Page 52 of Who's Your Daddy
He shakes his head. “This is a three-year custody battle with six experts. Not even a Callahan special can fix it.”
Sully points at me. “We should go back to the office.”
Agreeing, I follow them down. Then, for the rest of the day, I endure Lola’s glowering. Every time she looks at me, she huffs, like I was the one who sent the empty certified envelope.
I’m bloody thrilled when my mobile rings offering me a distraction. “Fisher, my man,” I say after seeing his name flashing on the screen, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”
With a scowl directed at me, Lola pushes away from the table and struts out of the conference room. And damn does she look good doing it.
“Calling to confirm that you’ll be at Libby’s event now that your brother cancelled.”
Fisher is a man of few words, so the lack of pleasantries doesn’t shock me. We attended Harvard together, and, over the years, we’d see each other here and there. But that ended a few years ago when his brother died and he moved to a little island off the coast of Maine to raise his niece.
We reconnected this summer when I ran into him with his girlfriend, actress Elizabeth Sweet. Now he’s living in Boston again.
“What do you mean my brother cancelled?” I scan the empty reception area.
Fisher grunts. “No fucking clue. Just told me he couldn’t come. I figured you’d know. Don’t you work with the guy?”
I chuckle. “He uses fewer words than you.”
Fisher sighs on the other end of the line. “This event means a lot to Libby.”
I know it does. It’s a fundraiser for a children’s charity that assists victims of abuse. This summer, after years of suffering, Libby went public with a bombshell of a secret. Now the entire world knows why this means a lot to her.
“Where and when?” I ask.
“It’s this weekend in Boston. We’ve got a block of rooms reserved. The Langfields, Millers, and Berkshires will be there.” For a grumpy bastard, he’s a fucking genius throwing those names around. Not only are they the wealthiest families in New England, but they’re all clients of our firm in some way. We absolutely shouldn’t miss this event.
Though there’s absolutely no way Brian will let me go in his place since the Berkshires will be there. At least not alone. They’re one of his biggest clients. The moment I mention it, he’ll panic that I’ll fuck it all up.
But if I brought Lola…
The thought echoes through my mind like a siren’s song.
“Text me the info. I’ll be there.”
“Really?” Fisher’s tone is laced with surprise.
“Yes, and tell the lovely Libby that she better save a dance for me.”
He lets out a derisive grunt. “Her dance card is full.”
Chuckling, I end the call without saying goodbye. He probably hasn’t even noticed since he’s too busy hoarding his favorite toy.
Lola breezes down the hall, and when she catches sight of Amy, who’s staring at her phone while she stands in front of the photocopier, she lets out a judgmental huff.
It hits me then how to get exactly what I want.
It’s so easy it’s criminal.
She’s going to walk right into this one.
Pocketing my phone, I stroll down the hall, an easy confidence pushing me toward my brother’s office. “Knock knock.”
“Oh, I know this one,” Amy calls as she rushes toward me. “Who’s there?”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Sighing, Lola strolls back this way.
