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Granted, that seemed just like him So I didn’t balk or tell Amano—an extremely professional and nice man, despite the scare factor that came with his six-foot-six-inch stature and the I could kill King Kong with my bare hands disposition—that I didn’t need a shadow

Though I had a feeling Kyle would take one look at hiain

That could be another Dane tactic He operated in varying degrees I simply couldn’t keep up with

On Wednesday afternoon, I received a call I wasn’t the least bit interested in taking

Since I hadn’t yet hired my own assistant, Molly announced over the speakerphone, “Kathryn DeMille on line three”

I stared at the handset, debating nored her, she’d only show up at my townhome She’d already proven that

I snatched up the phone “Hello, Mother”

“Aria Lynne, darling”

The double suck-up I rolled my eyes

She said, “I just saw the fabulous spread on the executive teairl, front and center My, oh, my, how you’ve climbed the corporate ladder So quickly I’ve told all hter”

I reached for my pen and absently tapped the end on the blotter beforeabout this call My mother’s sudden interest in me did not bode well for any part of my life

God forbid she should ever discover I was involved with Dane She’d latch on to that like a dog with a bone, given his social and financial status When it came to the two of them, I was definitely of the never the twain shall meet mentality

“I’m in the middle of work at the moment,” I said, “so if we can talk la—”

“Well, I was just thinking,” she interjected “A trip to New York would be so wonderful this time of year All the fall colors and festivities And I’ve never been to Manhattan…”

I felt the knife twist “Why would you be going to New York?”