Read First Lady for Free Online Page A
Authors: Blayne Cooper, T Novan
was a lot like living in Disney World, but never having time go on all the really cool rides. The children enjoyed the magnificent living quarters far more than she did.
David used the towel on his ears. “Are you sure the office won’t explode without us?”
“No, but when it explodes they’ll just rebuild and there’ll be twice as much work on Monday.”
David groaned. “No kidding. Have I—?” Then he paused, distracted by Lauren’s frustrated voice.
“I don’t care!” Lauren said, clearly back in the middle of something with Wayne . “They can’t do that, can they?”
David gestured to Lauren with his chin, a crease forming on his forehead. “What’s up with her?”
Dev kicked off her shoes and adjusted the straps of her suit. “I’m not sure. But whatever it is, it’s not good.”
“If the papers would give the poor girl a break, she’d be all right,” Emma sympathized with a sigh. “She hasn’t been out of the house all week.”
“Excuse me for a second,” Dev gave David a parting pat. “I’m going to go make sure she’s okay.”
Dev could hear Wayne promising that “He’d try” and then Lauren ended the call. The smaller woman met Dev half way and, without warning, flung herself into Dev’s waiting arms.
“Whoa,” Dev squeaked, glad that she was standing on one of the few dry spots left.
“Stop the world.” Lauren buried her face in Devlyn’s neck. “I want to get off.” Long arms tightened around her and she let out a sigh of pure relief, sinking into Devlyn’s warm body.
“Tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart.” Dev pressed her lips to Lauren’s hair, breathing in the light scent of her shampoo.
Lauren whimpered. “The very first book I wrote was when I was young and incredibly stupid.”
Dev drew in a breath to speak.
“Not a word,” Lauren warned, giving Dev’s throat a playful bite and feeling the body pressed tightly to hers shake with silent laughter. “I was still in college and I signed a rotten contract with a small publisher and I pretty much forgot all about it after the book didn’t sell well.”
Dev frowned. “You’re unhappy about poor book sales 10 years after the fact?”
“Nuh uh.” Lauren shook her head. “My old publisher contacted Wayne , looking for an address for Lauren Gallagher.” It was the pen name Lauren used for her fiction and, thus far, Wayne had been successful in hiding the link between Lauren Gallagher, reclusive, moderately successful fiction writer, and Lauren Strayer, respected biographer. “Seems my old publisher has sold my story to a movie studio.”
“That’s great!” Dev grabbed Lauren by the shoulders and took a step backward to examine her face. She winced at the dour expression that met her. “Or not.”
“It’s… well…” Lauren’s face turned bright red and suddenly she couldn’t meet Dev’s gaze.
Dev blinked. “C’mon, whatever it is, it can’t be that bad,” she lied.
Lauren closed her eyes and exhaled. “The movie company that bought the book is known for its… well… for producing,” she lowered her voice, “adult films.”
Dev’s eyes widened. “Porn?” she blurted out loudly.
“Shhh! Jesus.” Lauren looked around self-consciously as Dev burst out laughing.
“Oh, God. You’re kidding?”
Lauren’s eyes flew open, then turned to dangerous slits. “Do I look like I'm kidding, Madam President?” And with a stiff push, she sent Devlyn careening backwards into the pool.
Dev shot up out of the water sputtering and coughing. “Puh. Bah.” She spat out a mouthful of water.
“Do it again! Do it again!” Aaron cried gleefully, thinking he’d never seen anything so wonderful as his mother soaking wet and her hair hanging over her eyes.
Dev thrust her chin into the air and arched a slender black eyebrow at Lauren, who returned the challenging gesture, placing her hands on her hips for good measure. She stuck her hand out to Christopher. “Weapon.” The boy
David used the towel on his ears. “Are you sure the office won’t explode without us?”
“No, but when it explodes they’ll just rebuild and there’ll be twice as much work on Monday.”
David groaned. “No kidding. Have I—?” Then he paused, distracted by Lauren’s frustrated voice.
“I don’t care!” Lauren said, clearly back in the middle of something with Wayne . “They can’t do that, can they?”
David gestured to Lauren with his chin, a crease forming on his forehead. “What’s up with her?”
Dev kicked off her shoes and adjusted the straps of her suit. “I’m not sure. But whatever it is, it’s not good.”
“If the papers would give the poor girl a break, she’d be all right,” Emma sympathized with a sigh. “She hasn’t been out of the house all week.”
“Excuse me for a second,” Dev gave David a parting pat. “I’m going to go make sure she’s okay.”
Dev could hear Wayne promising that “He’d try” and then Lauren ended the call. The smaller woman met Dev half way and, without warning, flung herself into Dev’s waiting arms.
“Whoa,” Dev squeaked, glad that she was standing on one of the few dry spots left.
“Stop the world.” Lauren buried her face in Devlyn’s neck. “I want to get off.” Long arms tightened around her and she let out a sigh of pure relief, sinking into Devlyn’s warm body.
“Tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart.” Dev pressed her lips to Lauren’s hair, breathing in the light scent of her shampoo.
Lauren whimpered. “The very first book I wrote was when I was young and incredibly stupid.”
Dev drew in a breath to speak.
“Not a word,” Lauren warned, giving Dev’s throat a playful bite and feeling the body pressed tightly to hers shake with silent laughter. “I was still in college and I signed a rotten contract with a small publisher and I pretty much forgot all about it after the book didn’t sell well.”
Dev frowned. “You’re unhappy about poor book sales 10 years after the fact?”
“Nuh uh.” Lauren shook her head. “My old publisher contacted Wayne , looking for an address for Lauren Gallagher.” It was the pen name Lauren used for her fiction and, thus far, Wayne had been successful in hiding the link between Lauren Gallagher, reclusive, moderately successful fiction writer, and Lauren Strayer, respected biographer. “Seems my old publisher has sold my story to a movie studio.”
“That’s great!” Dev grabbed Lauren by the shoulders and took a step backward to examine her face. She winced at the dour expression that met her. “Or not.”
“It’s… well…” Lauren’s face turned bright red and suddenly she couldn’t meet Dev’s gaze.
Dev blinked. “C’mon, whatever it is, it can’t be that bad,” she lied.
Lauren closed her eyes and exhaled. “The movie company that bought the book is known for its… well… for producing,” she lowered her voice, “adult films.”
Dev’s eyes widened. “Porn?” she blurted out loudly.
“Shhh! Jesus.” Lauren looked around self-consciously as Dev burst out laughing.
“Oh, God. You’re kidding?”
Lauren’s eyes flew open, then turned to dangerous slits. “Do I look like I'm kidding, Madam President?” And with a stiff push, she sent Devlyn careening backwards into the pool.
Dev shot up out of the water sputtering and coughing. “Puh. Bah.” She spat out a mouthful of water.
“Do it again! Do it again!” Aaron cried gleefully, thinking he’d never seen anything so wonderful as his mother soaking wet and her hair hanging over her eyes.
Dev thrust her chin into the air and arched a slender black eyebrow at Lauren, who returned the challenging gesture, placing her hands on her hips for good measure. She stuck her hand out to Christopher. “Weapon.” The boy