Page 72 of Angel In Armani

“Well, that’s how it goes, isn’t it? If you can afford the lawyers and can put some pressure on the DA, you’re more likely to get off.”

“That doesn’t make it right.” Lucas felt his hand tighten around the beer bottle. This was the sort of crap he’d wanted to get away from by stepping away from his family. The we’re-better-than-them mentality that he’d come across too many times. “Did you get compensation?”

“We talked to an attorney but it was going to cost a fortune to sue them. I couldn’t afford it. The medical bills were bad enough. The health insurance I could afford for Charles Air was pretty crappy. They didn’t cover much. Not enough for three weeks on life support in intensive care, anyway. It took me a few years to pay the bills. Which is why we don’t have many helos.”

And why his daughter didn’t trust people with money. People like him.

Fuck.

“So you can see why I’m not thrilled to find Sara sneaking around with a guy like you,” Sean said.

“What makes you think we’re sneaking around?” Lucas asked.

Sean snorted. “I see you in the papers all the time, son. You and your two friends. Your buddy Winters has the Jameson gal with him more often than not lately. But you and the other one. I haven’t seen either of you with any women. So I figure you’re sneaking around. Otherwise you’d be showing Sara off.”

“I’d be more than happy to show her off,” Lucas said. He might not be able to do much about being wealthy, but he wasn’t going to take the rap for not going public with their relationship. “But Sara is the one who doesn’t want to. Not yet. So I’m respecting her wishes.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, sir, it is. Like you said, once she makes up her mind about something, it’s difficult to change it. But I’m trying. I’m sure it doesn’t mean a lot to you, but I care about Sara. I’m not looking to hurt her.”

“If you weren’t looking to hurt her, you’d walk away.”

“Why? Because she and I have different backgrounds? I’m more interested in the things we share.”

“And what are those? Other than sex?” Sean asked. “She’s not exactly a baseball fan, my daughter. No quicker way to get her to leave the room than to turn on a game. So, what? Are you a helicopter fan?”

“I spend a lot of time in the air,” Lucas said. “But that’s not what I like about Sara. I like who she is. She makes me laugh. She’s smart and talented and beautiful. Why wouldn’t I like her?”

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t like her, just that you should think about how this is going to end. You’re her boss. You’re wealthy. That’s not a story that often ends well for the woman involved.”

“Well, you’ll just have to take my word for it that I’m not going to hurt her,” Lucas said. “I don’t mean to be rude but you don’t know me, Mr. Charles, so don’t lump me in with whatever it is you think guys like me do.”

Sean’s mouth curled upward briefly. “Well, you stand up for yourself, so that’s a start. And hell knows, Sara isn’t going to listen to me about this, so it’s going to be her mess to deal with.”

“Like I said, I’m trying to make sure there is no mess. I want her to be happy.” Lucas swallowed the last of his beer, which was growing distinctly warm. “And speaking of making her happy, I’d be grateful if you’d let me take a look at your leg. Not here. But I’ll get my office to call and set up an appointment.”

“You think it can be fixed properly?”

“I can’t promise that,” Lucas said. “Not without seeing what’s actually going on with it. Maybe not even then. But I can promise you that I’ll do whatever I can to get it as good as it can be for you.”

“No bullshit. I like that.” Sean saluted him with his empty bottle. “All right, son, you’ve got yourself a deal. I’ll let you poke and prod at me so Sara gets off your case. Now how about you get me another beer and we watch some damned baseball?”

Chapter Sixteen

“Don’t you think you’ve left them alone long enough?” Liza said as Sara picked up the last plate from the dish rack.

Sara almost dropped the plate. “What do you mean?”

“Honey, I might be old but I’m not stupid. You sent Lucas in there to check out your dad’s leg, didn’t you?”

“You’re not old,” Sara said.

“Flattery won’t get you out of the fact you’re scheming. You know your dad doesn’t like to be managed.”

Sara flapped the dish towel at her mom. “I don’t care. His leg is hurting him and it’s stressing you out. And he’s drinking too much. Lucas is one of the best orthopedic surgeons in New York. Probably in the country.”

“He’s pretty handsome, too,” Liza said.

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