The Senator's Secret (A Presidential Affair Book 1)

by Jennifer Rebecca

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  “Yes?”

  “Yes,” I tell him. “But your dark marks will touch me, because you’re mine and I love you. I don’t want you to have to suffer alone. I don’t want you to suffer at all. I love you.”

  He closes his eyes tight, and when he opens them again, the blue is so bright it sears me where I sit. “I love you too.”

  “Yeah?” I ask, tucking that hair behind my ear again.

  “Yeah,” he confirms. “I’ve been in love with you for a while.”

  “But what about all the—’’ I stop the words from coming out of my mouth, but it’s a little too late. I am such an idiot.

  “The other women?” Jake finishes for me.

  “Forget I said anything.”

  “I was an idiot,” Jake admits. “I couldn’t have you and it hurt.”

  “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  “I’m sorry I hurt you too, Grace,” he says, scooting closer and closer to me on the sofa, inch by inch. “So damn sorry. I’m going to kiss you now.”

  “Okay,” I whisper, and then he does. Jake presses his lips down to mine and it’s tentative and sweet… and then it isn’t. I’ve missed him so much I grip the front of his T-shirt in my fists. I can’t get close enough to him. And then he pulls back and drops his forehead to mine.

  “I didn’t come out here to make out with you on the couch of a retired pro ballplayer. Did you know that’s who your friend married?” he asks me. “Dude is a legend.”

  “Yeah, I knew, but Jules and I aren’t big football fans,” I say, watching his face. “I take it you are?”

  “I am, but not as much as baseball. I love baseball,” he tells me. “Can I take you to a game sometime?”

  “I’d love that.”

  “Me too,” he says softly. “Look, I know we have a lot to work on and talk out, but I want you to know I’m willing to put in the work.”

  “Okay,” I reply, not really understanding where he’s going with this.

  “Don’t make me leave Texas without you,” Jake pleads. “I need you, honey. I think I always have. That’s why I gave you a family heirloom for your engagement ring.” I look to the ring on my finger. Apparently, Jules was right when she said he gave me a meaningful ring because he loved me. I’ve never been so glad to have been wrong.

  “I need you too. I’ll come home with you.”

  “Thank fuck,” he groans before pressing his mouth to mine. “It doesn’t have to be right now, but know I am going to marry you. When you’re ready.”

  “Well, it’s not going to be soon,” I tell him, and his face falls. “We’ve got an election to win. After that, there will be plenty of time to get married.”

  “Okay,” he says, his face brightening.

  “Okay,” I agree. “Take me home, Jake.”

  “Gladly.”

  Jake takes my hand in his and leads me out of the house.

  “I’m going home, Cody,” I announce over my shoulder.

  “It’s about time,” he says. “See you around, yankee.”

  Outside, Gus pulls open the door to the SUV for me. “Thanks, Gus.”

  “I’m still mad at you,” he says.

  “I’m sorry, Gus.”

  “I accept your apology. Do it again and I’ll tell the boss,” he threatens as Jake climbs in behind me.

  “And the boss spanks,” Jake adds.

  I just roll my eyes. “Shusssh,” I say, covering his mouth with my hand, which only makes him laugh harder. “They’ll hear you, and then we’ll never get anyone to vote for you.”

  “He’s got my vote,” Gus says.

  “And he’s got mine,” Joe chimes in.

  “Aw, that’s sweet, guys.”

  “And what about you?” Jake asks as he leans into me. “Do I have your vote?”

  “Nah, I really like the other guy.” I wink.

  “The… the… the other guy?” he sputters. “You wound me, woman.”

  “Nah, I suspect your ego is just fine.”

  “Speaking of other guys…” Jake starts.

  “Yeah?”

  “Whose fucking sweatshirt are you wearing? Because it sure as hell isn’t mine,” he growls, making me laugh. Jake and I are going to be just fine. “I’m as serious as a heart attack right now, Grace.”

