He stands and brings me his phone, his back to the rest of the room and his lips pressed together in a thin line I believe is him trying to hide a grin.
It’s a headline from a celebrity gossip website that makes TMZ look reputable.
FORMER FIRST SPOUSE GAY INFEDELITY SCANDAL!
It accompanies a picture of Kev and Chris kissing in a hallway of the EEOB not far from the transition offices. Kev’s wearing the same suit and tie he just had on when he was in here earlier.
“Holy shit,” I mutter, meeting Declan’s gaze as I return his phone.
Kev wasn’t kidding when he said he had something, I guess.
After the meeting attendees have cleared out of the Oval it’s once again me, Casey-Marie, Declan, and Angie.
“I have to give Kev points for style,” Casey-Marie jokes. “The man has Montana-sized balls, for sure.”
“Any instructions yet?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “Standing by.”
“This will make the afternoon briefing a hoot,” Angie says. “How am I supposed to not say anything when this willliterallybe all that anyone asks me about until I do say something?”
There’s a knock on the Oval Office door. “Come,” I call out.
It’s Leo. He slips inside, closes the door behind him, and hands Casey-Marie his burner phone. I can’t see what’s on it but it looks like a text.
An expressionless mask engulfs her features as she reads, until she surprises me with a braying laugh, deletes the text, and returns the phone to Leo. “Okay, then.”
“Care to share with the rest of the class?” I ask.
She looks triumphant. “Gentlemen, break out your Sex Wax and shortboards, because we are surfing this motherfucking wave,” she says. “And I’ll handle the afternoon presser.” She turns to Angie. “Please bring me your book ASAP.”
Angie scowls. “You sure?”
“Ooooh, yeah.” She grins, cracking her knuckles. “I’m sure.” She points at me and Leo. “You two—up to the residence and stay there. You might want to tune in and watch so you’re on the same page.” She heads out toward her office, leaving Declan, Angie, Leo, and me standing in the Oval and staring at her back.
“I meant get me the booknow, Ang,” she calls out, and Angie and Declan scramble to follow her down the hallway.
“This can’t be good,” I say.
Leo slowly shakes his head. “Brace yourself,” he grimly says. “Because she’s right. The surf’s up and it’s gonna get gnarly. Let’s just hope we don’t get rag dolled.”
He turns to head out. “Since when did you surf?” I call behind him.
“I didn’t. But I grew up in California, on the coast.”
When we make it upstairs we find a morose Jordan working in what used to officially be his office on the third floor, a tiny space that was once upon a time Leo’s office when he was Shae’s body man.
“I’m sorry,” Jordan says to me. “I knew better. I fuckingknewbetter.”
“Hey, no.” I round his desk and wrap my arms around him. “Not your fault.”
“If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine,” Leo says.
“But Kev’s throwing himself on a grenade,” I joke.
“I saw,” Jordan says but he doesn’t sound comforted. “He’s not the only one.”
“What?” Leo asks.
