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“Will there be an uproar over me seeming to get special treatment?”
“Having to pay more than a million dollars in back taxes is hardly special treatment.”
“I guess that’s true.”
“This is good news, Nicoletta. The best possible outcome.”
“Then why do I feel so defeated?”
“Because you were running a booming business, and now that’s over. You’ll have to figure out what’s next for yourself and how you want to spend your time.”
The thought of starting over—again—was almost as overwhelming as being thrown in jail had been. How many times could one person reinvent herself before she ran out of ideas of how to go forward?
“Try not to worry. We’ll figure it out.”
“Wewill?”
“I’d like to help you, if you’ll let me.”
“Why?”
“Because.” He seemed almost shy for a second. “I like you.”
She laughed.
“Why is that funny?”
“I was wearing a prison jumpsuit when we met.”
“And yet, I still liked you. I find you interesting.”
Frowning, she said, “Is that because of who my son is?”
“That’s part of it. I won’t lie to you about that or anything. But I’mintriguedby you. Not him.”
She heard a key in the door and turned toward the foyer.
“That’ll be Jaclyn.”
“You must’ve been pretty sure I’d take the deals.”
“I had a feeling you would, as the alternative is unthinkable.” For the first time, he reached out to stroke her face. “Someone as beautiful as you are doesn’t belong in prison.”
He walked away from Nicoletta, leaving her breathless from the most innocent of caresses.
When was the last time that’d happened?
Never.
He returned with a gorgeous blonde woman wearing a red wrap dress and Jimmy Choo heels. “Nicoletta, meet my daughter Jaclyn. Jac, this is Nicoletta.”
Jaclyn shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
The young woman eyed her warily. She probably wondered what her father was up to bringing one of his clients to his home. Hell, Nicoletta was wondering that, too.
Over the next hour, the three of them sat at Collins’s dining room table and hammered out a statement that would be released as soon as the judges signed off on the plea agreements. Jaclyn was polite and professional, but Nicoletta sensed distrust coming from the woman.
“Is there a chance the judges won’t approve them?” Nicoletta asked.
