Page 105 of A Convenient Secret

We turn to her in unison.

She shrugs. “As charming as you are, gentlemen, if Declan meets the candidates alone, then the three of you would meet with the most promising one afterward. If you do it one by one, it will take ages. If you do it together, you will gang up on them. And in my humble opinion…” She purses her lips, and looks up like she’s considering her next words. “In my experience, rather, the more of you together, the less—”

“Don’t finish that sentence, Roxy, because I will cut it from your paycheck,” Corm growls. “But you’re right. In the name of a speedy process, Declan and Xander will do the first round. I will only meet with the final choice.”

“I guess my opinion doesn’t matter,” Calebgrumbles.

“More time with the baby.” Corm laughs and saunters out.

I return to my table, grateful to be finally alone. No such luck. Caleb stands in the doorway and closes it.Come on in, fucker, I have no work. Or other needs.

“How did you do it?” he asks.

“You need to be more specific.” I sigh.

“You had two babies at the same time. How did you cope? I’m fucking exhausted. And worried all the time, and when I’m home I fucking hate all the chaos, so I come here, and I miss them and want to go right back. Sometimes I come here to hide. I fucking hate that, too.”

“Good news or bad news first?”

“Does anybody ever want to hear the good first?”

I snort. “The feeling of worry will never go away. Also, the chaos, get fucking used to it.”

His jaw ticks. “What’s the good one?”

“Amelie will move out in about eighteen years.”

“Fuck you, Quinn.”

I chuckle. “At the end of the day, amid all that chaos and exhaustion, worry, and that all-consuming need to protect them, you have someone to love. You have someone who loves you unconditionally. You have a daughter.”

The corner of his lips curls up. “Amelie is pretty awesome.”

“My advice: book a hotel and have a twelve-hour sleep. Then, with an actually functioning brain, decide how to navigate this and devise a schedule that works for you. Two, three days here—the rest, work from home.”

“Sleep and scheduling is your answer?”

“Yes. Anything to keep your sanity. Now go away.” I turn to my computer.

“I don’t think I can go to a hotel and leave Celeste alone.” He opens the door.

“Well, Kendra used to do it several times a week while I listened to the night nurse consoling my kids.” A wave of rage swipes through me at that time in my life.

“That’s fucked-up.” Caleb finally leaves.

I close my eyes for a moment, expecting the dark memories to resurface. But what I see in my mind is the smiling woman who landed in my life by accident, and already feels like my safe harbor.

I open the security camera on my computer. I haven’t spied on Lily since before the gala, but I can’t help myself.

A few clicks, and I find her in her room. Perched on the pillows against the headboard, she’s reading in her bed.

Before reason can stop me, I dial her number.

She smiles and answers. Even that small action makes my cock twitch.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Quinn,” she says, her voice sultry.

“You can call me sir,” I tease.