Page 18 of Unsure in Love

With the phone held to my ear, I marched up the stone steps of the skyscraper building.

“Yes, Tessa, a tattoo convention. What’s the problem?”

“Is that an actual thing?”

Stifling a sigh, I bit out, “Yes.” I hated lying, and she was making this so hard for me. “April and Lucy didn’t give me the third degree. What are you, a detective?”

Tessa sighed. “You’re so defensive. Makes me wonder if you’re really in New York for a convention.”

Gritting my teeth as I walked through the revolving glass doors, I blew out a long breath. Sometimes, having older siblings was a pain in the ass. Plus, I was guilty as sin, so that made me feel worse. “Damn it, Tessa. I’m here for what I said I’m here for. End of story.”

“You’ve never gone to a tattoo convention before.”

“Well, I want to try something new, meet new people. What’s the big deal?”

I stepped into the spacious lobby. My artistic eyes swept the futuristic architecture and white decor with appreciation. The swanky lobby alone showed me why Keneti Hudson’s service was so costly.

I heard Tessa’s release of breath and returned my attention to our conversation. “I’m sorry for going into mom mode. It’s just that you’ve been acting strange lately and now you’ve taken off across the country alone. I’m worried, that’s all.”

Strange as in very cagey. One tends to behave that way when hiding something major. Clutching my handbag, I walked to the elevators, fighting another wave of guilt. “I’m fine. I promise. I’ll be home soon and we’ll talk.”

When I returned to Oakland, I’d have no choice but to share the news of our father and that I was going to be a single mother.

“Alright. Keep us updated.” Tessa sighed. “I hate that you’re so far away from us.”

I smiled as I stepped into the elevator. My annoyance with my sister’s prying faded. “Stop worrying,” I told her. “I swear, sometimes you’re worse than Lucy. I’m a big girl, Tessa. A whole twenty-six years old. I’m sure I can take care of myself for a few days.”

“Don’t be a smart ass.”

“I don’t know how else to be.”

Tessa sighed again. “Okay, fine. I’ll leave you alone. Have fun at your convention.”

“Thanks.” I watched the floor indicator count up. Mr. Hudson’s office was on the twenty-ninth floor. “I’ll call you later when I get back to the hotel, okay?” As soon as I ended the call, my palms became sweaty and my heart thudded at a ridiculously fast pace. Why was I so nervous? It wasn’t like I was about to see my father face-to-face yet.

“It has to be pregnancy hormones,” I muttered when the elevator signaled my arrival.

8

DAMIAN

I lounged on a leather sofa in Ken’s office, facing the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked Brooklyn. I finally made the time to hang out on his side of our operation so he’d shut up about me never socializing.

“A woman trying to find her father, huh?” I asked after Ken went into the details about his newest client. Well, our newest client. However, I was more active in the security sector of our firm. I didn’t even ask him the name of this client as I glanced at him. “You usually take more intriguing cases.”

“Yeah, but this one called to me. I felt bad for the lady. The father abandoned their family when she was a kid, and she’s been spending a ton of money trying to find him. Unfortunately, she’s encountered too many con artists who just took her money with no results. She had no luck until she found yours truly.”

“How sweet of you to take on a case you now consider small time. She’s hot, isn’t she? That’s the only reason I can think of for you making the time for this case. You want to get into her pants.”

“I haven’t met her in person, but from the pictures I’ve seen, she’s a looker, alright. Not my type, though.”

“I thought your type was anyone with a vagina.”

“Usually.”

I snorted. At least he didn’t bother denying it.

“Seriously, I just felt like I wanted to help this woman, you know? I found the asshole father, so I’m wrapping things up.”

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