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“You’re right. Though you will need to be more careful to curry the favor of each administration. Of both parties, if you want to survive. You must become politically neutral and indispensable.”
Clarissa nodded to herself. Rose was usually right about such things. Her policy to date had been mutually assured destruction of her political adversaries. To shift away fromIf you ruin me, I’ll destroy youwas going to take serious rethinking.
“Whereas me, without Hunter,” Rose sighed. “How long until I fade away?”
Clarissa laughed at her.
Even at that, Rose did little more than scowl. She was too much the perfect hostess to ever show her true inner reactions.
“Rose, my friend, you aren’t at the end, you’re at the beginning.”
“The beginning of what?”
Clarissa could see it all laid out. Some of which she couldn’t tell Rose yet. Having promised her the Vice Presidency, only to have it ripped away hours later… No, she wouldn’t do that to her friend again.
“First, we’re going to get you out of Armani and Dior summer clothes.”
“If you make me wear black, I’ll—”
“McQueen black dress. Last monthyouputmein a black pantsuit because you said every woman looks powerful in McQueen. You will look amazing in a suit-dress.”
“But who do I have that I would want to look powerful for? I had everything invested in my husband’s image. He was my political voice. I’ve spent my entire life investing in him.”
Clarissa smiled. “Yes, and in the process you also made yourself the First Lady of the DC social scene.”
“How long will that last without Hunter?” She twisted off her diamond ring. “This doesn’t help me anymore.” She stared at it for a moment, then tucked it carefully into her purse.
“Without Hunter, you are about to become the most power social consultant that DC has ever seen. Your horizon is no longer limited to one man. For your first job, I’m hiring you to make me look good to both parties as the top choice for the long-term Director of the CIA.”
Rose studied her for a long moment, then offered the first slight smile of the night, though it was day now. And brighter than it had been since Hunter’s mistake a month ago that had ripped away their shot at the White House.
“And your second job?” Clarissa teased.
Rose tipped her head slightly in question.
“There are too many kingmakers in the political arena. You’re going to become the most powerfulqueenmakerin history. You’re going to start at the very top with Clark’s replacement.”
“Clark’s replacement? But the President hasn’t announced his choice for his Vice President.”
“Not publicly. However, I was in the room when he told the National Security Advisor Sarah Feldman that she was his choice. We’re going to start you with her.”
After a far briefer moment of consideration, Rose’s smile showed exactly how she’d won Miss Utah at eighteen, snagged Hunter Ramson and made him one of the most powerful senators in Congress, and how she’d wowed Washington for all of the years since.
Yes, she was going to serve Clarissa’s future plans very well, and they both knew it.
“Together we—”
