Chapter 8

Beatrice

I’m standing at the security checkpoint while an officer checks my ID and my badge, looking for my name on the approved list in his database.

He keeps looking at the screen, then back at me, and it feels like I’ve been standing here forever.

Is something go wrong with my pass? Frantic thoughts are running through my head as I stand there with my hands fidgeting, glancing around at everyone else waiting to go through the checkpoint.

Just when I feel like my nerves are about to make my head explode, he hands my ID back to me and nods.

“Thank you, Miss Barlow. Have a nice day.”

He waves me through, and I exhale softly and take a breath, allowing my heart to stop pounding in my chest and my breathing to go back to normal.

Why am I so worried? Not only did I get this kick-ass job, but the president himself came to my apartment to congratulate me. Of course, my security permissions would go through. The guy just didn’t recognize me, being that I’m a new employee.

He just took a moment to be sure—just doing his job.

Thankfully, by the time I get completely through the checkpoint and into the main area, I’ve calmed myself down, because I can see a woman coming right for me, hand outstretched.

She’s tall, stunning, incredibly well put together—and she practically oozes confidence. I know who she is before she says her name; she’s a pretty big deal around here.

I put on my best smile and take her hand, nodding as she introduces herself to me.

“Hi! You must be Miss Harlow. I’m Hope Olivier, White House Communications Director.”

She gives me a warm smile and squeezes my hand, and I return the gesture.

“Barlow, actually. It’s a pleasure.”

Hope Olivier, if you ask anyone worth their salt, is a legend in the White House. She’s the owner of a crisis management firm here in D.C., and she gets stuff done…even if she’s got my name wrong.

Her work is more behind the scenes than it is up in the front lines, so to speak, and she leaves most of the credit and spotlight to other workers. However, everyone will tell you that without Hope, a lot of important things would fall through the cracks. She’s sort of an unsung hero.

She’s one of the women I look up to, but I can’t help but be a little envious of her talents, even maybe a little intimated…okay, more than a little.

Not only does she get everything done, and get it done right, but she does it all while looking like a total bombshell. Not to mention the fact that she takes no shit from anybody, and the entire staff respects her. There’s not a single problem in D.C. that Hope can’t fix, and everyone in the White House knows it.

It’s probably why she’s so well liked. It’s hard to hate someone who can solve any problem you throw at her and make you look good in the process, even if you’re the one who screwed it up in the first place.

If I can ever be half as good as Hope Olivier is, then I’m set.

I haven’t had much sleep the night before. My nerves are on fire, and I’m much too excited to start my day today and get to know some of the people that I’d be working with.

I’d be lying if I said I’m not also excited about the fact that I’d be seeing Henry every day.

The thought of it has brought a whole new set of butterflies fluttering into my stomach, along with nerves and apprehension. I need to make sure that my attraction to—and let’s face it, slight obsession with—him is kept under wraps. I don’t need to be that girl in the office.

There are also some rumors going around that Hope and Henry have a bit of a thing going on, which is yet another reason to add to the pile of why it is a bad idea to pay my attraction to him any mind.

Not to mention the fact that he’s out of my league and has shot me down years before. The fact that I’m even entertaining the idea of a romantic relationship with him, the President of the United States of America, is ridiculous.

Little old Beatrice, journalist and aspiring politician, chasing after the president. Get a grip.

I shake myself from my thoughts and speak up, nodding to her with an eager smile, hoping that my nerves aren’t giving me away. Speaking with someone as important as she is something I’d have to get used to if I’m going to succeed here.

“How about this, Miss Olivier and Miss Barlow are for formal settings, but for now, let’s go with Beatrice and Hope. What do you say?”

She turns and gestures for me to follow her as she speaks, heading towards a hallway just ahead.

Alright, so maybe she’s not so scary after all.

I nod and smile, following her through the hallway and into a much larger foyer, where we stop. She turns to me and glances around with a smile before letting her gaze come back to mine.

“Well, here it is, Beatrice. Welcome to the White House.”

I look around the large conservatively decorated room that we’re standing in, admiring the décor and atmosphere, as well as the sounds of busy people just beyond the room—phones ringing, people talking, computers, and hasty footsteps.

It finally feels real, and I can’t help the smile that creeps up to my lips as I soak it all in.

She grins at me and gestures for me to follow her into the next room.

I follow her obediently while she takes me through the White House room by room, and she explains each one to me with precise intent. There are obviously rooms I can’t go into yet, but those will come with an explanation once my full security clearance goes through.

We stop in one of the meeting rooms, and she sits down and motions for me to do the same.

I take a seat, and she smiles at me, tapping the table.

“So, what do you think? I know it can be a bit overwhelming, and it’s definitely a fast-paced environment, but I think you’ll fit in well here.”

“I’m really looking forward to being here and working with everyone.”

She’s happy to hear my enthusiasm and threads her fingers together on the table, relaxing a bit.

“That’s good to hear, Beatrice. You and I will actually be working together quite a bit, so I’m very happy to hear that. Once your full security clearance goes through, you’re essentially going to be shadowing the president. That way, you’ll get a good idea of how to get started with the biography and get a true feel for how things are done around here.”

I feel the heat rise in my cheeks and my stomach flutter as she continues to explain what my day-to-day would look like, and it takes a lot of willpower not to grin like a child upon finding out that I’ll be spending so much time with the president.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know you and working with you, Hope. Thank you so much for showing me around today.”

She nods at me and stands, reaching her hand out once again.

I stand to meet her and shake her hand, and we make our way back out to the main foyer where she brought me initially.

She continues to tell me all about how things are done, and I try to pay attention. However, my mind keeps wandering back to the fact that I’ll be spending so much time with the president and how I’m going to deal with that.

I know I’d be working closely with him and probably attend a few of his meetings. But shadowing him?

Things have just got more interesting.