He had ideas of reenacting a Victorian scene, which would be done in the spring. He had also changed the name. It was now The New Age Publishing House.
He had hired an assistant and gotten rid of the busty blonde.
Lilith Cameron was in her sixties with natural black hair, the white streaking through the strands reminding him of black pepper mixed with salt. She was tall and strapping and spoke her mind without fear. He was terrified of her.
She had been selected from a host of candidates sent over by a reputable agency and had proven her mettle the very first day. Not only was she in possession of a very impressive CV, but she told him bluntly that he would never be in danger of her trying to slide onto his desk for a quickie.
She was too old and too jaded to be dazzled by his looks and his money. She also knew publishing inside and out since she had worked as an editor most of her life.
She had taken early retirement to take care of her ailing husband.
"The bastard did not deserve an ounce of my time, seeing as he cheated on me three times, but I'm a decent human being, and when he was diagnosed, I was his only hope. All the other skanks he banged disappeared. I was the only one left, of course."
"So I did my duty. I took care of him, buried him, and now I'm back to live my own life." Her chocolate brown eyes had wandered over his face.
"I have read about you and know your reputation. That has nothing to do with me. Unless you start looking in my direction and seeing the women you were involved with, I'm pretty confident that's not going to happen."
"I'm loyal, and the best thing is I'm prepared to work, and I can spell." His mouth had twitched at that.
He had hired her, of course, and that was the best thing he had ever done. She was a treasure, and she kept everyone out of his way if he needed it. Not to mention everyone was afraid of her.
She did not gossip and never encouraged it. She ruthlessly organized his life and had unearthed another bestseller that was now in the process of being edited.
"I'm expecting an... er... someone at ten."
She had merely looked up from her desktop and offered him a cool look that had him almost blushing.
"Does this someone have an actual name?"
"Yes, of course. Ms. Abigail Blake."
"From that delightful bookstore on Bow Street." She made a notation. "Will she be requiring refreshments?"
The question floored him. Was this the kind of meeting that would require him feeding her? Would she be comfortable sitting down long enough to be served? He decided it was not.
"No. Just show her in."
With a nod, she went back to her typing. He had retreated to his office and pretended to work. His sister had called him twicealready, and he was ready to snarl at her. He had desperately advised Lilith not to put through any more calls to him for now.
Now he was drumming his fingers on the polished wood and cursing himself for being so damned nervous and edgy. He could not afford to show nerves.
He glanced at the clock and realized he still had a few minutes before her scheduled arrival. Taking a deep breath, he tried to compose himself, running through possible conversation starters and mentally rehearsing how he would present his appeals and what he needed from her regarding his daughter.
He certainly did not want to pose it as demands, but he wanted to be fully involved in the child's life. The anticipation made the office seem both too quiet and unbearably charged, every tick of the clock amplifying his restless energy.
Taking in another deep breath, he shoved from his desk and walked over to pour a cup of coffee. The coffee pot was new and made fresh every morning by his dragon of an assistant.
There was now a small kitchenette and a part-time cook hired to supply nutritious fare for everyone. They were usually required to work until way past closing time, especially with the winter season approaching.
Taking the cup with him, he walked back to his desk in time to answer the intercom.
"Yes." His voice was unintentionally terse.
"Your appointment is here with company."
His first thought was that she had brought a lawyer, her brother. His anger rose. Pushing from his desk, he strode to open the door with the intention of firing at her.
Chapter 8
