Presidential Liaison

Anne Manning

Description

The most trusted woman in America. A conservative President just coming to terms with the loss of his beloved wife. Cassie Mercer is a veteran TV news reporter, bred to the job by her legendary parents. The culmination of her career in the form of the anchor chair is now hers, and she's assigned to the White House beat until she assumes her new duties. Her dream job fades in importance, though, when she comes face to face with President Bill MacAllister. Bill had thought himself ready to follow his late wife to the grave, but, after a year of mourning, he suddenly comes alive again when Cassie comes into the Press Room. It wouldn't seem that a conservative President and a progressive TV newswoman would have anything in common, but politics is nothing compared to two hearts meant to be together. Can they survive the scheming of political and romantic enemies and create a liaison that lasts a lifetime?

Informations

• Publié par: Uncial Press
• Date de parution: 15 janvier 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781601740847
• Langue: English

Extrait

Presidential Liaison


By
Anne Manning


Uncial Press Aloha, Oregon 2010
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events described herein are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-1-60174-084-7
Copyright © 2010 by Anne Manning
Cover design Copyright © 2010 by Judith B. Glad
All rights reserved. Except for use in review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the author or publisher.
Published by Uncial Press, an imprint of GCT, Inc.
Visit us at http://www.uncialpress.com
Dedication
To Jude Glad, a wonderful publisher, who took this orphaned bookand gave it a new home. She's also an awesome editor. The story is so muchbetter. Thank you, Jude.
The people to whom I originally dedicated this book still have allmy gratitude. So, I'd like to repeat that dedication here.
To honest, responsible, decent public servants who put personalhonor ahead of personal gain. They don't all do it.
Thanks as always to my husband, David, my best friend, myfirst fan, my most trusted critic, and his sisters -- my sisters -- KayPrice, Janet Bolen, and Ann McArdle.
Thanks to Ginny McBlain, my fellow Conservative andwriter of beautiful novels celebrating those who serve our country;
Many, many thanks to my best editor and sister of myheart, Kathy Overton.
Thanks to my sister, Judy Whitehurst, and Linda Jo McLawhornof Pitt Family Physicians, Ayden, North Carolina, for medical research help.
All characters and organizations depicted in this work--with the exceptionof official US governmental organizations--are the creation of the author'simagination. Any resemblance to actual persons--living, dead, or impeached--ororganizations is strictly coincidental.
Chapter One
The end of a tunnel had never looked so inviting, Cassandra Mercer thought as shelugged her carry-on down the interminable jetway at Dulles International. Once through thedouble doors and into the terminal, she scanned the crowd, searching.
"Cassandra, darling, here."
Cassie smiled and raised her hand in answer, quickening her pace against the current ofhuman bodies toward the tall, elegant woman in the cream wool suit.
"Mother," she whispered as arms enfolded her. Cassie dropped her carry-on and purseand squeezed just as hard, inhaling the ephemeral scent of White Diamonds .
Finally Astrid Montgomery held her away a bit. "Let me look at you, darling." One fineeyebrow arched under the pure white waves of her fashionable haircut. "You're thin andpale."
"And you're beautiful, as usual." Cassie glanced around. "Where's Daddy?"
"The head," Astrid replied, making Cassie laugh at her use of Navy jargon. "He's takingthose prostate pills, you know."
"Here's my little girl." Jim Mercer's booming voice drowned out all the noise aroundthem.
"Daddy!" Cassie threw herself into her father's arms and, in spite of all her bestintentions to act her age, big fat, happy tears plopped down her cheeks. Astrid took out a lacyhandkerchief and wiped Cassie's, then dabbed at her own.
"Your father has talked of nothing but your coming home ever since you called with thenews."
"Ah, like you've had anything else on your mind," Jim responded. He loosened hisbear-hug and gazed down into Cassie's eyes. "Your mother has been planning which restaurants we'regoing to eat at for the next three weeks."
"Restaurants? You still don't know how to cook, Astrid?" Cassie said.
Jim hooted. "Lost cause, love."
"Then why on earth did you marry her, Daddy?"
"She's the best newsman I ever met." Jim put his arms around them both and winked atCassie. "Got a killer body, too."
"Jim, stop it."
Ignoring his wife's pretended outrage, Jim pulled them toward the signs pointing to thebaggage claim area. "Let's get your luggage and get you home, sweetheart."
"Before we go home, if you don't mind, Daddy, I have to go to the bureau office first.I'm supposed to see Charlie about my assignment."
"It can't wait a day for you to get some rest?" Astrid said.
"The bureau chief in Paris was adamant I get over to the Washington office as soon as Igot here. Didn't bother to say what the hurry was, though."
Astrid and Jim exchanged a glance that Cassie, with twenty years' experience in thenews business, could hardly have missed.
"What?" Her eyes flicked from one to the other.
