Page 34 of The Acquisition

Beckett came back from talking to the doctor. "She's going to be released shortly if you want to see her."

I shook my head. "No, she'll be embarrassed if she thinks we were fussing over her. Just get her home and into bed."

Beckett smirked and opened his mouth to say something.

I held up my hand. "If you make any jokes about getting her into bed, I'm going to punch you in the face. I love you like a brother, but considering you're technically my son-in-law now, I don't want to fucking hear it. Got me?"

His smile widened. "Yes, father."

"I might punch you anyway," I mumbled.

It was an improvement, though, to see the fear evaporate from him. I'd only been a dad, that I knew about at least, for a few months, but even with an adult child I'd never felt so much fear for the wellbeing of another person. He had a lifetime of worry ahead of him.

This time when we walked to the car, it was a leisurely stroll.

"What's next?" she asked as I opened her car door.

"Now we're going to talk to Sabrina."

"She's on a date, remember?"

"I guess it can wait until the morning. You should probably let her know you're staying with me tonight since you don't have any furniture."

"Are you going to tell her what we're doing?"

I shook my head. "I've got a plan. We can't risk Evie finding out about this until we are ready to tell her ourselves."

Her shoulders dropped. "I hate lying to everyone."

"We're not. They will all know you're going to live with me, but I doubt any of them will think to ask if we are married. If they don't ask, we aren't lying."

"It's still omitting the truth."

She had a point, but we could ask for forgiveness later. Right then, though, I was going to protect my girls. All three of them.

* * *

"Sabrina, can you come into my office please?" I asked as I arrived the next morning.

She immediately followed behind me. I might have given her the job because I felt a sense of familial duty, but she was the best assistant I'd ever had. Probably because she didn't take the job to try and get in my bed. Both Beckett and I had dealt with that over the years. Usually, his assistants and secretaries ran from the building in tears, but mine were dismissed just the same. Only, I had a lot more finesse in letting women down.

"Close the door," I told her when she entered my office.

"Uh oh. Look, I know you don't like inter-office dating, but Aaron doesn't work in the same department, and I didn't think it would be a problem."

I fought a smirk. In the past I'd tried to prevent employees from using the office as a hook up scene. When relationships ended, we usually lost an employee. It wasn't good for morale or long-term productivity to have people distracted in the workplace. Now that Beckett went and married his assistant, and I was secretly marrying the head of our new advertising agency, I could hardly continue that policy.

"I don't have a problem with you seeing the accountant unless it becomes a problem here in the office. I want to speak to you about Jana."

She dropped down into one of the chairs in front of my desk. "Do you have a problem with her living with me?"

"Yes, actually. You know I'm not a fan of Malcolm Graham. He didn't treat Waverly well, and I doubt I'll ever forgive him for that."

Her mouth turned down, and she squeezed the arms of the chair. This was an old argument we've had several times.

"I know you don't understand why we're friends, but I've known him my entire life. Yes, he treated Waverly poorly, but she's a big girl and can handle herself. They weren't a good fit, and I told her before they started dating not to bring me into the middle of their relationship."

"But see, Malcolm's past isn't isolated to Waverly. I know Jana doesn't want me to speak up for her, but–"

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