,70
draw me close. Part of me aches because it was such an incredible night, such an incredible weekend. Yet, here in color photos, it looks cheap and dirty.
I look away from the pictures when I realize no one is speaking. “Well,” I say, not sure why they’re just standing there doing nothing except staring at me. When no one replies, their reason for calling me into the Oval Office slowly becomes clear. “You can’t be serious…”
The Director states calmly, “We were hoping you could tell us more about them.”
I’m shell shocked. I never understood that expression before today, but now I get it completely. “You think I had someone take these?” I ask. “Why? What possible reason would I have to do that?”
I’m looking at Anna, but it’s David who answers. “Given the unique nature of your Press Pool assignment, I think it’s very clear why you’re here. GBNC needs higher ratings. What gets ratings? Scandals. What type of scandal draws the highest ratings? Sex scandals. You connect the dots.”
I’m silent for a minute trying to sort everything out in my head, and when I do, I’m talking directly to her. “You think GBNC put me on assignment in your Press Pool so I could seduce you and take pictures of it? That I would use and exploit you in order to get higher ratings? You really think that little of me?” I want to beg her to remember how we were less than twenty-four hours ago, and the connection we shared. But I don’t because they are private and sacred moments, and I refuse to sully them by speaking of them with anyone other than her. She hasn’t answered me yet, so I try again. “Do you really think I could do that, Anna?”
She turns her head slowly and when she faces me, the mask is firmly in place. Even covering her eyes now. She stands to her feet, her voice ice as she answers. “Yes, I do. And it’s Madame President to you.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Her
White House
Washington DC
I wasn’t surprised to wake up alone on Monday. Navin had to get up and out before too many people were up and about. It would have been nice to say goodbye to him... or maybe not. Probably a wise move on his part. I could see us crawling back into bed for a quickie and getting caught when it turned out to be not so quick.
I’m in meetings for most of the day. I usually don’t mind because I brainstorm best when surrounded by people, and being in a group setting usually makes me feel more alive. But I can’t focus today. I listen and if someone wants my advice, they ask for it.
My inability to focus on the task at hand bothers me which makes me uncharacteristically short when talking. Somehow, my bad mood seems to spread to everyone I come in contact with.
All things considered, it’s been a pretty shitty day even before David knocks on my office door and silently places my worst fear on my desk.
I’ve been played. By Navin.
I feel as if I could vomit. All those beautiful things he whispered over the weekend had been nothing but a script he was reading from. Hot tears prickle my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. He doesn’t deserve them.
“I’ve called Director Standard,” David says and all I can do is nod. It makes sense. I would have thought his men would have noticed someone or something taking pictures. But what do I know? It’ll be interesting to see what the Director has to say, to explain how someone who could do this was let inside the White House. And then at some point I have to face Navin.
Better now than later, I think. Go ahead and rip the bandage off instead of taking it off slowly. I see no benefit in drawing the pain out longer than necessary. Get it off, over, and done with as soon as possible so you can continue on with your life. No matter that you now know how boring your black and white life is in comparison to the splendor of technicolor you experienced briefly.
I’m not ashamed of what I did with Navin. What’s embarrassing is that the scripted sex with Navin was so much better than anything I’d experienced while in a relationship.
Director Standard comes in and while David brings him up to speed, I make a call. When I finish, both men are looking at me. I take