Relieved, I head back upstairs to get him.
Jordan leans in. “I’ll be ready to go to Blair House in about twenty. They don’t need me for the rest of this.”
“Cool.”
We get the pictures taken and then head out. We’re not fifteen feet inside the foyer at Blair House when I hear Stella’s shrill tone.
“What do you mean I can’t stay with you? Stop being stubborn, Elliot.”
Shae arches an eyebrow at me and I immediately detour, following the sound of Stella’s voice. I quickly locate them in a sitting room. Elliot looks up when I appear in the doorway, and the unmistakable relief on his face angers me, because I can’t jump in and defend him the way I want to.
Let me clarify—I’m not angry at him, obviously.
“Vice President Woodley,” I say. “It’s time to get changed for the balls.”
“Thanks, Leo.” He stands.
Stella—that bitch—actually moves to stop him. “Elliot, you’re not leaving until we settle this. I’m yoursister. Mom, help me out, here.”
“Ms. Woodley,” Kev says from behind me, “due to the nature of your work, I’m going to insist you drop this until I have time for the White House Counsel’s office to thoroughly investigate the matter.”
Her face goes beet red. “What?”
I step aside so Kev can move into the room. “You’re a lobbyist, Ms. Woodley.”
“But… I-I’m not!”
“Do you not lobby on behalf of your employer?”
“But I—”
“Which, actually, I think you need to take a step back from your job, quite honestly. I don’t believe you’re officially registered as a lobbyist, are you? Yet you seem to be doing exactly that. If you were to produce a letter of resignation, and a sworn affidavit from your employer stating you were no longer working there, then perhaps we could clear it. Until then—”
“I amnotquitting my job! Who thehelldo you think you are?”
Kev stands a little straighter, his hands in his pockets, and drops his voice into what is definitely Dom tone. “I’m chief of staff to the President of the United States, Ms. Woodley. I can talk to Secret Service and have you removed from Blair House right now, and revoke your tickets to the balls. Or you can behave yourself, stop acting childish, and have a pleasant evening. Your brother isn’t moving you into his residence.”
She turns to Elliot, who shrugs. “You heard him, Stell. I’m not going to trigger a scandal less than twenty-four hours into her administration. Suck it up, sis.”
Enraged, she storms out of the room.
I lean in close to Kev. “Thanks,” I whisper.
He nods.
Elliot turns his back to his parents and mouths, “Thank you,” to Kev.
He nods again. “Mr. Vice President, we should start getting ready for the balls.”
“Thank you, Kev.” He turns to his parents. “Mom, Dad—”
His mom smiles and shakes her head. “She’s just being spoiled.” She stands and hugs him. “Don’t worry what she thinks, honey.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
His dad also stands and shakes hands with him. “We probably won’t go to all the dances tonight. Early flight tomorrow. Can’t be away from the farm too much longer.”
“That’s all right, Dad. I understand.”
