“I think you can sell this to her.”
“We’ll soon find out.”
“Call me after you talk to her?”
“You’ll be my first call.”
“Good luck.”
“Thank you,” Graham said. “I may end up sleeping in the barn either way.”
Laughing, Terry said, “Why do you say that?”
“I could get banished simply for entertaining the idea.”
“Nah, she’ll get why it interests you. She’ll certainly understand why Nick asked you and how badly he needs you.”
“I gotta tell you, son… Seeing you in your element as the freaking White House Chief of Staff never gets old.”
“Thank you, Dad. That means a lot to me.”
“I’m so proud of how you’ve turned your life around and found this whole new purpose and a wonderful woman to love.”
“It wouldn’t have happened without your support and Mom’s.”
“Yes, it would have. This version of you was always waiting to get out there and get it done.”
“If you say so.”
“I say so, and I’m the dad, so that’s that.”
“Haha, some things never change. What do you think John would say about all this?”
“He’d be thrilled it wasn’t him in the Oval.”
Terry barked out a laugh. “That is true.”
“He’d be so proud of you and Nick. I’m sure he’s well aware of where you are and is always rooting for you.”
“I’d like to think so. He’d be all for you becoming VP. You know that, right?”
“I do.”
“Mom will know it, too. Nick is going to face off with the press in about two hours. If, by any chance, there’s a VP decision by then, it would give him something positive to tamp down the outrage.”
“Understood. I’ll be back to you as soon as there’s something to report.”
“Love you, Dad.”
“Love you more, son.”
Graham was smiling and stashing his phone in a pocket as they took the final turn into the long driveway that led to home, past pastures enclosed by white fencing stretching as far as the eye could see. When he stepped into the kitchen through a side door a few minutes later,
Carrie, their longtime housekeeper and friend, greeted him from where she stood at the stove, minding a bubbling pot. “How was your trip to the White House?”
“Very interesting.”
“How’s our friend Nick doing?”
