Page 13 of A Legal Affair

Pamela gave her daughter’s shoulder a gentle, conciliatory squeeze before shuffling away to check on her rolls.

“Oh, good, they didn’t burn,” she murmured, removing the pan from the oven. The mouthwatering aroma of honey rolls saturated the air, mingling with the other yummy scents that had greeted Daniela upon entering the house. Her stomach growled loudly, drawing a knowing grin from Kenneth.

She skewered him with a look. “You could’ve at leasttriedto stop her from cooking,” she accused, her voice pitched low so their mother wouldn’t overhear and come to his rescue again. “But I guess your appetite takes precedence over her health.”

Kenneth frowned. “That’s not true, El. I left work early just to check up on Mom. I was worried about her.”

“Oh, yeah?” Daniela glared pointedly at the smorgasbord on his plate. “Sure have a funny way of showing it.”

With a shrug, he shoveled a forkful of collard greens into his mouth and chewed, blissfully unrepentant.

Daniela sucked in her breath to keep her traitorous stomach from rumbling again. Okay, so maybe she was alittlehungry.

“How was school today, baby?” Pamela asked, materializing at her daughter’s side with a plate laden with food. BeforeDaniela could utter a word of protest, Pamela slid the plate under her nose and handed her a fork.

“Eat,” she ordered in a tone that brooked no argument—the same tone she’d once used to inform Daniela that under no circumstances could she wear a gown with a plunging neckline to her prom, no matter what her friends or Instagram baddies were wearing.

Daniela obediently dug into her meal.

“I was just telling your brother that I’m so proud of you for going back to school,” Pamela remarked, filling two glasses with sweet tea and serving the drinks to her children. She pulled out a chair and sat down beside Daniela. “I remember how unhappy you were at that CPA firm, the long hours you worked, the vacations you accrued but never took. No amount of money or company perks could compensate for how miserable you were at that job.”

Daniela frowned, fork halfway to her mouth. “I never told you I was miserable, Mom.”

Pamela gave her a quiet, intuitive smile. “You didn’t have to tell me anything, darling. A mother knows these things.” She pursed her lips, her hazel eyes narrowing thoughtfully on Daniela’s face. “Just as I can tell now that something’s weighing on your mind.”

Daniela thought of Caleb Thorne, and resisted the urge to squirm in her chair like a second grader caught cheating. Everyone at church, both young and old, believed Pamela Roarke had the gift of prophecy.

Sometimes Daniela wondered if they weren’t on to something.

She stalled for time by biting into a hot, moist roll and savoring the burst of honey in her mouth. Across the table, Kenneth ate with gusto, but she knew that he, too, was awaiting her response. She and her brothers had decided not to tell theirmother about the undercover assignment because they knew she would never approve of the deceptive scheme.

“The only thing weighing on my mind,” Daniela finally said, “is all the reading I have to do between now and tomorrow morning. Andthat’sjust for CivPro.”

Her mother’s brows furrowed. “CivPro?”

“Civil Procedure.”

Pamela smiled. “My baby, the law student. I must admit I was a little worried when you first told me you were enrolling in law school. I didn’t want to see you jumping into another stressful career. But Kenny assured me that your law degree would come in handy for the agency, since you guys often work with the courts.” She gently patted Kenneth’s arm. “It was awfully sweet of you to give your sister this opportunity, and to allow the business to cover her tuition. Thank you, baby.”

“No thanks necessary, Mom,” Kenneth said gallantly. “Daniela walked away from a lucrative career to help me and Noah establish the agency. She’s been invaluable to us and our clients. As far as I’m concerned, sending her to law school is the least we can do.”

Pamela beamed proudly at her son. Daniela did a mental eye roll.

“And to think you wanted to hurt your brother when you walked through that door,” Pamela lightly scolded her daughter. “Shame on you.”

Daniela scowled. “He had it coming.”

“Nonsense. There’s nothing wrong with me wanting to have a hot meal ready for you after a long day of classes. Did you get much studying done at the library?”

“Sure,” Daniela mumbled vaguely. Another image of Caleb’s sexy face intruded on her thoughts, bringing warmth to her cheeks.

Do I make you nervous, Miss Moreau?

I think you’re fully aware of the effect you have on people, Professor Thorne.

Including you?

Especially me.