Madame President - Tara Sue Me Page 0,84

didn’t arrive at easily, but you were correct, it had to be done, so thank you for taking the lead on that.”

“I hate that I was right.” If I don’t get this out and tell her now, I never will. “Because I lost you for two years.”

“You couldn’t have had me anyway,” she says. “Not in a way that would make us happy. It wasn’t the right time, not with you going back to school while I was still learning the ropes here.”

“You seem to have them mastered pretty well now.”

“I’d be able to do it better if they didn’t keep putting up new ones.”

I chuckle because I know she’s right. “What about now? How is the timing now? I’m saying this based on the assumption you don’t have aspirations to become the Queen of Norway.”

“Since when have you believed everything the press says? Prince Nicholas and I are friends, that’s all. He’s hopelessly in love with their chef’s daughter.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes,” she says and then adds, “And you can’t tell Gabe."

I pretend to zip my lips, and she laughs.

Finally though, she turns to me. “I can’t date a Prince just because I’m single and the President. I won’t go that far. But,” she hesitates, and a bit of uncertainty creeps into her expression. “I do have a weakness for men who refuse to give up on their dream to ensure justice is served. And especially if they have television experience. After all, the whole world will be watching.” She stands up and pulls me to my feet. “Think you can handle that, Mr. Hazar?”

I put my arms around her. “I’d like for someone to try to stop me, Madame President.”

Epilogue

Eighteen Months Later

Her

Inauguration Night

Washington DC

Tonight’s Inaugural Balls are different from the ones four years ago. I’m on my second term in office and feel more prepared for the road ahead. There’s still work to be done, but after a landslide victory, I know the America we’ve all been fighting for is within our grasp.

Captain Philips is with me once again, though he’s addressed as Special Agent Phillips now. He told me earlier in the day, he felt much more comfortable in his current role as opposed to the one he was in four years ago.

There’s one thing that hasn’t changed, though. As I’m introduced at the first ball, Navin reaches for my hand and places a kiss on top. His lips still have the ability to sear my skin with his heat. That same heat is in his eyes as I step into arms and we begin to dance.

“Have I told you how breathtaking you look tonight?” he asks.

“Once or twice.”

He laughs. “Is that all?”

Before I can answer, he sets me on an outward spin, pulls me in, and catches me in his arms, much to the delight of the watching crowd. I laugh, listening to their whistles and claps.

“They want us to kiss.” Navin's eyes dance with mischief.

I stretch up and give him a quick one on his lips. “That’s all they’re getting.”

I’m not telling him anything he doesn’t know. It wasn’t difficult for the country to forget about a match between me and Prince Nicholas once Navin came back into the picture. Before going public with our relationship, Navin and I discussed what we would share with the world and what we would keep private. Public displays of affection are limited to quick kisses and hand holding.

We don’t want our relationship to overshadow the inroads made during my first term. While it’s expected people will be interested in the two of us, I refuse to have my relationship with Navin plastered everywhere. The reality is, my focus has to be on my Presidency and serving my country.

Navin wholeheartedly agrees as he has his own battles to fight. He’s currently doing a two year clerkship for the DC Circuit Court of Appeals with the hope of clerking for the Supreme Court, after. I feel our relationship is sometimes a hindrance for him. Odd because a lot of people assume I helped him get the prestigious clerkship, which I did not. After a few minutes of talking with him, they soon discover Navin doesn’t need my assistance to get him anything.

According to David, most people see us as two busy professionals who date. Boring was a word used once, I believe. I’m one hundred percent okay if people want to think Navin and I are boring. I know who we are in private.

Navin and Anna.

And Navin and Anna have no