Page 110 of Sins of the Father

Harper,

I’m sohappy you reached out. Timothy Cooper is moving firms, and we need someone ASAP. Can you come in Monday and talk?

Sincerely,

Larry

The queasinessin my gut only gets worse. Timothy Cooper only has sleazy clients. Larry, no doubt, wants me to take them over.

Be an adult. You’re at rock bottom.

I pace the room for several minutes, talking myself into responding.

Larry,

I’mout of town until Tuesday. Can we meet then?

Sincerely,

Harper

He repliesyes and tells me to come in at ten a.m. I confirm I will be there, and Hope cries out.

I go over to the playpen where she was sleeping and pick her up. Her tears are everywhere, and she rubs her eyes.

“Hey, sweet girl. No more crying.” I kiss her head and hug her tight.

Once you return to the law firm, you won’t have time to come to Chicago and visit her.

Steven, either.

I blink back my tears and focus on changing Hope and playing with her the rest of the day until Anna comes over and tells me to get ready.

When Steven comes into the penthouse, I hear him in the corridor between the elevator and family room. He angrily states, “I told you, I’m not working for you. And don’t try anything shady tonight.”

I glance at Anna and walk into the hall and shut the door. He’s staring at the elevator with his back to me. Even through his tux, I can see his shoulders full of tension.

“One of these days, you’re going to get what’s coming to you. Don’t bother me with this again.” He stuffs his phone in his pocket and tugs at his hair. “Ugh.”

I step forward and put my arms around his waist. His body relaxes but then stiffens again a moment later. He spins.

No kiss again.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

His eyes roam my body. “You look stunning.”

“Thank you. So do you.” I put my hand on his cheek. “What’s going on?”

His jaw twitches. “Nothing you need to worry about. Let me see Hope quickly and then we have to go.”

He shuffles past me, and my heart drops. I’ve hurt him with the idea of going back to New York. When I tell him I need to leave Monday, he’s going to be even more upset.

He’s stressed and riled up enough right now. Don’t tell him tonight.

Help him get through this event. It should be about him tonight, not you.

So I push every notion to tell him to the back of my head. We say goodbye to Anna and Hope and leave. But everything is off between us, and it’s like the universe is giving us a preview of the night to come.

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