“So, Gracie…just was it that you do?”

I groaned and shot Gracie an apologetic look, but she just smiled. She’d told me something about her family on the flight to New York, and the two of us had decided we had a great deal more in common than just affection for Lukas, even if hers was more fraternal than mine.

Our families were almost carbon copies.

The question from my father didn’t even seem to faze her.

Edward Best sat at his seat at the head of the table, politely waiting for a response as Gracie lowered her wine glass to the table.

“I’m a photographer. I mostly work for a modeling agency in Denver, but I freelance some.” She smiled at my father, a slight incline to her head. “A few of my images of the Grand Canyon were included in an exhibit in D.C. – a tribute to the National Parks.”

“How lovely,” my mother said.

I think she actually meant it. My mother was a huge supporter of both the arts and the nation’s parks.

“It was one of the proudest moments of my life,” Gracie said honestly. She slanted a look at me. “I imagine it was about how you felt when you scored that job for the philanthropy group at the firm.”

Blinking in surprise, I fumbled with the glass of wine I’d just picked up, saved it – barely – and realized I was now the center of attention. All of my sisters were looking at me, as well as my parents.

“What job?” Farah asked.

My oldest sister, she was…perfect. She’d done everything right her entire life, from getting the right grades to marrying the guy and joining the family business. She was sweet too. Genuinely, honestly sweet. The kind of person who just cared about people, and things too.

So when she looked at me and asked, what job, I knew she really wanted to know.

Squirming uncomfortably, I took a sip of wine and wet my throat before answering. “There’s a philanthropy group in Denver that’s doing a big push on public awareness – how helping others helps us all. There were a couple of teams who put ideas together on how to tackle the job and mine was selected.”

“That’s wonderful!” Farah clapped her hands, her big blue eyes sparkling. “You’ve always wanted to focus more on helping than doing something with advertising. This sounds right up your alley.”

“You’ve only been there a few months,” Annette pointed out, her lips pursed. “Why would you have been selected to head up a team?”

“He liked my ideas on other projects I’d done,” I replied, not surprised at all by Annette’s question.

I also wasn’t surprised when she redirected the room’s attention to her husband’s upcoming campaign fundraiser. I was almost even glad for it. Shooting Gracie a look, I mouthed, I’m going to get you for that.

She grinned back.

* * *

Gracie had decided she was in the mood to go shopping, so after she climbed into a cab, I called for one myself.

We’d promised to meet for lunch – she’d been to New York and was familiar with Times Square so we were meeting close to there.

For now, I had my own plans.

I hoped I wasn’t going to make a mess of things, but I had Holden Richmond’s address, thanks to the online background check I’d run on him, and I was going to talk to him.

Hopefully, he wasn’t the ass that Gilbert Grayson had been.

Hopefully, he’s home, I thought ruefully as I climbed out of the cab some forty minutes later, looking up at the sleek skyscraper where Holden owned a penthouse.

Sunlight glinted off the glass in a dazzling, blinding display, and I blinked away the momentary blindness as I walked toward the entrance. A doorman waited, and I prepared my best I belong here smile. I wouldn’t get to the penthouse if Holden didn’t want to see me, but at least I could get inside…if I was lucky.

I was lucky. He smiled back and opened the doors for me, allowing a rush of heated air to come out and kiss my skin, chasing away the chill of the November morning.

Inside, a prim woman manned a desk, and I approached, ignoring the nervous knocking of my heart against my ribs. You’re doing this for Lukas, I reminded myself.

“May I help you?”

“I’d like to speak to Holden Richmond if he’s in,” I said, offering another smile.

“Is he expecting you?” The woman reached for something out of my sight – a phone, likely.

“No.” I hesitated, then added, “Tell him it’s related to Penny Alpert.”

Although I was like 99.99% certain that I had the right guy, at least this way I’d knock that question right out before I wasted any more time. The man’s address had been listed in New York for years, but he had lived in Denver for the first part of his life – and during that time, the records indicated he’d lived on the same street as Penny.

Online records searches were amazing things.

I fiddled with the strap of my purse as the woman made the call, and to my relief, she gestured to the elevators. “He’ll meet you at the elevators. It’s the seventy-fifth floor.”

I nodded my thanks and turned to the elevator, praying I could get through the next few minutes without rambling or stuttering or tripping and falling on my face.

Holden Richmond was indeed waiting for me as the elevators opened on the seventy-fifth floor. A handsome, distinguished looking man, he looked at me with blue eyes – and I knew instantly.

Still…

Swallowing, I summoned up a smile as I stepped out of the elevator and offered my hand. “Thank you for agreeing to see me, Mr. Richmond.”

* * *

“You really think Lukas is my son,” he said.

I held my coffee cup in my hands and remained quiet. He wasn’t asking for confirmation, I didn’t think. After all, he’d said those very same words twice already.

He was just…shocked.

I’d told him my suspicions, then asked, as politely as I could, if Lukas’s birthday lined up with the time he and Penny were together. We’d both blushed.

I found it charming that a man old enough to be my father could still blush.

Of course, that was silly, because I hated the fact that I blushed – considering the things I’d done with this man’s son…and that just made my blush deepen so much more.

“The timing is right,” he mused. It was clearly directed at himself, softly spoken and pensive.

He faced one of the expansive floor to ceiling windows that let all the sun’s light shine in. His penthouse was clearly meant to be a home, not a showcase, and I found myself oddly comfortable there, more comfortable really than I sometimes was at my own home, a strange thing considering I had never stepped foot inside this place before today.

After what felt like an endless silence, Holden looked back at me. “It’s possible,” he said slowly. “He could be my son.”

“He looks like you.” Offering a hesitant smile, I added, “Some. The shape of your face…your eyes.”

Something that looked a bit like amazement brightened the man’s face and he looked ten years younger. “Wow. Isn’t that something?”

“Would…” I bit my lip, because here was the tricky part. “Would you maybe want to take a paternity test and find out?”

Head cocked, he considered the idea. The expression on his face and the way he looked in that moment was so like Lukas, it was eerie. He nodded slowly and said, “I’d consider it, but only if he wants to proceed. I can’t force myself into his life at this late date.” Sadness darkened his features and he looked away. “I wish I’d known earlier. When Penny died…” The words trailed away and he shook his head.

“I think he’ll want to know,” I said. “I can’t swear to it, but I think he’ll want to know.”

Anything would be better in his mind that having Gilbert as a father.

And after meeting him, I couldn’t say I blamed Lukas for feeling that way.