Page 40 of Undercover Billionaire

Cameron had only one chance to influence the jury, and it had to be the performance of a lifetime. With a deep breath, he began, "My real name is Cameron Drake. I'm a…"

"Big wig from Miami. I thought I recognized you.” Mr. Owens folded his arms. “You’re somewhat of a celebrity, aren't you? Which makes it all the more confusing – and alarming – you’re pretending to be Kaitlyn’s assistant."

"I know how it sounds." Cameron chose his words carefully. "I never meant to harm Kaitlyn. In fact, how I feel about your daughter…" He halted, breathed deeply. “I should start from the beginning. On the night of the storm…"

He meant to tell the truth, but he hadn’t intended to tell the tale in such detail. With the exception of their intimacy, he shared the entire saga from the moment he arrived until now. Explaining his motives had been difficult, since he didn't exactly understand them, thus he spoke by pure instinct. When he finished, the elder man’s expression had softened, however his intentions remained unclear.

This was going to be the difficult part. Cameron stood tall. "I don’t want you to tell Kaitlyn."

The older man said nothing for a moment. Then he sighed softly. "You have to tell her.”

“I know.” Cameron gave a curt shake of his head. “I plan to. I was just hoping to wait until Cynthia left, to save Kaitlyn years of embarrassment and snide comments.”

“Unfortunately, I am well-acquainted with my niece’s antics.” Mr. Owens grimaced. “Believe it or not, I'm actually considering keeping your secret, at least for a little while. But first you have to answer two questions."

Relief soared, of a breadth Cameron hadn’t expected. He nodded broadly. "What do you want to know?"

"When did you fall in love with my daughter?"

Cameron froze, as the words reverberated, piercing denials and forging uncertainties. He couldn’t love a woman he just met. It was ridiculous. It was mind-boggling. And yet…

He did.

Cameron opened his mouth to deny the accusation, yet the words would not come. Because… any denial would simply be untrue. He loved so much about her – her fire, her spirit, her cleverness, her kindness.Everything.

"I don’t know," he admitted softly, amidst memories of his first interaction with the strong-willed woman he now called boss. "But I believe it was the moment we met."

His approval evident, Mr. Owens nodded. "My second question is, how serious are you?"

Cameron didn't have to ask what he meant. Was he planning to stay or go – was this a short-term fling or a long-term commitment? Either decision would alter his life. He could return to his world of wealth and power and live life as if nothing had happened, but that would mean never seeing Kaitlyn again. That simply wasn't an option, not even if building a life with the sweet candymaker meant turning his current world upside down.

She waseverything.

But he didn’t have to give up everything. He'd been considering opening another office for several years, and although Greenfield was small, they were not beyond a long commute to Florida’s larger cities. He could base himself here, since much of his work was remote anyways, and go into the office and courtroom when necessary. No matter what, he couldn't lose Kaitlyn.

He wouldn’t.

With a deep breath, he gave his reply, "I couldn’t be more serious."

"Good man!" Mr. Owens gave Cameron a hearty pat on the back, his exuberance as unexpected as his wide smile. "It’s about time my little girl finally met her match. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t appreciate the way you’ve been lying to us and her, but I understand the spirit of the ruse. For years, my wife and I have been hoping Kaitlyn would settle on a real man, and it’s finally happened."

Cameron stared at his sudden ally. "There's just one problem. How are we going to convince Kaitlyn to give me a chance when she finds out who I really am?"

Mr. Owens’ eyes lit up. "Well, son, you said you were serious about this. You mean that?"

Cameron did not hesitate. "Absolutely."

"You’re going to get the chance to prove it. Now listen closely, because I have a plan. Kaitlyn won't stand a chance."

It was time for the closing arguments.

Chapter 10

"No, Cynthia, I have no idea if Drake was ever a model, and furthermore I do not care."

Frustration and annoyance tangled as Kaitlyn peered at the door for any sign of the actor or her father. They had left minutes ago, and she only just realized her father might overhear Drake talking on the phone. One wrong sentence, one careless word, and the entire show would be over. Cynthia would be overjoyed, her family disappointed and Drake would…

Leave.

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