Page 34 of Nothing to Deny

“Jonas Bruce is working two sides of a case,” he said. “Defense and prosecution. You do realize that’s peculiar?”

Her lips contorted. “I amuse you,” she said. “You called to tell me I amuse you?”

“Why else would I call my only granddaughter?” he asked. “We’re not prosecuting?”

“No, we’re not.” Her good humor fled. “Granddaddy, I swear—”

“I don’t need explanations…” No, he never did, not from her. “You had to see the leech?”

“Would you stop calling him that?” She bent over to rest a forearm on the back of the empty booth in front of her. “Chapman, his name is Scott Chapman and yes, I had to see him… I handled it. You know I can handle it.”

“I would feel better if you were home.”

Rolling her eyes, she didn’t restrain her groan. “Granddaddy—”

“Yes, yes, I know,” he said. “You despise me asking. What’s this I hear about one of the Piven girls getting married?”

“Kelly. Yes. What about it? Do you want an invite?”

“Nothing would please me less.”

Typical that he couldn’t just say no. “Aww, and I needed a plus one too.”

“If it will prevent you going with some new leech who is beneath you, I certainly will accompany you.”

“And take all the focus from the bride,” she said. “Either way, you’ll end up paying for most of it.”

“I long ago consoled myself with your life mission to squander our family’s wealth,” he said. She restrained a laugh. “Six generations turn in their graves when you open your purse, my little bleeding heart.”

“Oh…” she said, teasing to make his point for him. “And, also, by the way, we’re making a charitable donation tonight.”

“To whom?”

She laughed. “I don’t know. What do you care? It’s charity.”

“Yes, which I will have to rely on once we’re turfed out by all the orphan children you no doubt plan to move onto the estate.”

“Hey,” she said, on another laugh. “That’s an excellent idea, Granddaddy. All those bedrooms, we have space… and, hey, it would get me home, right?”

“I would rather you bring your own children home to me,” he said. “Did you at least look at the profile I sent you of—”

“You can’t send me profiles anymore, Granddaddy.” She sighed. “It’s weird. The kind of man you want me to be attracted to is not the same kind of man I want to marry.”

His exhale was both pained and fed up. “You get this from your mother’s side. Your father was never this difficult.”

“Daddy shunned your money and lived in Southeast Asia for two years before going to college.”

“Yes, and that wasn’t quite enough to kill me. I see now he left you behind to finish me off,” he said. “I want you secure before I’m not here to support you anymore.”

His money would always be there. No matter how she tried, or how others teased, she’d never be able to spend it all, not in ten lifetimes. But he didn’t mean money, he meant people.

“I know everyone you trust,” she said. “I know dozens of people in the city.”

“Who do you call at three in the morning when you feel alone?”

Wow, did he have to go there? The air weighed on her. No one was the correct answer, the only answer. In an emergency, she could call any number of people to come and take action. But just to hear a voice that would make her feel better? She didn’t have that.

Baer.

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