Dirty Little Secret: A Billionaire Romance Duet - Mika Lane Page 0,57

the man rewarded himself for being available to clients like me nearly twenty-four seven.

He deserved to live well.

Saffi waited on the front step for me to park, and then let us into the house. The entryway was vast and beautifully decorated.

“Wow,” I whispered, looking around, “you grew up here?”

She nodded. “I did. My mom decorated the place. She had a real talent for that sort of thing.”

“Man, you should see where Beau and I grew up.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Just a little different from this place.” I pictured the shitty little trailer Beau and I had called home. I was also quite sure Saffi hadn’t worried about being smacked around by drunks during her childhood.

“Dad?” she called.

“Hi, sweetie. In here.” Hugh’s voice rang from the other side of the house.

We walked into a darkly paneled study with comfortable, crackled, broken-in leather furniture. The room smelled of cognac and a slight mustiness, most likely from the hundreds of books lining the walls.

“Varden,” Hugh said with surprise when he saw me follow Saffi in.

“Hugh. How are you?” I crossed the room to shake hands.

He stood and automatically extended his hand, but the look on his face was confused.

“I didn’t expect to see you two here. Together. What a surprise.” He looked back and forth between us.

Damn, he was diplomatic. No wonder he was a top attorney.

“Dad, I want to explain—”

But I interrupted. “No, Saffi. Let me explain, please. Mind if we sit, Hugh?” I gestured to the chairs opposite the desk. I had to speak fast. I knew how Saffi felt about being spoken for.

“Please. Be my guests.”

Saffi looked at me with wide eyes.

I cleared my throat. “Hugh, Saffi and I have seen each other socially a few times, and have decided to start dating.”

I reached for Saffi’s hand. “I hope that’s okay with you, and I hope it doesn’t burden our working relationship.”

Hugh rubbed his chin and tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. Shit, maybe this wouldn’t go as well as I’d hoped.

But he took a deep breath. “Were you at Varden’s last night?” he asked Saffi.

She looked directly back at him. “Yes, Dad. I stayed over his place.” God, she was gutsy.

He looked over at me.

“Varden, you know Saffi’s my precious girl.” He looked down at his hands.

“I’ve always dreamt that she’d find the kind of happiness her mother and I had. Now, I know you guys say you are just starting to date. But if I could choose an upstanding man for my daughter”—he looked back up—“I would choose you.”

He broke into a huge smile.

Saffi and I looked at each other in disbelief. My beautiful girl was beaming.

“Saffi,” Hugh said, motioning toward me, “this man is one of the most ethical and upstanding clients I’ve ever had. I completely trust him.”

Holy shit. I’d hoped he thought well of me, but I hadn’t expected praise like that. My own eyes welled up at the kindest thing anyone had ever said about me.

Saffi jumped up from her chair, kissed my cheek, and and ran to hug her father. “Thank you for trusting us, Dad. I was concerned there might be some…difficulty.”

“You’re a grown woman. You can do what you want. But I am honored you both came to me.”

I stood and extended my hand again.

“Hugh,” I said, my voice cracking. “I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

I looked at Saffi.

“We both appreciate it.”

Chapter 39 & other stuff

Saffi

Three weeks later, I moved all the crap from my cubicle to my very own office, where the paper’s new receptionist dropped off the Chinese food I’d ordered for lunch. The sign hanging on the door said Saffi Bartlett nice and big.

“I really appreciate your running out for us,” I told the new girl. “I used to get the Chinese food myself, and it got really old after awhile.”

The receptionist smiled shyly. “My pleasure, Saffi. I can’t complain. I’m just so happy to be here at the paper. Maybe we could have coffee sometime and you could tell me about how you moved up through the ranks?”

“I’d love that. Let’s do it.”

Wait till she heard my story. Or didn’t.

At that afternoon’s staff meeting, Ed was at the head of the conference room, like usual. When everyone finally filed in, his hands went up to quiet the room. “We have a lot to go over today, gang. But what I think is most exciting is that Saffi’s story about Club Silk has been nominated for the Investigative Reporting Annual Award.”

I looked around the room. Everyone was staring