Page 6 of Baxter's Right-Hand Man

I sat up, interested in spite of myself. “Sounds phony.”

“Maybe. Jasper Gowan’s nurse is a huge Baxter fan.” She angled the iPad so Seb and I could read. “She’s been writing fan letters to you for over a year—ever since she started working for Jasper. I’m sure I’ve shown you one or two.”

Maybe, but I received a ton of fan mail—as in a fuckton. I was pretty sure Janet had assistants who went through it, so I probably should have remembered a piece she’d flagged. I didn’t.

“Uh…okay?”

“Well, her last one went on and on about how handsome, clever, and brave you must be to play a character who solves mysteries. She also said she loves chatting with her employer about you because he knew your family. Your mom, specifically.”

My heart lurched and forgot to beat for a second.

“My mom.” I swallowed around the hangover cotton ball lodged in my throat and tried to clear it without sounding like a prepubescent teen. “What do you know about him?”

Janet’s fingers tapped at the screen as she did a quick Google search. “Gowan is single—his partner passed away twelve years ago. He worked for an aerospace firm for five decades, made a fortune in the stock market, and has been involved in countless LGBTQ charities throughout his life.”

“He doesn’t sound like someone my mother would have known. How old is he?” I asked. “Is he from Columbus or—”

“He’s eighty-five, originally from Toledo, and now resides in Beverly Hills.”

“Hmm. If he really knew my mom, she would have said something.” I sighed, sinking into my seat again.

Janet tucked a stray strand behind her ear and glanced between Seb and me. “I’ll do some more research and find out what I can. A nice piece about you connecting with an elderly family friend or cousin after your mom’s passing could be a wholesome diversion. It doesn’t really matter if it’s true. It’s just a puff piece, you know?” she explained unnecessarily.

Yeah, but—

“I think I’d rather have a fake girlfriend,” I grumbled. I did not want to deal with family shit.

Seb made a buzzer noise. “No girlfriend, no boyfriend. Janet’s right. Look, the old man and his housekeeper are probably delusional, but connecting with fans of all ages is the kind of sweet story that will help the public forget you dumped your date during dessert and went home with the male escort and sometime waiter you told to call my office this morning.”

I furrowed my brow. “Escort?”

“Apparently, that’s his side hustle.”

“Oh.” I was about to make a dumbass comment about him not charging me, but I honestly had no idea whether or not I’d paid him a dime. I probably had made a promise I couldn’t keep, though.

Christ, I was a dick.

“Ohindeed,” Seb huffed sarcastically, turning to address Janet. “See what you can find out about the old man, and look into some kind of charity outreach too. Trent might be able to help us with that. Wholesome, positive, feel-good shit is what we’re after, got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

Seb inclined his head in silent dismissal and waited till Janet closed the door behind her before speaking. “You okay?”

“My stomach feels off. A greasy burger with a fried egg on top might solve my hangover blues,” I replied flippantly.

“I’m not referring to the hangover you one hundred percent deserve. I mean…you. Areyouokay?”

Seb’s obvious concern caught me by surprise.

I’d worked for the guy for over ten years. I knew his sons, his ex-wife, his best friend, and his husband. I knew he had a goofy, softer side he saved for people he cared about—or when he wanted his prey to relax, so he could tighten his grip around their necks.

Sure, we’d shared a few illicit sexy times in the past, but I wasn’t a complete moron. It was smart to remember that his interest in me began and ended with Baxter. Seb was a shark in a designer suit with a great smile, an affable demeanor, and the instincts of a sharpshooter. And he could end my world in a second.

At this stage, I didn’t think I was in any real danger of losing my job. I was popular, and he needed me. But I still had to play the game, and that meant doing my part to make things right.

I did my best to meet his eagle-eyed look without blinking and failed. Seb was just too…intimidating. Even when he was trying to be nice.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I got carried away last night. It won’t happen again,” I assured him.