A Little Something Extra

“And that’s why you need Rachel,” Callum said. “No one else would be able to get close enough to the family members involved in the business.”

“I’m afraid so.”

There was a heavy silence, broken by Sophie getting out of her chair, stalking over to Callum, and climbing into his lap. He automatically wrapped his arms around his adopted daughter, feeling his heart melt as he did so. She placed a tiny hand on either side of his face and looked into his eyes, all somber attitude.

“Can I have ice cream? Muma said no, but you can say yes, can’t you, Daddy?”

And there it was, the word that brought him to his alloy-based knees and had him wrapped around her little finger.

“We’ll get some as soon as this meeting’s over, okay?”

“Sucker,” Joe said through a cough.

Callum scowled at Joe as Ford-Talbot smiled wistfully at him and his daughter.

The older man caught his eye. “Hard to believe that Rachel used to do that.”

“Aye, very hard to believe.”

Rachel’s father broke eye contact and looked down at his hands. “I know you might not believe this, but I love my daughter very much. Years ago, something happened with the company that turned her away from the business and distanced her from family. I would very much like to amend that situation.”

“And you think the best way to do that is to sneak in here behind her back, lying about who you are?” Joe said.

“Good point,” Ford-Talbot said with a shake of his head.

The door swung open and the woman under discussion stepped into the room. As usual, she was decked out in a designer suit that must have cost the entire GDP of a small country. Her trademark black stilettos gave her an extra few inches of height and some serious attitude.

She stared down at her dad. “Father, would you like to explain why you’re in my business without informing me?”

Isobel rushed in behind her, out of breath and looking gorgeous. She’d lost that gray/green sheen she had before she’d run for the bathroom. “I tried to stop her, but I was sick, and she got past me.” She smacked Rachel on the arm. “Bad, Rachel! We talked about this. It’s unfair to take advantage of the pregnant woman.”

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Isobel, but Callum wasn’t worried—his wife could take care of herself. “As soon as you push that squealing infant into the world, you and I are going to have a long chat about all the times you’ve struck me.”

Isobel beamed at her. “I’m so proud of you. You used the word infant without looking disgusted.” She wrapped her in a hug while Rachel stood there like a wooden board.

“Callum,” Rachel said. “Do something.”

“It’s hormones.” Callum grinned at his partner. “It should sort itself in another six months.”

“Muma!” Sophie climbed off his lap. “Daddy said I can have ice cream.”

“Did he now?” Releasing poor Rachel, she cast him a disparaging glance. “When are you going to stop giving her everything she wants just because she calls you Daddy?” She took Sophie’s hand.

Callum couldn’t answer because the truth would just embarrass him in front of their new client.

“Um,” Joe said, “I think that would be round about never.”

“Dickhead,” Callum told him, receiving a grin for his effort. “Wait until you’re a father. Then we’ll talk.”

A misty glaze filled Joe’s eyes. “Speaking of which. I need to go work on that. Where’s Jules?”

“She’s working on the company accounts,” Isobel said.

Joe grinned. “Perfect. Accounts always make her horny.” He headed for the door.

“What’s horny?” Sophie asked Isobel, who groaned.

“I take it this meeting’s over.” Ford-Talbot looked bemused.