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“Ms. Bennet has accepted an overseas assignment with the Red Cross in Indonesia. In fact, she just landed in Jakarta an hour ago.” That was why they’d waited nearly two weeks for the briefing. Not many news organizations would bother to send reporters halfway around the world. At least Elizabeth would get some peace. “However, the president and Ms. Bennet remain friends,” Hilliard added.
Darcy averted his eyes from his sister’s woebegone expression. “It was her decision, Georgie,” he said.
Other reporters started shouting out questions, some of them frankly intrusive. Since he had been authorized to share very little information, Hilliard repeated “no comment” many times. Finally, he said firmly, “I will not answer any more questions on this topic.” As the briefing moved on to other subjects, Darcy muted the television.
“Why?” Georgiana’s brows knitted together. “You said she was the best thing that ever happened to you.”
Darcy stared down into his empty glass. “She doesn’t want me, Georgie. She doesn’t want a relationship with me.”
“Was it all the press scrutiny?”
“It’s not that simple,” Darcy muttered. “There were a lot of reasons. She thought the relationship was hurting my presidency.”
Georgiana’s expression was heart-wrenching. “So she still loves you?”
Answering that question would break him. He scrubbed his face with both hands. “Hell, I don’t know that I have what it takes to make a long-term relationship work.” During the silence that followed, Georgiana regarded him with a sympathetic tilt to her head.
Onscreen, Hilliard was still talking. Darcy hated the sight of him. With a quick jab on the remote, he turned the television off and stared at the black screen without seeing it.
It’s not like I have the time to devote to a real relationship. Now nothing would distract him from his legislative priorities. Nothing to focus on except his presidency. It would be business as usual.
It was a good development. An improvement.
It was.
***
“Will? Will!”
Darcy’s head snapped toward Bing. Had his attention drifted off again? How long this time?
“Peter asked your opinion on the Republicans’ proposed changes to the bill.” Darcy hated that too-patient tone, the one that sounded like Bing was coaxing a wild animal into its cage with soft words and a piece of meat. Darcy had been hearing it more and more.
He wanted to rub the bleariness from his eyes, but he couldn’t look like he’d been sleeping. In fact, he’d been daydreaming—imagining a future with Elizabeth in six years. If she’d still talk to him then. If she wasn’t married to someone else. It had been more than five months since he’d seen her in Fitz’s apartment. It seemed like an eternity.
Bing continued to date Jane; Darcy was happy for his friend and only a little jealous. Well, maybe more than a little. Although Bing received some media scrutiny, he didn’t realize what a gift his comparative lack of fame was.
Bing never mentioned anything he learned about Elizabeth from Jane, and Darcy never asked. An old college friend of Darcy’s at the Red Cross gave him occasional updates on Elizabeth’s progress in Indonesia, which wasn’t terribly satisfying. The reports focused on the program she was running and didn’t provide crucial information like whether she was dating someone. The thought made every muscle in his body tense.
With an effort of will, Darcy drew his attention back to the meeting. At least this one was in the small Residence meeting room with senior staff rather than an official West Wing meeting with junior staffers who were prone to gossiping. Darcy took a sip from his glass, grateful he had switched from wine at dinner to scotch. It probably contributed to his tendency to lose focus, but Darcy needed it.
“I’m sorry.” He straightened up in his chair, widening his eyes: the picture of alertness. “Cynthia, could you read the changes off again?”
“Of course, Mr. President.”
As Cynthia read, Darcy tried to focus his attention on the admittedly dry material. It was important, worthy of his concentration, but lately his thoughts were like heavy, sticky mud. They moved slowly and resisted changing direction. He was so, so damn tired all the time. When this odd fatigue had first crept over him around four months ago, Darcy had thought he was getting sick, but no other symptoms had materialized. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, but that usually didn’t faze him. Was there a difference because this bout of sleeplessness was brought on by insomnia rather than too much work?
Cynthia had fallen quiet.
“Thank you,” Darcy said automatically, mentally kicking himself when he realized he couldn’t remember what she said. These changes were important; accepting some of the Republican amendments could help them gain the votes they needed to pass the renewable energy bill.
Bing watched him with a stony stare. Yeah, he knew Darcy’s mind had been otherwise occupied.
“What do you think, Mr. President?” Peter regarded him expectantly.
Darcy had been in this position before and knew how to cover for his ignorance. “I’m not sure.” He turned to his director of legislative affairs. “Sarah, what’s your opinion?”
As Sarah launched into a complicated discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the Republicans’ revisions, Darcy attempted to follow her argument. But he was well aware of the weight of Bing’s gaze: narrowed eyes, thinned lips. Yeah, he wasn’t fooling Bing.