  “I know you are. It’s Cody’s. We’re going to have to mail it back. Angie is quite fond of stealing it. She only let me wear it, because I looked so pitiful.”

  “Well that’s all right, I suppose.”

  “So, how are we in the polls? What do we need to work on?” I ask, and I only ask more and more questions the whole way home—that is, until Jake showed me the bedroom on the private plane. Then I didn’t ask any questions at all.

  And when we landed, Rick was all too happy to talk about the final strategy with me. Somewhere along the way, he became my champion, and we formed a tentative truce. I like it. I think I like Rick. What the fuck is happening to my life? This is bananas. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  And the next week, we were all standing by Jake’s side when the results were finally in.

  He won by a landslide.

  “Cheers to the new president.”

  Epilogue

  Here’s to you, Mr. President

  January

  “Please stand here, Ms. Sanders. Palms up to support the Kennedy Bible,” Chief Justice quietly tells me.

  It’s freezing. One would think being a native New Yorker would have prepared me for how cold Washington is in January, but it didn’t. Thankfully, Cara decked me out in a stunning teal dress with a beautiful winter-white belted wrap coat. I have tan leather gloves on my hands and these amazing stockings that look sheer but are actually fleece-lined, so I’m good. The gloves are in my coat pocket out of respect for the Kennedy Bible.

  Jake looks handsome as he stands across from me in a dark-gray suit with a white shirt and a blue tie. He has a darker gray wool overcoat on and black leather gloves, which he removed to place his hand on the famous book as well—a nod to the fact that he held the infamous senate seat previously held by none other than John Fitzgerald Kennedy in the state of New York.

  When he raises his right hand and takes his oath of office, his voice rings proud and strong.

  “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.”

  • • •

  “AND NOW, THE PRESIDENT and First Lady of the United States,” Rick says as Jake leads me onto the dance floor and pulls me into his arms.

  He looks so dashing in a crisp black tux with his Navy medals mounted on his chest. I love that he is proud of who he is and how hard he worked to get here. It’s a nod to the sacrifices that were made before he took this next mission.

  Rick is similarly dressed. And speaking of Rick, he has a new job title. As of this morning, Jake officially named him Chief of Staff. The pitbull of politics has a new post to guard. He and Cara are still circling each other. I’m hoping they figure things out soon.

  I am wearing the same light-pink dress with gold beading that knocked Jake’s sock off the first time, and I’ve gotten a ton of compliments on it, not only because it’s fantastic, but because I’m so “fiscally conservative.” I barely held in my hilarity over that one. If only they could see my shoe closet.

  I look over his shoulder and see Jules sneaking off with a Marine officer. Oh, Jules… I can’t see his face, but at least he has a nice ass. Go girl! One day, she will stop toying with men and settle down. I just don’t think it’ll happen in the next four years. She also has a new job description. Jake was so impressed with her handling of the oil spill in the Gulf Coast that he named her Press Secretary. She promptly put in her resignation with Eagle News Network. They were sad to see her go, but they understood that this was the opportunity of a lifetime.

 
“A wedding should be easier to plan after an inaugural ball,” he says, pulling me in close as we circle the dance floor. “Don’t you think?”

  “I do.”

  “That’s the right idea.” He laughs at his own joke.

  “Always a joker,” I say, rolling my eyes.

  “I was thinking of a June wedding at Camp David. What about you?” he asks me.

  “I think you’re going to be disappointed,” I tell him hesitantly.

  “Why’s that?” Jake questions. “Are you changing your mind already? Sorry you didn’t back the other guy?”

  “Never,” I say honestly. “But I was thinking more along the lines of February in D.C.”

  “Any reason why?” he asks. “Don’t get me wrong; sooner than later has always been my preference. But why now?”

  “Because we’re going to be very busy in June,” I answer cryptically.

  “Oh yeah? With what?”

  “A baby,” I whisper in his ear. “I’m pregnant.”

