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I risk a glance up at her She’s sitting in between a matronly but stylishly dressed wonotes down as talk continues around the board table Bailey’s wearing one of the suits that I bought her weeks ago, and I make a note that her wardrobe really needs some new pieces She had asked if she would have so here, and nificent Mile Perhaps an hour and fifteen so we can hit La Perla, too, and I can fill her lingerie drawer

As if she knows ht, Bailey locks her eyes with htest hint as to where aze to my notepad where I continue to doodle

We finish around six Most of the board ed drinks and dinner plans I’d been invited to and declined several, including one from my father to join him and his two closest cronies

I shake hands, exchange farewell pleasantries with a few, then move toward my father

His eyes come to mine, the same silver-blue ones I bear We have the same hair as well, but while my dad’s is still thick and wavy, he now sports flashes of silver at his te ine his mistress appreciates it

“Declan,” he says in that deep baritone voice I’ve also inherited “Sure you won’t join us for dinner?”

“Regrettably,” I reply with a respectful dip ofto pass”

My father frowns, clearly displeased It’s not that he wants to spend time with me Rather, he wantsme to take over my role as head of this e

“Very well” The flat press of his lipshis authority And because he has to leave e, he adds, “I do expect you at dinner toht Your mother misses you”

“Of course,” I reply with another dip of e to snicker at that last co”

No, my mother doesn’t miss me It’s a nice senti It ht-knit family, but the truth is far frorew up under Leonie’s care They didn’t miss me then, and they sure don’t now

It’s fine I don’t iven me a reason to