A/N: So that whole "shorter chapters, more frequent updates" thing turned out to be a big fat lie. Sorry about that. There will probably only be two more chapters after this, unless of course, my muse decides she wants more.


"Ainsley, you're hurting me."

Ainsley loosened her grip on Sam's hand and forced herself to smile as she boarded Sam's yacht. Determined to make a good impression, she'd woken Donna with an early morning phone call asking for advice on what to wear. Donna, her voice still thick with sleep, had mumbled something about lightweight clothes that wouldn't pull her to the bottom of the sea. Ainsley hadn't seen the humor.

"So this is Ainsley." Elizabeth Seaborn casually glanced up and down then gave her a hug. "My Samuel does know how to pick a pretty girl."

Ainsley smiled, not quite sure how to take that. Elizabeth kissed her son's cheek, then linked her arm through his.

"She's lovely, Sam." Elizabeth looked back at Ainsley just as the light caught one of the diamonds in her ring. She immediately let go of Sam and took Ainsley's hand. "Oh, my."

"I was just getting to that," Sam said.

"Indeed."

"Mrs. Seaborn—"

"Oh, call me Elizabeth." She twisted Ainsley's hand to get a better look at the ring. "So, tell me how he proposed. Was it romantic?"

Ainsley and Sam exchanged glances. "Well, we were in the kitchen—"

"The kitchen!" Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ainsley. I don't know how my son ended up being so clueless."

"Oh no, it was perfect."

Sam laughed. "You've got to understand how Ainsley feels about food, Mom."

"I have a healthy appetite."

"Sure, if you were an army."

"You know what the real problem with this country is? It's that women are encouraged to do whatever it takes to look like the latest supermodel, including starving themselves. And when a woman comes along who likes food, people think there's something wrong with her." Ainsley was gearing up for a full-on debate.

"Ains—"

"I agree with you," Elizabeth said. "Sam, you should be grateful you have a fiancée who doesn't have hang-ups about food."

Sam groaned, while Ainsley managed to hide a slightly triumphant smile.

"Now, Ainsley," Elizabeth continued, "I want to know all about you. Sam doesn't need our help sailing this boat."

"It's a yacht, not a boat!"

Elizabeth waved a hand. "Potato, potahto."

Laughing, Ainsley followed her future mother-in-law into the galley.


"I hate the sun," Ainsley said. "And it hates me. We have a hate-hate relationship. Ow!"

"Sorry." Sam didn't sound the least bit apologetic as he poured more lotion on Ainsley's back. "I thought you put sunscreen on."

"I did. But the sun hates me. And I have alabaster skin."

Sam laughed. "Now I know you've been spending too much time with Donna."

"You're enjoying my pain, aren't you?"

"No."

"Liar."

"I'm not lying. You turning into a lobster precludes any chance I may have had of getting lucky tonight."

"Pig." Ainsley sat up and hit Sam with a pillow.

"Although, apparently, it doesn't stop you from flashing me."

She covered her chest with her arms and slid off the bed.

"Hey, wait. Come back. I'll be nice, I promise."

Ainsley scowled.

"I'm sorry."

She sat down on the edge of the bed. Sam inched closer to her and slipped his arm around her waist. Then he kissed her shoulder blade. She closed her eyes.

"Tell me if I'm hurting you."

"You're not."

"So am I forgiven?"

"If you keep that up, yeah." She drew the last word out. It was hard to think with Sam's mouth on her skin. Sunburn, she thought. What sunburn?


Sam had been smiling so much that his cheeks hurt. What was supposed to have been a small engagement party had turned out to include most of the staff of the West Wing. In hindsight, he should have known better than to leave the arrangements in the hands of Donna and Jamie.

Then he looked across the room and saw Ainsley deep in conversation with Nate, and his irritation faded. As long as she was happy, nothing else mattered.

She was going to be his wife. As he watched her, he wondered what he'd done right to deserve her. She looked up then, met his gaze, and smiled. Sam took a step in her direction, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Mr. President. Zoey."

Zoey grinned at Sam, her arm hooked through her father's. "I think this is so romantic. Kind of like Romeo and Juliet, but without the whole death-thing."

"Hey, Sam, I—" Jamie froze, her eyes fixed on the two Bartlets. "Oh my word. You're – Oh. Wow."

Sam chuckled. "Mr. President, this is Jamie Byers. She works for Ainsley."

Bartlet shook her hand. "Miss Byers."

Jamie was still speechless.

Zoey laughed. "I'm Zoey. Come on, let's get something to drink."

She took Jamie's elbow and steered her across the room. Every few steps, Jamie looked back over her shoulder, and mouth, "Oh, wow."

Sam turned his attention to Bartlet.

"Abbey says she's sorry she couldn't make it. She didn't want to give everyone the flu."

"Excuse me," Ginger broke into the conversation. "Sam, you have a phone call."

"Take a message."

"It's your father."

Sam nodded. "Excuse me, sir."

He took the phone from Ginger and walked outside. Uncertainly raising the phone to his ear, he said, "Hello."

"Hello, Sam."

Even now, months after learning of his father's betrayal, the pain was still fresh. "What do you want, Dad?"

"I heard about your engagement. Congratulations, Sam."

Sam said nothing.

"You could have called to tell me."

Ignoring the hurt in his father's voice, Sam said, "I wasn't sure you'd care."

"Of course I care! I'm your father."

Sam took a deep breath. "I really don't want to do this now."

"Sam—"

"Bye, Dad."

He pressed 'disconnect' and leaned against a pillar. The evening had been going so well until now. Leave it to his father to mess things up . . .

A soft voice broke into his thoughts. "Hey, I was wondering where you'd got to."

He pulled Ainsley towards him. "Hey."

"Ginger said your dad called."

"Yeah."

Ainsley wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. "Have you changed your mind about inviting him to the wedding?"

"No."

"Sam, he's your father—"

"No, Ainsley."

"Okay." She pulled her head back, tilting her neck to look up at him. "Have I told you much about my cousin, Calleigh? Nate's sister?"

He shook his head.

"Her father treated her – all the kids actually – he treated them horribly. But Cal was always blind to his faults. Even now, there's nothing she wouldn't do for him."

"Ainsley, where's this going"

"Your father may have hurt you, Sam, but he's trying to reach out now. Give him another chance."

He closed his eyes and exhaled softly. "My mother will be at the wedding. If he's there, it'll hurt her."

"Your mom's bringing her boyfriend, Sam. She knows she has to move on—"

His eyes flew open. "My mother has a boyfriend"

Ainsley nodded.

"Just what did you two talk about on Saturday?"

"Life, love, everything else." Ainsley kissed him. "Invite him, Sam. One day you'll wish you had."

"Ains—"

"I'm going back inside before all the food's finished." She flashed another smile and left him.

Sam looked at the phone that was still in his hand. Slowly, he dialed the once-familiar number and raised the phone to his ear.

"Hi, Dad?"