  “A baby,” he murmurs, and I can’t tell if he’s happy or shocked or maybe a little of both.

  “Are you happy?” I ask him, suddenly I’m feeling a little nervous even though in my heart, I know that I have nothing to worry about.

  “This is by far the best day of my life,” he says. “And it’s all because of you. I love you.”

  “Here’s to you, Mr. President.”

  “And to you, Mrs. Chancellor.”

  And then we shocked the attendees when he crushed his lips to mine and spun me about the room. Rick just laughed. Cara looked sad, but I’m not losing hope for them yet. And Jules and her mystery man were long gone.

  As for Jake and me, we’ve got all we ever wanted.

  The End

  Thank you so much for reading The Senator’s Secret! I hope you enjoyed Jake and Grace as much as I enjoyed writing them. Don’t forget that Cara and Rick’s story, Caught by The Chief of Staff is out April 27th!

  If you would like to get to know Claire and Wes more, you can follow their story in the Claire Goodnite Series. And for more from Angie, Cody, and Mable, you can read their story, Stand, now.

  Playlist

  Dirty Little Secret—All American Rejects

  Fortunate Son—CCR

  Beautiful People—Ed Sheeran ft.

  Bad Guy—Billie Eilish

  Classic—MKTO

  I Don’t Care—Ed Sheeran ft. Justin Bieber

  End Game—Taylor Swift ft. Ed Sheeran and Future

  New York at Night—Old Dominion

  Come Over—Sam Hunt

  Halo—Beyoncé

  Everything I Wanted—Billie Eilish

  Love the Way You Lie—Eminem ft. Rhianna

  When the Party’s Over—Billie Eilish

  Someone You Loved—Lewis Capaldi

  My 4 Letters—Brielle Von Hugel

  Also by Jennifer

  A Presidential Affair

  The Senator’s Secret

  Caught by the Chief of Staff, April 27, 2020

  The Press Secretary’s Passion, June 15, 2020

  The Claire Goodnite Series

  Tell Me a Story

  Tuck Me in Tight

  Say a Sweet Prayer

  Kiss Me Goodnight

  By the Light of the Moon

  The Complete Claire Goodnite Series

  The Liam Goodnite Series

  Hush Little Baby, Coming May 18, 2020

  Don’t Say a Word, Coming August 10, 2020

  The Funerals and Obituaries Series

  I Met a Girl

  Dead and Buried

  Dead and Gone

  Dead and Deceived

  Dead and … Wed?

  The Murder on Ice Series

  Attack Zone

  Layback

  The Southern Heartbeats

  Stand, Volume 1

  Joy

  Whiskey Lullaby, Volume 2

  Mercy

  Just a Dream, Volume 3, Coming 2021

  Stand Alone Titles

  Trap: A Salvation Society Novel, TBD

  About the Author

  Jennifer is a thirty-something lover of words, all words: the written, the spoken, the sung (even poorly), the sweet, the funny, and even the four-letter variety. She is a native of San Diego, California where she grew up reading the Brownings and Rebecca with her mother and Clifford and the Dog who Glowed in the Dark with her dad, much to her mother’s dismay.

  Jennifer is a graduate of California State University San Marcos, where she studied Criminology and Justice Studies. She is also a member of Alpha Xi Delta.

  Thirteen years ago, she was swept off her feet by her very own sailor. Today, they are happily married, and the parents of an eleven-year-old and nine-year-old twins. She lives in East Texas, where she can often be found on the soccer or baseball fields, drawing with her children, reading, or wondering what the hell her favorite senior citizens have gotten up to now. Jennifer is convinced that if she puts her Fitbit on one of the dogs, she might finally make her step goals.

  She loves a great romance, an alpha hero, and lots and lots of laughter.

