“How’re you doing about all that?” Derek asked.
“Best two days of my life, by far.”
His friends laughed at the ridiculous statement.
“Fucking Gretchen,” Derek said. “I still can’t believe she’d do something so stupid.”
“I’m having trouble with that part myself,” Nick said. “I’ve always thought she was brilliant, so it doesn’t make sense to me.”
“Is it possible she loved the guy?” Harry asked.
“I suppose anything is possible, but that she’d risk her own reputation, her freedom, being separated from her kids…”
“Is there more to it than we know?” Derek asked.
“We know she was more involved in Ivanov’s movement than she’s let on. There’ll be a full investigation, handled by Justice, and we’ll see what else they uncover.”
“How’re you feeling about seeing Nicoletta?” Harry asked.
“Same way I always do—reduced to an eight-year-old hoping his mother might actually love him someday.” Harry and Derek were among the few who had seen the worst of what Nicoletta had put him through, so there was no need to hide the truth from them.
“I hate her,” Derek said.
Harry and Nick laughed.
“Tell me how you really feel,” Nick said.
“Just did.”
“Thank you, guys, for being there for me. I appreciate your support and outrage more than you know, but I’ll be okay. I promise.”
“Will Sam be with you when you go to Inova?” Harry asked.
“She’s hoping to, but things are tense at work.”
“Speaking of what were they thinking,” Derek said. “Bombing the first lady’s workplace.”
“It had nothing to do with her, thankfully,” Nick said. “She was having a meltdown at the thought of it being directed at her, which would’ve ended her career. Thank goodness we’re not dealing with that on top of everything else. Anyway, enough about us. Tell me what’s up with you guys. How’s it going with Roni, Derek?”
Derek, who’d been widowed when his wife was murdered more than two years earlier and left to raise his daughter, Maeve, on his own, had been seeing Sam’s friend and communications director, Roni Connolly. She’d been widowed, as well, after her DEA agent husband was hit by a stray bullet.
“It’s amazing,” he said, looking slightly dazzled.
“I’m so happy to hear that. You both deserve all the good things.”
“We’re taking it slow. It hasn’t even been a year for her, and she’s having her husband’s baby soon…”
“That’s a lot,” Harry said. “You’re being careful, I hope.”
“Not at all. I’m crazy about her, and so is Maeve. We spend every minute we can with her, and we’re both so excited about the baby. It feels good to be looking forward to things again.”
“Life is for the living, my friend,” Nick said. “I love seeing you smiling. It’s been a minute.”
“Yeah, for sure. How’re the wedding plans, Harry?”
“My lovely bride has it all pinned down, thankfully. I just have to show up and say, ‘I do.’”
“Probably a good call to leave it to her,” Nick said with a laugh. He’d be the best man in Harry’s wedding and Terry’s that summer, which would make for some nice headlines for a change.
