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Tessa cupped her face "Maybe, but on you they’re beautiful pounds"

"That’s not whatto say after lanced at Darcy "They’ve caught the last of the kidnappers Your father will be calling in the next h here"

Darcy wondered if she looked as surprised as she felt Caught? "Already?"

Paige sone pretty far underground"

Tessa stood and patted her hair "The president?" she asked, sounding stunned "Phoning here?"

"You look fine," Paige said with a grin

Darcy tried to enjoy the humor of Tessa worried about her appearance for a phone call that wasn’t for her, but she could only deal with her rising panic

No! It couldn’t be true If the ht then she was free to leave Actually, she had to leave The Marcellis would want their house back

But she wasn’t ready She and Brenna hadn’t finalized the label designs, and the fa, and what about Joe? They had to talk and she had to tell him that she…

The phone rang Paige reached for it

"Agent Newberry," she said crisply, then nodded at Darcy "Yes She’s right here" She held out the phone

Darcy took it "Hello?"

"Please hold for the president," a fee left the kitchen

Darcy waited a second, then heard, "Darcy?"

"Hi, Dad"

"You’ve been told?"

"Uh-huh"

"Good news all-around The last of theruffly "I’ll sleep better at night knowing o Darcy would have dismissed the statelad Lauren was safe Now she wasn’t so sure Maybe heto your sister," he continued "She s here at the White House"

Darcy winced That wasn’t exactly what she’d said "I thought it would be nice to doas if he meant it "I always knew your space was i people still talk about having your own space?"

She smiled "Not really But I knohat you mean"

"Good When you come home, we can talk I’d like to have you around more, Darcy You’re very important to me"

"Thanks" She shifted aardly "Uht I have to run Let me know your travel plans I can have a plane pick you up whenever you’d like Maybe in the o "I’ll let you know, Dad Thanks"

"All right Talk to you soon"

The line went dead Darcy handed the phone back to Paige "He’s ready to have me hoo be with your family," she said "If you’re safe now"

Darcy nodded Tears burned, but she refused to give in to theht "You’ve all been very kind"

"Kind" Tessa dis you here"

"I’ve liked being here"

"You have things to do, yes? A life?" Tessa asked

Darcy shrugged "I guess"

The old wo, you could stay a few days Maybe a couple of weeks"

Darcy wanted to so much it hurt "But I’m an intrusion I have a Secret Service tea" Tessa squeezed her fingers "Say you’ll stay We want you here"

"But Marco and Colleen may not be happy about--"

"Of course they’ll be happy," Tessa said "I know my own children"

Just then Joe walked into the kitchen Tessa turned to hi?"

"They’ve found the rest of the kidnappers," Darcy told hinment is over"

The second she said the words, horror washed over her Of course Joe was only here because of her Noas free to return to the naval base and continue his regular life The one that didn’t include her