Page 8 of Sins of the Father

I blow his concern off. “I’m great. So what are we talking about?” I turn to the seat behind me and say to my mom, “I get Hope next.”

“Nope, I’m keeping her the entire flight.”

“Fat chance.”

Quinn throws her phone in my face. “My brother just madeMarquis’sTop Ten Under Forty Professionals.”

“Wow. That’s amazing. You don’t even look related.”

Quinn flicks her fingers on the phone and scrolls quickly through pictures. “That’s my brother.”

My heart stops, and it’s a good thing I’m sitting because my knees go weak. He has thick, strawberry-blond hair and blue eyes you can get lost in. His picture is serious, and he’s not smiling. He’s a man in charge and control and someone you’d trust to get the job done.

Steven Sinclair, VP of Finance, HKCG Insurance, 35,the caption under his picture reads.

He’s my age. Hmm.

Even through his suit, I can tell his body is chiseled to perfection, and a wave of heat rolls through my core.

“How tall is your brother?”

“I think six-five, maybe six-six,” Quinn replies.

I lick my lips and try to stop the drool from coming out of my mouth.

“He has really big feet,” I mutter, not realizing I said it aloud until Quinn says, “Fourteens. He grew out of shoes so fast, his toe was always sticking out before my mom could afford to get him a new pair.”

Big feet, big hands.I swallow hard and reach up to turn the knob above my seat so the air conditioner blows on me.

He’s probably married to a trophy wife with twelve kids and a white picket fence.

Hope screams as the plane takes off.

Quinn puts the phone in my hand and turns. She holds out her hands. “Come here, sweetie.”

Usually, I can’t pay attention to anything except Hope when she’s around me.

But I spend the entire flight with Steven Sinclair in my mind.

2

Steven

Quinn’s namepops up on my phone. I instantly panic. “Quinn, everything okay?” It’s only six in the morning. I’ve already worked out and showered. I’m in the middle of making my smoothie before heading to the office. It’s a routine I’ve been religious about for the last twelve years. I find I get more work done when no one else is in the office and I’m not constantly interrupted by calls.

“Ummm, you’ve been holding out on me,” my sister’s voice chirps, and my insides calm down.

“What are you talking about?”

Hope belts out a wail.

“Hold on. Shhh. It’s okay. Mama has you.”

“Give her to me,” Jamison says.

“Morning,” I say.

“Steven, I didn’t know you were on the line. I just got out of the shower. Congratulations. That’s a huge accomplishment.”

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