Page 48 of The Billionaire's Accidental Daddy Duty
Right in front of Casey. I supposed that meant we were officially together, together. When I met her gaze on the screen, she cocked an eyebrow as if saying, “I warned you about this.”
“You’ll need to make a statement.” Casey typed fast on her computer, showing us only her profile on the wide screen. “Something to appease their curious minds and set the record straight without giving them too many details.”
Made sense. But without Harper, he couldn’t come up with a narrative that was closer to the truth. He didn’t know why she had left Joey with him. He didn’t even know for sure the baby was his. More importantly, he didn’t know what Harper’s reaction would be when she saw the article.
The phone rang, and we both glanced up in Lisa’s direction. She leaned forward and called out. “Perry is on line one.”
Declan rushed to his desk. When the light lit up again, he hit the speakerphone button. “Tell me you found her.”
“She found me. She wants to meet, privately.” He paused for a breath, the continued. “At the Crucible. That’s, um…”
“Yeah, I know theplace.”
“She doesn’t trust any other place. What should I tell her?”
“I bet she’s been keeping an eye on the latest tabloids.” Declan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Tell her I’d like to meet with her tonight.” Declan glanced up at me as if asking my permission to go to a sex club.
“I’ll let her know.”
“Thanks for the call.” Declan hit the speakerphone button again, his gaze still on me.
“Why that place?” Casey asked.
“That’s where we met.” He paused. When Casey didn’t have a reaction to the news that he met Joey’s mom at a sex club, he continued. “Plus, it’s a good place to keep a low profile. Very private. No paparazzi allowed.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Is that a good idea?” Casey asked.
“Thanks to Twitter, I’m implicated in all this. The sooner we find her and come up with a good retort to the tabloid article, the sooner I can get back to work.” I pressed a hand to my forehead, feeling dizzy. “I was finally making progress with my sister. Now she’s going to think I was here to catch a millionaire.”
“Billionaire. As of last year.” He winked at me. “I’ll talk to her and explain. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise.”
“Then let me come with you.”
He inhaled deeply. “Fine.”
Later that night, I was a bundle of nerves getting ready for a second visit to the Crucible. I thought of the marble lobby with its shimmering chandelier, all the broody security guards, and the huge crowd outside when Steve and I walked up to themain entrance. Anxiety took hold when I thought about cutting through the throng with Declan. Most of the people were there hoping to spot a celebrity. Someone might recognize him.
“How are we going to get in without being seen?”
“You’ll see.” He squeezed my fingers.
Tommy managed to get us all the way to the front where a bouncer opened the door for me and helped me out of the car. “Good evening, Mr. Noble. Welcome back.”
“Thank you.” Declan placed his hand around my waist protectively and ushered me toward the double glass doors.
“This is a different side of the building.” I turned to face him.
“Yes, this entrance is reserved for members who prefer privacy.”
“Wait.” I stopped to look at him. “The night I met you. You were out there with the big crowd where everyone could see you.”
“Indeed. The woman I had invited home wanted to go out that way.”
“She wanted to be seen with you.”
“I suppose.” He shrugged and gestured toward the private elevator. This lobby wasn’t as opulent as the main one, but it was quiet, and best of all, it was empty.
