Page 127 of Sins of the Father

“Maybe you should remember your manners and knock,” I reply.

“The door was open,” Quinn claims.

“Ma-ma,” Hope belts out.

“You’re coming, too, pretty girl. Should we put you in the cute dress Daddy and I got you?” Quinn asks her.

“Get ready. I’m hungry for breakfast,” Jamison says and walks out.

Quinn follows with the baby and shuts the door.

I sigh.

Harper puts her hand on my biceps. “You okay?”

“Yeah, but glad that’s over.”

She pulls my head down. “Does this mean we can stay at your place tonight?”

“You want to?”

“Yes.”

“I’d love for you to stay.”

She kisses me. “Let’s get our clothes on. I’m hungry.”

We get changed, and all of us walk down the block to a cafe. The scents of fresh roasted coffee, pancakes, and bacon hit my nose when I step inside. My stomach growls.

Old black-and-white, autographed photos of Broadway performers line the walls. A counter with a dozen barstools is full of patrons, some read newspapers, a few are on their laptops or phones.

The restaurant is almost full, but the hostess seats us right away in a four-person booth and brings a high chair for Hope. Harper slides across the navy-blue padded seat and I follow. Jamison sits across from Harper and Quinn across from me.

“Should I tell your server to bring you coffee?”

“Please. And waters?” I reply.

“Coming right up.”

Quinn removes a jar of baby food and a bottle. Hope grabs it and Quinn laughs. “Are you hungry, cutie pie?”

Hope puts it right into her mouth.

Quinn asks, “Steven, why aren’t you at work?”

I groan. “You don’t want to know what happened last night at the sperm donor’s fundraiser.”

Her eyes widen. “Why were you even there?”

Harper puts her hand on my thigh, and I explain the entire ordeal.

“Steven, you cannot work for his campaign,” Quinn insists.

“I’m not sure what to do. I don’t want to. But I’ll lose my job if I don’t.”

“You’re aMarquis’sTop Ten Under Forty Professional.I’m confident anyone would hire you,” Jamison interjects.

“I’m sure I’m not going to get a glowing review from my employer if they fire me or I hand in my resignation over this. Besides, I like my job. And I have a team, well, Shira I should say, who has my back at all times. Everything I’ve built will be gone if I move, and I’ll have to start all over.”

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