Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“She’s not even twenty years old!”
He crossed his arms. “You’re very hung up on this age thing, and I think I know why. You’re comparing her to you, to your experiences, and that’s a mistake. At twenty you were out drinking and getting laid. She has far greater priorities.”
“Really?”
His shrug told me he was not taking that back.
“I know all about my daughter,” I retorted.
Both of his eyebrows lifted in response.
“Yeah, I heard it,” I muttered. “Sorry.”
“So very defensive,” he pointed out.
I grunted.
“I’m not trying to parent her. You get that, right?”
“Yes.”
“I am also going to make it impossible for her to say no to me and the opportunities I’m presenting her with.”
I nodded.
“There is no reason for her to leave Sutter. She already has a reputation built.”
Huffing out a breath, I said, “I just want her to live her life to the fullest, not be chained to a job as soon as she graduates from school.”
“As in?”
“Traveling, meeting new and interesting people, finding out who she really is.”
“And yet,” he began softly, “she will, in fact, travel everywhere.”
“But not by train or bus or––”
“Hannah rides the subway in New York and the tube in London, does that count?”
“Don’t be glib.”
“Fine. But again, you’re equating your life experiences with Hannah’s, and that’s not the case. The world is a very different place than it was when you were younger.”
“Younger, not young,” I said with a grin. “Nice.”
“Well, you’re certainly not old, but you need to agree that everything has changed. But much like you, she has decided young that she has found her mate in Jacob, who also wants to use his power for good. I suspect that you want her to experience all life has to offer, and I assure you, she most certainly will, just not in the same order and timeframe that you did.”
“I want her to have a family.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Not like she’s a woman, so for her to be happy she has to have kids. You know that’s not what I mean.”
“You need to be clear when you say things like that, especially now, in this climate, when things can be misconstrued.”
“It’s just me and you here, and you know what I meant.”
“Fine. But I think if she wants children, she’ll have them. I believe you need to redefine what you imagine her family life and her working life will be. She can do whatever she wants.”
“I know.”
“And you will be there to help her.”
“Always.”
“Well, there you have it.”
“Logically, I worry more about Kola than I do Hannah.”
“Yes, well, as you should. She’s a realist, he’s an optimist.”
“Agreed,” I said with a sigh.
“But at least he’ll be safe on whatever journey he takes. Finn will make sure of that.”
“But that’s not viable long term, is it?”
“How do you mean?”
“I mean, for Finn to get where he wants to be at Sutter, won’t he have better opportunities if he agrees to work overseas or watching your executives in other cities?”
“He might have, but he told Miguel he’s no longer interested in being assigned to offices outside the US. He’ll travel when he’s needed, and he’ll stay on extended protection duty, but any longer than three months is a hard no.”
“Oh?”
“Don’t oh me,” he said, chuckling. “I see a lovely piece of jewelry I brought back for your son from Cairo many years back that is in fact platinum, not silver, around my employee’s neck. I suspect that won’t be the last piece of jewelry that Kola gives him.”
“Are you serious?”
Aaron shrugged.
“I can’t imagine Kola and Finn being together forever.”
“Might I remind you that you yourself chose a certain law enforcement officer to spend your life with when you were of a similar age.”
“But there were breakups and––”
“And look at you now,” he said, gesturing around us.
“You have to date to find out who you are and who you need in your life.”
“Conversely,” he said with a sly smile, “I would offer into evidence that the moment you laid eyes on Sam Kage, you knew he was the one.”
“Yeah, but that was different.”
“How so?”
My kids? All done? Written-in-stone soulmates before they’d even gone out into the world? Did that happen? “It’s hard to imagine,” I told him.
“And yet,” he said, stepping in close, putting his arm around my shoulders, looking at Hannah and Jake.
She was holding up her short skirt in the back, he was crouched behind her, his fingers very clearly up in the crotch of the one-piece bodysuit she was wearing, as she squirmed uncomfortably. And yes, I knew there were heavy iridescent hose between them, but still, only her boyfriend, or one of her closest girlfriends, would be allowed such closeness.
I was going to say something, but suddenly he leaned back, looked up, and presented her, very proudly, smiling crazily, with a straight pin. She spun around, beaming at him, bent over, took his face in her hands, and kissed him.