Alien Diplomacy
you weren’t sure.” Buchanan had a sarcasm knob, too. Nice to know.
“So, you aren’t a cop. And you’re not from American Centaurion.”
“Correct.”
I pondered. Chuckie hadn’t seemed to know him, but Buchanan had said he was hired by someone who knew me well. Very well, since I was alive only because he’d been around. “Can I see your badge?”
“No. You don’t need to.”
“Right. Because I’ll bet I know what it looks like.” I dug my phone out and dialed. “Mom?”
“Yes, kitten? I’m in the middle of a high-profile meeting.”
“I just wanted to say thank you.”
“For what?”
“For Malcolm Buchanan.”
Mom was quiet for a few moments. “Are you and Jamie okay?”
“Only because you know me really, really well.”
“I am your mother.”
“Thank God.”
Mom laughed. “I love you, kitten. And from now on, do what Jeff, James, and Charles tell you to, okay?”
“Love you, too, and I will do. Um, what happens to Malcolm now?”
Mom barked a laugh. “Get used to your shadow. Just never rely on it.”
“Gotcha. Thanks Mom. You’re the best.” We hung up. “So, do you hate the Washington Wife class as much as I do?”
“More. I’m not married.” We were at a stoplight. He looked back at me and winked. “Tell your husband to stay on his toes.”
I felt my cheeks get hot. Great. Buchanan chuckled the rest of the way back to the Embassy.
CHAPTER 90
B UCHANAN DROPPED US AT the Embassy door. “See you around,” he said. “Oh, and remember that no one’s who they seem in this town. Stick with the people who like you for who you really are and you’ll be all right.”
“Thanks.” He waited until I got the Embassy door opened and I waved good-bye before he drove off.
“Kit-Kat!” Caroline called as I walked in. “Where the heck have you been?” She and Amy were both wearing shirts that said “D.C. Babe” on them.
Amy waved clothing at me. “We have one for you and one for Jamie, too!”
“We got them for the other girls, too,” Caroline said. “You think it’ll be okay if we give one to Adriana?”
“Yeah, as long as you have one for her grandmother, too. Who we should really visit at least once a week.”
“Already on the schedule, darling,” Pierre said as he joined us, D.C. Babe shirt on.
“I see you’re part of the gang.”
He grinned. “The requirements were charm and hotness. Our lovelies insisted I fit the requirements.”
I laughed. “Perfectly.”
Pierre clapped his hands twice in front of Jamie. “Is our precious ready to come to her Uncle Pierre for a while?”
Jamie squealed. With joy. I handed her to Pierre, who started dancing with her. The girls were chattering about where they’d gone and how I had to go there with them next time.
Tito joined us. “Christopher’s already out of isolation. He’s overat Dulce, giving his intel. Jeff’s due out in a couple of minutes, and they want the two of you over there once he feels up to it. James said that you two shouldn’t have sex first.”
I laughed and headed upstairs, the sound of my friends’ laughter echoing behind me. I ran into Nurse Carter coming out of our rooms. “Hey, I didn’t know you were still here.”
She looked a little embarrassed. “I think I’m staying. Staff nurse. Doctor Hernandez needs the help, and I have nothing to go back to Paraguay for. Your friend, the one who doesn’t trust anybody, said to tell you he’s cleared me.”
“Works for me, and I’m glad you’re staying. Go downstairs and demand your D.C. Babe T-shirt. It’s a new Embassy dress code requirement.”
She laughed and headed off. I went in to find Jeff waiting for me. He had his pants on, but happily, not his shirt. The sounds of “I Just Can’t Get Enough” by the Black Eyed Peas was playing in the background.
I chuckled and dumped my purse on the floor. “You changed the playlist.”
“Yeah. I like your ‘My Husband’s A Hottie’ playlist more for some reason.”
Katy Perry’s “E.T.” came on and I laughed. Then I heaved a huge sigh and let all the negative crap I’d been carrying for the last three months float away on the air. “It’s really good to be home.”
Jeff cocked his head. “Want to tell me about it?”
I wrapped my arms around him and snuggled my face between his pecs, enjoying the feeling of his hair, skin, heartbeats, as well as his arms around me, while he kissed the top of my head and Katy sang about how great it was to be
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