  Stalk Her

  (She loves that shit)

  Website

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  Twitter

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  Bookbub

  Book+Main

  And join her reader group:

  The Dangerous Dames

  Coming April 27th

  Gone

  I clutch my phone in my hand so tightly I’m afraid the glass will shatter, and then where will I be? I just stopped the video. I’m going to be sick, but I can’t now. I have to get to Rick. If anyone can fix this, it’s him. I know we have a lot to atone for between us, but I know I can trust him with this.

  My lungs burn with the air that isn’t filling them as I race from the residence to the offices. I was just coming by to check on Grace. She has an appearance tomorrow, and we needed to get everything squared away. I love being her stylist, and life in D.C. totally agrees with my daughter Rachel and me.

  Or so I thought. Now, I’m regretting every decision that led me here.

  “Stop, ma’am,” one of the Marines who guards the offices says. “No one is allowed back here.”

  “I need to see Rick Donovan right away,” I tell him as I flash my badge. My voice is trembly and my hands shake. “It’s an emergency.”

  “Right this way, Ms. Donovan,” Gus, one of Jake’s Secret Service agents, says. “You can wait in his office. I’ll tell him you’re here.”

  “Can’t I just go to him?” I ask. “It’s important.”

  “No, ma’am. He’s in a closed-door meeting,” Gus explains.

  “Oh okay,” I say. “Just… please hurry.”

  I pace Rick’s office over and over while I wait for him. If he doesn’t show soon, I’m going to puke in his wastepaper basket. The offending video on my phone plays in my brain on a loop. These things are time-sensitive, right? And my baby. I can’t bear for her to be away from me for one more minute.

  “What the fuck could be so important you’ve interrupted me during a closed-door meeting, Cara? Did you break a nail?” he seethes. I know he hates me; I hate me too. I did things he will never understand to protect him, to protect Rachel, and now it was all for nothing.

  “She’s gone,” I whisper. The words get stuck in my throat and I can barely get them out.

  “Who’s gone?” he asks, his body instantly alert.

  “Our daughter,” I explain, holding out my phone with the video cued up. “Somebody took Rachel.”

  “I think I know who did it,” Rick says after a moment.

  “You do?” I breathe. “Well, go get her. We have to get her back.”

  “I’ll get Rachel back if it’s the last thing I do,” he vows.

  God, I hope it’s not. He and Rachel need time to get to know each other after spending almost nine years apart. I don’t want anything to happen to either of them. I love them both,
and I always have.

  “Please,” I beg. I hope he knows I mean I need him to get our daughter back, but I also need him to come back in one piece as well.

  “I don’t know exactly who it is, but I think I know why.”

  “What? Why?” I question.

  “Someone is trying to blackmail the president, and the only way to get to him is through me.”

  And then I promptly throw up in the wastebasket after all.

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you so much for reading THE SENATOR’S SECRET!!! I hope you loved it as much as I enjoyed writing it. There is so much more in store for the gang including your very favorite president.

  I can’t thank my partner in crime, Alyssa Garcia, enough. She wears many hats: designer, boss lady, marketing guru, publicist, and I would be lost without her. She openly admits that she has wanted this book more than any other I have written and I’m okay with that. She balances me in ways I couldn’t imagine. Our planning meetings are my favorite.

  You can read the words that I write because Kayla Robichaux can make sense of my ramblings. She didn’t bat an eye when I said I’m in the market for an editor but I’m dyslexic/ dysgraphic and it’s going to be a tough job. Along the way she also became a dear friend and I am forever grateful.

  The magician behind the curtain of everything is my amazing assistant, Tricia Crouch. I have absolutely no worries because I know she’s got my back and has joined Alyssa in her love of a spreadsheet. While writing this book, she jumped into the role of magazine manager with complete perfection. Alyssa and I would die without her.

  And thank you to my very own girl gang, Alyssa, Stacy, and Emma, who when I had a crazy idea to jump head first into dark romantic suspense they helped me figure it all out. If it all went away tomorrow, I know that I’d still have them and that is all that matters.