It looked delicious, but Lizzie wasn’t hungry. She lifted the glass of iced tea set by her plate and clinked it against Martine’s. “Here’s to a thankful Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas, Madam President.”

“And the same to you, Lizzie.”

The bite was still in Martine’s voice, Lizzie noticed. Well, she hadn’t invited herself here. She was the invitee. She smiled as she mashed the salmon on her plate. Martine was cutting her asparagus into tiny pieces. Lizzie couldn’t help but wonder if she was going to eat it or if she was just playing with her food, too.

“Does my office have a window, Marti?”

Martine offered up a genuine smile this time. “It was one of your requirements, so yes, your office has a window. You did say you would be willing to negotiate the second half of the year. Is that still on the table?”

Lizzie mashed the salmon some more. “Yes, but no promises. So, tell me now, who do I have to watch out for?”

“Everyone would be my guess. You’ve been Googled so much since we made the announcement, I’m surprised the site didn’t shut down. You’re the next thing to Public Enemy Number One at Sixteen Hundred Pennsylvania Avenue. My chief of staff understands that you are to have direct access to me twenty-four-seven. Of course, he went ballistic, but we’re on the same page now. Everyone is replaceable. He understands that, too.”

“Guess you aren’t going to eat that asparagus. You must have a hundred little pieces on your plate.”

“You always were perceptive, Lizzie. I’m listening when you’re ready to talk.”

“My friends are very unhappy, Marti. I thought you would have gotten the message when your Secret Service agents were thrown into a Dumpster and their weapons and badges were sent back to you.”

Martine started to mash her salmon the way Lizzie had. “We’re going to have to put all this food in the disposal so the kitchen doesn’t get their knickers in a knot. I did get the message. I wasn’t amused. We had to do some fancy dancing to explain all that.”

“I bet you did. My friends weren’t amused either. You have six months to keep your promise.”

“I can’t believe you’re giving the president of this country an ultimatum! And if for some reason I can’t deliver on the promise in the allotted time, then what?” Martine asked in the same frosty tone.

Lizzie smiled. “Marti, I might be many things, but I’m not clairvoyant.”