The President's Wife - Kathy Myme Page 0,77

politics and happy-ever-afters don’t mix. The world of government is a whole different league than what I’m used to. I see it now… emotions and feelings don’t matter to the people playing these games. All that matters is results.

Why did I ever think David was different?

Sure, we have crazy chemistry. That’s painfully obvious. Every glance he’s sent my way has left me dizzy. And he’s done more than just glance at me…

But in the end, isn’t his need for power… why he’s gotten to where he is today? Deep down, he’s just as ruthless as all the other politicians out there. He’s just as desperate to cling onto control, no matter the cost.

And why shouldn’t he? He’s the President. He’ll have his name remembered forever. I’m just some girl that has made his life a little more complicated.

David is probably sitting in the White House right now, surrounded by a dozen strategists working to get him out of this mess.

My comfortable, painful world of slumping on the couch is interrupted by the slamming of a door. Lacey appears in front of me.

“You didn’t consider knocking?” I ask, but it’s half-hearted. Lacey is used to letting herself in when I’m home. It’s a quirk that developed after so many years of being best friends. “How did you get past the press?”

“You don’t think I can intimidate some annoying reporters?” she retorts.

I nod. It doesn’t take much for me to imagine Lacey strong-arming her way past a legion of cameramen.

She eyes me closely and doesn’t look impressed by what she sees. “Veronica, you need to take a shower.”

I turn my nose up at the idea. “I don’t need to do anything.”

“Your dad is worried about you,” she informs me like I’m not already acutely aware. “He asked me to help you get cleaned up. And you know he hates asking anyone for anything.”

I wince. Things must really be bad if Dad called up someone for help. One time the man wouldn’t even stop to ask for directions and we spent three hours lost in the middle of nowhere.

“I… just need time,” I reply eventually. “Y’know, it’s normal to be upset after what’s happened.”

My own words make me frown. Is it normal to be upset? I don’t really know. I doubt there are many other people in the world who’ve experienced my exact situation, so there isn’t really a precedent. It’s not like there’s an easy handbook for ‘What To Do If You Fake Date The President Of The United States For Political Reasons But Then Actually Fall In Love With Him’.

But gosh, I wish there was.

“You’ve had time.” Lacey is pushy this morning.

“It’s only been a few days.”

“That’s long enough for you to live like… this,” she says, gesturing to me. “Listen, you need to trust me. Getting up and getting ready will do you a world of good.” She snatches away my blanket. “Go take a shower.”

I let myself be bullied into action. Of course I won’t admit it, but the heat of the shower is nice. The water feels as if it’s washing away the grimy memories burned into my mind.

“Feel better?” Lacey asks with a smirk when I’m out and in a fresh set of clothes.

“Hmm.” I try not to look too grateful. As always, she already knows she’s right. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“Now, we need to talk about what you’re going to do,” she says.

“Do?” I don’t understand. My only plans at the moment involve indulging in at least three more seasons of my trashy TV show before I even consider rejoining society. “What does that mean?”

“I take it from your face that things are over between you and the President,” she says. “Well, your face… and the ten thousand news articles I’ve read about the whole affair. There are some wild conspiracy theories out there.”

I’ll bet. I haven’t checked, and I never will, but I wouldn’t be surprised if people were saying crazy things about me right now. Especially on the internet.

Lacey makes a face. “Someone named Hailey is going around saying you’re basically Satan. She’s done about twenty interviews with different media outlets.”

Oh my god. Hailey Chase, my ex-roommate. Why am I not surprised?

“Is it all bad?” I sigh. “About me?”

I know from Lacey’s face that the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. “Well… kind of. You can probably guess that people aren’t particularly happy right now. I think the public just feels lied to.”

The full impact of what I’ve done hasn’t really sunk in yet. This is a