Page 132 of Protecting Love

“I told your mother that. But with everything that’s happened, we just wanted to make sure one more time that you’re fine. London said things are good.”

“They are,” she said. She moved over and gave them both a big hug. “They’re great. I’m glad that you’re checking in on me.”

“You sound sad,” her mother said. “Like you’re forcing it now.”

Not much got past them. “Not sad. Just... conflicted. But not in a bad way. And before you ask, the meeting with West was fine. Things with Fletcher and me are good. There is still a lot I’m processing.”

Which wasn’t a lie.

Her parents stood up. “If you’re saying it, then we believe you,” her father said. “Right, Carolina?”

“Right,” her mother said, giving her one more hug, then whispering in her ear, “Call me anytime you need to talk or vent.”

She kissed her mother’s cheek. “You’ve got it.”

31

FIND HUMOR

“What’s going on, Ian?” Fletcher asked once he was in his office.

His son looked around. “This is bigger than your other one.”

“It is,” he said.

“And it drives you nuts, right?”

“You know, early on it did, but recently I’ve realized this job is pretty great.”

“Because of this fancy office and building?”

“Because it gives me the time to be here for you. You wouldn’t have been able to stop in before.”

“I didn’t think they were going to let me do it now,” Ian said. “I had to show my ID and say who I was and then they had to wait and call a few other people before they found out you had a son.”

The look on his son’s face was close to what Paris’s expression was.

He was on the verge of introducing the two of them, just trying to figure out how to do it, when she took a step away.

Then his son had to make that comment about the way Paris smelled. Talk about embarrassing.

And she caught it. Then pointed at him. As if she knew how uncomfortable it made him.

“There are plenty here who know. The important people,” he said. “But I’ve never gone around talking about my personal life. You know that.”

“Because at your last job it could be dangerous. Is it here?”

“No, it’s not. And my boss knows about you. His secretary does. I was meeting with him when the call came in. The woman at the desk is someone who just fills in, so she wouldn’t know those things but got the answer fast enough. I’ll make sure that your name is on the list to always let up, but ID is necessary every time.”

“Thanks,” Ian said.

“Did you just want to stop over to see my office? I got the impression there is something else.”

“Yeah.” His son was moving his foot back and forth. “One of the guys at school. He’s having a party tonight. He invited me. It’s a sleepover.”

“Who is it?” he asked. “Anyone I’ve met?”

“No. I know that is a thing, but it’s Stefan’s cousin. He lives a block over. I’ve met his parents at the school before. They are nice. You can call Stefan’s parents. It’s his mother’s brother, I think.”