“I’m a doctor, Rick. I know the psychology.” They reached the car, and she tried to convey that she wanted this to be the end of the conversation. “Isn’t it good that I’m having nightmares?”

He nodded. “It would be tragic if you were not.” He stood by as she got into the car. When she looked up at him expectantly, he leaned in and said, “On second thought, I better ride with my men. See you there.” He looked at her father. “Sir.”

As the door shut, she huffed out a breath.

Her dad raised an eyebrow. “Did you want him to ride with us?”

“Of course I did,” she snapped, then relaxed. “Maybe he thought it wasn’t appropriate to ride with you.”

“Well, sweet pea, it wasn’t. So, good on him for not.” He looked at his watch. “They’re scheduled to arrive at our quarters in twenty minutes.”

She looked out the window and watched the familiar buildings roll by. “I really like him,” she said.

“I couldn’t tell.” When she glanced at him, he winked. “There is going to be a pretty tall barrier for him.”

“Meaning you.”

“No. No, sweet pea. I don’t have a problem with that man, and I have always trusted your judgment in matters of romance. Once, and not so long ago, to your detriment, in fact.” He lowered an eyebrow, apparently at the very thought of Andrew. “I mean, he’s a captain in the Army of the United States, and I am the vice president of those very same United States.”

She pressed her lips together and tried to word what she wanted to say. Finally, she just said, “So?”

He chuckled. “My darling daughter, he’s going to have a problem with that. He obviously already does.”

“Do you?”

“Again, I do not. Of course not.” When the car rolled to a stop in their drive he added, “But I’m one heartbeat away from becoming his commander in chief. That may be an issue for him or his chain of command.”

The door opened, and Cynthia slid out. They walked side by side into the residence. “It shouldn’t,” she said.

“You’re right.” Inside the door, he pressed a kiss to her temple. “See you at lunch,” he said before he headed into his office.

It took all she had not to hover in the foyer and wait for the cars to arrive. Instead, she wandered into the dining room and found her mother looking at a clipboard. She smiled at Cynthia. “How was the ceremony?”

“How to describe a ceremony in the White House. Surreal? It was good to see everyone again, though.”

Her mom walked forward and cupped her cheek. “You look more relaxed and happier today than I’ve seen since you got home.” She looked back down at her clipboard. “Is there someone I should know about?”