"Nothing, Princess." Jim pulled them along.
"Oh, look. Cassie Mercer. That's her." A young woman's voice carried across thecorridor. "Hi, Cassie."
Cassie jerked her head toward the sound of her name and waved, completelyflummoxed.
No more than twenty paces further, another young woman, this one with a toddler intow, cut in front of them and turned, walking backward ahead of them.
"Ms. Mercer, would you autograph my copy?"
"Sure... Your copy of what?"
" Modern Home . The one with the poll." The woman waved the magazine infront of Cassie's eyes.
As she read the words on the cover, Cassie's mouth dropped open.
She took the magazine and looked into her own eyes. Her standard publicity shot gracedthe cover. Beside her cool, professional smile were the words: Cassandra Mercer, the mosttrusted woman in America.
"This is a gag, right?" she said.
"Nope. Here," Jim said, his voice crackling with amusement as he handed her apen.
Cassie mechanically signed the cover of the magazine and muttered, "Thank you."
"Come on, Princess, before more of your fans swarm us."
By the time they'd reached the baggage claim area, Cassie had finally recovered fromthe shock of the long flight and her unexpected celebrity.
"Okay, what's going on?"
"Well," Astrid said, pulling a copy of Modern Home from her own bag. "Readit for yourself."
Cassie took the magazine and leaned against a pillar, scanning the article while herfather went to collect her luggage. The yearly poll asked readers of the largest circulationwomen's magazine in the country to name the people who had earned their trust.
It hadn't even been close. She'd outdistanced the second place finisher, the President ofthe United States, by ten percent.
"Your quick trip home starting to make sense?" Astrid said.
Cassie closed the magazine and handed it back to Astrid. "Cassandra Mercer is the mosttrusted woman in the America, and ATV is cashing in on the positive publicity."
"The honchos at ATV have something cooking and you, my treasure, are the mainingredient."
"Come on, girls, we're parked in the short-term lot." Jim led the way out the automaticdoors, wheeling Cassie's two oversized suitcases. As he approached the shiny brown Lincolnparked in the first row, he popped the trunk and unlocked the doors. Over his shoulder he said,"Maybe you'll get the prime-time news magazine ATV's got in the works."
"That would be nice," Cassie replied. "I hear there's going to be a big-time budget forsome real investigative journalism." Even as she said this, she noticed her mother's satisfiedsmile. Slipping into the backseat, she ordered, "Give, Mother."
"Oh, I have my hunches," Astrid replied with a coy glance.
Jim huffed as he got into the car and twisted the key in the ignition. "Don't listen to her,Princess. She doesn't have any facts to back those hunches up."
"Jim, you know perfectly well..."
Her parents' voices dimmed to a hum as Cassie's eyes were drawn to the grimy rear ofthe bus chugging along ahead of them toward the four-lane access road. She sprang forward.
"Do you see that?" Cassie pointed to the bus. On the big sign was her picture and thestylized clock that served as ATV's logo. And one more thing.
America trusts Cassie Mercer.
Astrid turned, her Cheshire smile even broader. "They're all over--busses, billboards,newspapers. And you know, darling, the grapevine is full..."
"Astrid, don't spread rumors."
"What rumors?" Cassie said.
Astrid waved away Jim's warning. "Cassandra knows how to evaluate unsubstantiatedinformation." She turned back to Cassie. "There are big changes in the making at ATV. Mymoney is on your replacing Rebecca Winston at the White House."
"Why would they want to replace her?"
"Personality conflict. Now, I understand the President's political views are a bitreactionary, but Winston's been so confrontational, no one at the White House will even talk toher. She has zero access over there."
Jim snorted. "If I was still bureau chief, she'd'a been pounding the pavement or waitingtables by now."
"Yes, dear. If you were chief," Astrid cooed. She quirked a look at her husbandbefore saying, "I have to get him back to work. He's driving me insane."
Cassie grinned as she stretched on the luxurious leather seat. "Maybe we can find a nicewar zone for him to report from. Afghanistan? Iraq? Ah." She sat up and leaned on the front seatand whispered in her father's ear. "The Vatican, seat of international intrigue."
"My sainted mother would haunt me if I started looking for dirt on the Holy Father." Jimpunched a button on the radio and smiled in the rear-view mirror at her as the localcountry-music station came on. "Sit back and enjoy the ride, Princess. Looks like we're in for sometraffic."
"Thanks, Daddy," Cassie said, pecking his cheek.
"Ah," she whispered as Trace Adkins' raspy baritone spiced the air.
Cassie rested and enjoyed the smooth ride, the good music, the sound of her parents'voices as they argued about the possibilities for their daughter's future.
But, right at this moment, it didn't really matter where ATV's plans had her going.
After ten years, it was just good to be home.
* * * *
Four-thirty. Way too early to be leaving the office. Way too much to do, but... BillMacAllister shrugged off guilt along with his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder as he waitedfor the elevator to arrive