“Your beau seems like a very nice man, Harry-girl,” Dr. Benoit said, his Southern drawl becoming more noticeable as the Alzheimer’s ate away at his brain. “But there are plenty of fish in the sea. I don’t want you settling down with the first one to put a twinkle in your eye. Don’t forget you’re going to medical school. Don’t you be letting any boy hold you back.”
Josslyn flopped into one of the upholstered chairs with a beleaguered sigh. “She did go to medical school, Daddy. Don’t you remember? She’s a pediatrician. She’s America’s pediatrician.” She made air quotes around the word America’s in a mocking gesture.
The lines on Dr. Benoit’s forehead became more pronounced as he seemed to be scanning his memory banks for the facts. As if sensing a rise in his master’s anxiety level, the little terrier shifted on the doctor’s lap and began whimpering.
“Josslyn,” the First Lady chastised her younger sister, “we don’t ask Alzheimer’s patients if they remember. It’s unfair.”
“Oh, right, it’s just me who gets to be treated unfairly.”
Before the First Lady could respond, Dr. Benoit seemed to catch both women off guard.
“This is a private conversation between me and my daughter, young lady,” he shouted. “And get off the furniture. I’m sure there are some chores you should be doing instead of loitering around all day. You can start by getting me some coffee. Mine’s gone cold.”
Adam nearly lurched at the doctor’s harsh outburst. In the five months since the First Lady’s father had been living with them, Adam hadn’t heard a whisper of gossip from other agents about the man ever raising his voice. In fact, Dr. Benoit was considered a sweetheart by every female agent and Uniformed Division officer at the Crown.
Josslyn stiffened in her chair before her teeth sank into her bottom lip. Whether it was to keep words or a sob locked inside, Adam wasn’t sure. Knowing her personality, he’d bet on a smart retort. She didn’t seem like the crying type.
“Father!” Harriett Manning began. “This is Josslyn. She’s your—”
“Forget it, Harriett. It’s not his fault.” Josslyn sprung from the chair. “I’m happy to get the coffee.”
The First Lady sought out Adam’s eyes after her sister had made her way across the room and into the family kitchen.
“It seems I’m forever in your debt, Agent Lockett,” she said, careful to keep her voice down. “Although I think taking a lead pipe to the head might be preferable to this detail.”
You got that right.
The First Lady wrung her hands. “She’ll come to her senses and toe the line. Josslyn just chafes at being hemmed in. After her mother died, Father was very busy with his surgical practice, which meant Josslyn was left in the care of his second wife’s very domineering mother. The woman didn’t know how to handle her granddaughter’s enormous intellect any more than she did her own daughter’s when she was Josslyn’s age. Her solution to keeping Josslyn in line was endless lessons in cotillion and rigid social restrictions.” She smiled grimly. “Needless to say, rebellion became Josslyn’s drug of choice. I was too busy with my own career and raising a son to be much help. Father just spoiled her when he could. Josslyn doesn’t have the political polish to think first and then speak.” She shrugged. “Luckily for us, she throws herself into causes that are good for society. Deep down, she means well.”
Adam wasn’t sure how to respond. He’d guessed as much about her years ago. Of course, given the fit she was having over a protective detail, he didn’t think Josslyn would “mean well” if she figured out Adam was the same guy she’d had a make-out session with in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
“I’m happy to protect and serve, ma’am,” he replied when it was clear the First Lady expected a response.
“Wow! If that isn’t the party line, I don’t know what is,” the She-Devil remarked as she carried a tray with a coffee mug along with cream and sugar to the table next to her father. “I hope you’ll be ‘happy’ standing all day in the elephant barn at the National Zoo.”
Adam’s jaw clenched so quickly he could feel tiny cracks beginning to form in his teeth. Did she say zoo? Adam swore under his breath. With one conk to the head he’d gone from commanding the elite Hawkeye counter-assault team to inhaling elephant shit for days on end. Suddenly sitting alone in the dark until the last of the concussion fog lifted from his brain seemed to be the wiser career choice.
“That’s enough, Josslyn,” the First Lady snapped. “Special Agent Lockett has a job to do, and you’ll give him and the other agents on your detail the respect they deserve.”
“We’ll do whatever is necessary to allow the protectee to maintain their lifestyle and activities,” Adam bit out.
She paused in the act of fixing her father’s coffee. Smokey gray eyes framed by long dark lashes studied him carefully. “I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.”
The mixture of torment and anger in her eyes nearly knocked Adam off his feet. She knew, damn it. She knew who he was.
Harriett Manning stood abruptly, oblivious to the undercurrent arcing between her sister and Adam. “Really, Josslyn, you are unbearable today. Adam is recovering from a serious injury he suffered in the line of duty,” she scolded. “So I’ll thank you for losing the princess attitude.”
Josslyn straightened to her full height, which wasn’t very intimidating considering the top of her head came to Adam’s chin. “Well, good to know the A-team will be protecting you and Conrad from the bad guys, Harriett. I’ll try to keep things simple and quiet at the zoo so—Agent Lockett, is it—can recover to his full special agent competence level.”
Adam’s fists clenched at his sides. If there was anything he knew about this woman, quiet and simple were not in her toolbox.
“Josslyn!” the First Lady cried. “What has come over you?”
Dr. Benoit began murmuring agitatedly, nearly jettisoning the dog on his lap into the tray of coffee. A male nurse emerged from one of the bedrooms when the older man’s murmurs turned into wails. The terrier began to yap sharply while jumping off the doctor’s knees.
“Daddy,” Josslyn cooed trying to calm the man. But her father flinched when his youngest daughter reached for him.
“Git away from me, girlie,” Dr. Benoit scolded. “I’m not your daddy.”
Josslyn stiffened again. The only part of her body moving was her throat as she swallowed roughly. The First Lady and the nurse helped the doctor to his feet.
“Why don’t you take him to the solarium, Marc,” Harriett Manning said to the nurse. “You’d like some time in the sunshine wouldn’t you, Father?”
The dog yipped excitedly as if the question were posed to him. With the help of the nurse, Dr. Benoit shuffled to the elevator that would take them to the third floor, leaving behind an awkward silence.
“Perhaps when it’s just you here with him . . .” The First Lady’s voice trailed off.
“Don’t,” Josslyn bit out. “It is what it is.”
She abruptly turned toward Adam. He was caught off guard by the brief flash of vulnerability shining in her eyes before she shuttered it. Something tugged in his chest. Oh, hell no! This was why he’d vowed to avoid her at all costs.