LITMIR.BIZ

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try to tell me what to do, we get along fine. He’s very overprotective, the consummate doting father. But I love him with all my heart and appreciate all he’s done for me since my mother’s death. I probably don’t tell him that enough.”

      “Well, now’s your chance.”

      She turned her head toward him, a confused look on her face. “I don’t understand.”

      Maybe not, but she would. And whether Avery Fordyce would understand why his only daughter had been out all night, still remained to be seen. “Looks like your father caught an earlier flight.” And right then Avery looked as if he could fly off the porch and put someone in a choke hold.

      Jenna tipped her head back against the seat and muttered, “Great,” while Logan navigated the circular drive. After stopping underneath the portico, he said, “Let me handle this.”

      “No. I’ll handle it.”

      Logan had barely left the Hummer and reached the passenger side before Jenna had the door open, one leg dangling out of the vehicle.

      After he guided her up the steps, he started to launch into an explanation but lost the opportunity when Avery asked, “Where in God’s name have you been, Jenna?”

      “She’s been with me,” Logan said, although Avery didn’t look too pleased by the disclosure.

      Jenna reached out to find her father’s arm, leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I went out for Candice’s birthday and I had a little mishap.” She touched the bandage on her forehead. “Logan was kind enough to have his brother, Devin, who happens to be a doctor, take a look at the cut. He fixed me up with a few little strips to hold it together, Logan loaned me his sofa for the night, end of story.”

      Avery scowled. “That’s not the end of the story. Candice called Sasha this morning, and Sasha, in turn, called me. They were both worried sick because you didn’t come home and you didn’t bother to call.”

      Jenna lifted her chin in defiance. “I’ll explain everything to Candice later, and I told Sasha to take the weekend off.”

      “My employees are loyal, Jenna.” Avery directed a hard look at Logan. “They do as I ask, and I asked her to watch out for you.”

      “I’m thirty years old, Dad. I don’t need a keeper.”

      “Apparently, you do, daughter.”

      Logan opted to intervene before all out warfare began between parent and child. “Jenna spending the night at my place was all my idea, Avery. She wanted to come home, but I wouldn’t let her.”

      “And this is supposed to satisfy me?” He topped off the comment with an acid glare.

      At this rate, he’d find himself minus an important client. “Devin and I decided she shouldn’t be alone, in case she showed signs of a concussion.”

      “Which I didn’t,” Jenna added. “Now, let’s go inside and let Logan get on with his business.”

      “Yes, let’s go inside,” Avery said. “You still have a lot of explaining to do.”

      Logan witnessed a spark of anger in Jenna’s expression. “We can talk later, Dad. I have to have a shower so I can be ready when Logan takes me to his parents’ for lunch. What time should I expect you, Logan?”

      He couldn’t determine who was more shocked—him or Fordyce. “Are you sure you want to go?”

      She sent him a bright smile. “Of course. The very accommodating Sasha can look after Dad this afternoon while I’m with you.”

      Logan recognized pure and simple rebellion, and that he was stuck in the middle of a family battle. He could rescind the offer and insult Jenna, putting himself back in Avery’s good graces. Or he could possibly piss off one of his biggest financial benefactors and spend the afternoon with that benfactor’s daughter.

      He glanced at the sullen Avery before turning his attention to Jenna, who had one of the greatest smiles he’d ever seen on a woman. Business versus pleasure. He chose pleasure. “I’ll be back in about an hour.”

      Without waiting for Avery’s response, Logan sprinted to the Hummer and drove off, wondering all the way home what in the hell he was doing.

      

      “Do you know what you’re doing, Jenna?”

      Although she couldn’t see her father’s expression, she’d heard the disapproval in his tone. “I’m going to get ready to have lunch with Logan.”

      As she continued down the hall toward her bedroom, her father moved in front of her, halting her progress. “What do you really know about him?”

      The classic fatherly lecture. Despite her limited eyesight, she should have seen it coming. “I know that you trust him. I also know he was very kind to me last night and a perfect gentleman, if that’s your concern.”

      “He’s a ladies’ man. He’s not the kind to settle for only one woman, especially a…”

      His words trailed off, but his message came through loud and clear. “A woman like me, Dad? Isn’t that what you meant to say?”

      “You’re special, Jenna.”

      “I’m going blind, Dad. My eyesight might be bad, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a man’s company. Even a ‘ladies’ man.’ And this is only a casual lunch between friends. Logan didn’t want me to be alone since I assumed Sasha wouldn’t be here, and you wouldn’t be home until much later.”

      “I don’t want you to get hurt, sweetheart.”

      His gentle tone helped ease her resentment. “I’ll only get hurt if I let him hurt me, and I won’t. Besides, I’m not looking for anything permanent. You should know that by now.”

      “Yes, I know. Your divorce from David proved that. I wish the two of you would have tried a little harder.”

      “Don’t, Dad. We’re not having that discussion again.” They’d worn out that territory three years ago.

      “I can’t talk you out of going to this lunch? We could have a nice afternoon together.”

      She reached out to pat his cheek. “We can have a nice evening together. You can tell me all about Chicago, and I can tell you how to inquire about the bathroom in Italian and French.”

      “You’re still determined to take that European trip.”

      “Only after I have the transplants.” If she ever had the transplants. “I’d also like to wait until John David’s a little older so he can appreciate the culture.”

      “Have you told Logan about him?”

      “The opportunity hasn’t arisen yet.” She planned to take the opportunity before day’s end. “As I’ve said, this is only a one-time event, not a prospective-daddy interview. J.D. already has a father.”

      “Again, I don’t want you to—”

      “Get hurt. I know, Dad.” She drew him into a long embrace. “And I appreciate your concern. But you don’t have to worry. I’m a big girl now.”

      “I know, Jenna, but I still worry about you. I’ve worried about you since the day you came into our lives.”

      “And if I’d been able to handpick my parents, I couldn’t have chosen any better than you and Mother.” Even if she’d often wondered that if they’d known her vision would eventually fail, would they have adopted her?

      “And we couldn’t have been more blessed to have you,” he said, dispelling her doubts, and that earned him another hug.

      “I love you, Dad,” she said. “And please stop worrying. I can manage Logan O’Brien.”

      

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