Page 23 of The Billionaire & the Nanny: Vol. 3

“The day she came here and saw me coming out of your room,” I explain. “My first day. She must’ve done some investigative work to find out who I was and saw that my father was a divorce lawyer .”

Logan sucks in a deep breath and tries to calm down. He sits on the edge of the couch running a hand through his hair. “That crazy bitch .”

Crazy bitch is right. If Miriam hiring my dad is a revenge tactic, then that’s pretty sinister stuff. I mean, what business does she have hiring an attorney who doesn’t work out of the city, has never worked a high-profile case in his life, and lives all the fuck way upstate? It has to be because of me .

Anger courses through me. Suddenly, the voices of everyone I’ve ever heard warning women not to get involved with married or divorced men attack my brain. You’ll always be dealing with his ex, you’ll always be caught in the middle… But seriously, why should Miriam care if her ex is seeing someone new? She’s the one who filed for divorce !

I have to get up and move around. I can’t sit still thinking about this .

“There’s only thing to do,” Logan says, picking up the packet and sliding it back into the envelope. “You need to call your father and talk some sense into him. Explain what’s happening and tell him not to take her as a client. Either he quits or you do .”

I’m aghast at his words. Is that how it is? I guess he has no choice. If I stay and my dad continues to work for his ex, it’s a conflict of interest. “I’ll call him as soon as I get home.” My voice quavers on the brink of tears. This is so unfair. It’s what I get for getting involved with a man embroiled in a court battle .

“Let me know your decision in the morning.” He storms off, leaving me in a swirling dust of indecision, pain, and regret .

* * *

O utside my apartment,the one I rarely see anymore except to sleep a couple nights a week, I pace the sidewalk, phone in hand. I’m about to call my dad, but I go over the words carefully in my head first. My father’s not a big-time lawyer. It’s always a sore spot between him and my mom, that he doesn’t earn what other partners at the firm earn. He’s small potatoes compared to other attorneys in his field. I know he secretly feels like a failure .

I know because I hear the disappointment in my mother’s voice when they talk about work. I hear her sighs, like she should’ve married the other guy, the more confident one, the bulldog attorney, the one who can sell himself better than my dad. My dad hears the sighs, too. I can imagine how important he must’ve felt when he got Miriam’s call .

If I weren’t working for Logan, I would be over the moon for him .

But I am working for Logan. And more than that, I have feelings for him. Confusing feelings, but feelings nonetheless .

Here goes nothing …

I press “Dad” and wait. Just as I think the call will go to voicemail, he picks up. “How’s my little girl?” His voice is entirely too cheery. Almost like he just got himself a big case this week .

“Dad, I need to talk to you .”

“Of course. What’s up ?”

“You’re representing Miriam Raider .”

“How did you know that ?”

“Dad. I work for Logan Raider. I’m pretty sure you know that, because I called Mom the day I got the job to tell her .”

“You work for Logan Raider.” It’s a statement, not a question, one of disbelief. Did he really not know? Will he drop her as a client then, once I tell him ?

I sigh. “Yes, Dad. It’s the biggest gig of my life. He’s paying me thousands of dollars a week, and it’s money I’m saving to open up a small accounting firm first chance I get. Dad, you know this. You won’t take the case now, right ?”

“There’s no way I can drop it, honey. This is a windfall for the firm. Big publicity. If we win this, it’s huge for me, huge for the partners. I’ll most likely get my due share. I’m stoked about it, and your mom is thrilled, and — ”

A dreadful feeling fills my stomach. “Dad…” I pace on the sidewalk at a furious clip. “You can’t represent her. I’m telling you. Don’t you realize that the only reason that woman hired you is because you’re my father? Because I work for Logan? She just wants to stir the pot, create havoc .”

“Why would she do that, Paisley? Does she have something against you ?”

Silence.

I can’t tell my dad I’m involved with Logan, that such a detail has complicated matters beyond belief, but it seems I don’t have to. He figures it out anyway. My father may not be the most successful lawyer in the world, but he’s smart. “You’re involved with him, aren’t you ?”

“Dad…”

“Is that why you’re working there, Paisley? To provide services that extend beyond the responsibilities of child care?” There’s a vicious tone in his voice .

“No, Dad, and I don’t appreciate the accusation either.” Tears sting my eyelids. I want to punch this light post or at the very least the yoga mom walking by who looks like Miriam .

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