"Yes! Mom''s taking me on a big trip!" Evelyn announced, her voice bubbling with excitement.


    Eleanor wasing down the stairs when she spottedn carrying their daughter inside. Her tone was less than weing. "What are you doing here?"


    Before Eleanor could answer, Evelyn piped up, "Daddy, Mr. Ellington''s sending someone to pick us up!"


    A shadow crossedn''s face.


    "It''s a long way. You''re taking Evelyn by yourself—" he began, clearly intent on insisting.


    "That''s not necessary," Eleanor cut him off, irritation sharpening her words.


    n let it go. He crouched down, ruffling Evelyn''s hair, and said gently, "Keep your phone on you. If you miss me, you can call anytime, okay?"


    "I know, Daddy!" Evelyn grinned.


    Straightening,n nced at Eleanor. "If you need anything, you know how to reach me."


    Eleanor barely acknowledged him, focusing instead on packing Evelyn''s water bottle, as if she hadn''t heard a thing he said.


    Whenn stepped outside, Princess followed at his heels. He knelt, giving her a gentle scratch behind the ears. "Go back, girl," he murmured.


    As if she understood, Princess turned, poked her head through the open gate onest time, then padded back into the yard. Ian closed the gate behind her and headed for his car.


    The next morning at ten, a military SUV pulled up in front of Eleanor''s house. Two men in dress uniforms stood waiting at the curb.


    "Miss Sutton, Major General Ellington sent us to pick you and your daughter up," the senior officer said, offering a crisp salute.


    Eleanor nodded, took Evelyn''s hand, and climbed into the SUV.


    Evelyn was beside herself with excitement during the drive, and Eleanor found herself more at ease with her daughter at her side. When they arrived at the military airfield, Eleanor stared in disbelief at the private jet waiting for them on the tarmac.


    She was stunned.


    Mansfield Ellington had actually sent a private ne for them?


    Decker appeared, carrying their luggage. "Eleanor."


    Eleanor had helped him out of a tight spot once, and he''d never forgotten it.


    "Decker," she greeted him with a warm smile, prompting Evelyn to say hello as well.


    Decker could barely hide his excitement. Eleanor led her daughter onto the ne just as her phone chimed.


    "Boarded yet?" came the message.


    "Just got on," Eleanor replied. "I thought we''d be flyingmercial."


    "My father''s ne was free, so I arranged it," Mansfield Ellington texted back.


    Eleanor''s eyes widened in shock. Wait-this was the Secretary of State''s personal aircraft?


    She could barely breathe. This level of treatment was beyond anything she''d ever imagined.


    A momentter, another message came through from Mansfield: "Don''t feel pressured. You''re a national researcher now, serving your country. You deserve


    it."