I took a moment to process all that he was saying. My father, the narcissist. My mother, his victim and me… I guess I’d have to be called a victim too. It was a word that I didn’t care to be associated with and the thought of it gave me that last little bit of determination I needed to do what I knew I had to do.
“Phillip, is the lawyer who was handling this “evidence” for the Morgan’s still around?”
“He’s retired, but yes, he lives with his wife over on 7th Avenue. I still run into him frequently at charity events.”
“Can I enlist you to do me a very large favor?”
“Whatever,” he said. “As long as it ends with James Hunter finally losing.”
I told Phillip what I needed him to do and then I headed out for the day. My father golfed all day on Fridays. I knew he wouldn’t be at the estate. I took my own car out. I didn’t want any witnesses. When I confronted my father I wanted to take him completely by surprise.
~
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
~
ADELE
“Wow, don’t you look gorgeous!” Grant had just gotten home from work and I was on my way out that Friday night. We hadn’t had much of a chance to talk since Seth had shown up the day before.
“Thank you,” I told him. Then I opened my arms and said, “I need to hug you.”
Grant accepted the hug and after holding onto me for several minutes he said, “So what was that for?”
“To thank you for putting up with me. Or, I should say to thank you for putting up with Erin. I know that she wasn’t always the easiest person to live with.”
He laughed and said, “No, she wasn’t. But, it turned me on a little to know her dirty secrets… like the fact that she was a corporate spy and I was the only one who knew her real name.”
“I will always tell you my secrets,” I said. “Hopefully, I won’t have so many to tell in the future.”
“Will that future be with the young Mr. Hunter?”
“I sure do hope so. I love him so much, Grant.”
He smiled and touched my face. “He’s a lucky man.”
“I’m the lucky one,” I said. “I have two of the best looking, sweetest, kindest, smartest men in New York in my corner.”
He laughed again and said, “Which one of us is better looking?”
I looked at my watch and said, “Look at that, it got so late so soon. I really have to go now.”
He threw his head back then and laughed hard. “Okay, I’ll let you plead the fifth on that one. Just promise me two things and I’ll leave it alone.”
“What’s that?”
“First, that you won’t ever stop being my friend…”
“Never,” I said.
“And second… When you get that company back finally, you’ll hire me. I hate my job.”
“Aw, of course I will. Working with you and Seth would be a blast.”
“You’re going to let him stay in his position when you get it back, aren’t you?”
“Look, it’s another minute later. I really do have to go.” I winked at him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for being the best friend ever. I love you.”
“I love you more,” he said, as I went out the door.
When I reached the ground floor, Seth’s car was waiting for me. The driver was standing at the curb with the back door open for me. “Good evening Miss,” he said. “Mr. Seth asked me to let you know he’ll be meeting us at the restaurant.”
“Thank you, Sam.” I got in and rode across town in anticipation. It had only been a matter of hours since Seth left my bed to go to work. I missed him like crazy from the very second he was gone.
Sam took me to an upscale restaurant in SoHo. They served eclectic food in a classy, serene atmosphere. It had always been one of my favorite places. When I got inside the hostess took me straight back to where Seth was waiting for me. I was surprised to see that Phillip Granger was with him as well.
“Hi,” I said. “Hello, Phillip. This is a surprise.”
Seth kissed my cheek and Phillip said, “Hello again, Adele. I hope you don’t mind me crashing your intimate dinner party. Seth and I have had our heads together today and we think we have some exciting news for you. I won’t be staying long but I wanted to be here when he told you.”
Excited, I sat down and they did too. “I don’t mind at all, Phillip. I am so grateful for the help.”
Seth smiled and laid a packet of paperwork on the table in front of me. It was the legal papers I had got a glimpse of that night at the house. “Oh my goodness! You work fast.”