I suck in a sharp breath. The first design is blatantly a rip-off of our new Asscher cut diamond choker. And it only gets worse. They’ve even attempted a shitty copy of our new engagement ring setting. One I designed myself.
“Sweetheart, Daddy needs to make some private calls when I get into the office, okay?”
Molly’s used to being in the office with me when I’m working. But whenever I need to make a call where the overuse of the word ‘Fuck’ and threats to shove things up the CEO of Fabienne’s ass will take place, Molly stays with Arabella.
“Remember, Arabella isn’t around today, so another of Daddy’s work colleagues will keep you company.”
“Den-Va?” Molly asks hopefully.
“No. He’s with Auntie Sinclair today.”
Sinclair’s doing a runway show. And my father and Halliday have an ob-gyn appointment this morning. I wrack my brains. I only ever leave her with Arabella at my office. But one of the senior leadership team is recently back from maternity leave. Molly will be okay with her if they use the room opposite my office. All the walls are glass, so I’ll be able to see her the entire time.
“Clare will keep you company. She’s just had a baby. She’ll have pictures she can show you.”
“No. Me stay with Daddy.” Molly scowls at me. Despite her adoration of babies and her baby dollies, the kid’s smart. She knows when she’s being handled.
I look back at the email and pinch the bridge of my nose, holding back a curse.
“Did you want these while you’re here? We keep a few stashed under the counter.”
I jerk my head up, and the redhead falters at my grimace. I force the blood boiling in my veins to cool down so I don’t appear like I’m about to murder someone.
She holds a stack of coloring sheets and crayons out to me.
“For Miss Lion,” she says, glancing at Molly who’s poking at the foam on her drink with her finger.
“Thanks.”
She places them on the table. “No problem. I like to keep things here for the kids.”
Molly beams at her, clearly won over by some dust resembling an animal. “Awabella not here today,” she announces.
“Oh, that’s right. I hope her mom is doing okay,” the redhead replies. She smiles at Molly, then glances at me before returning behind the counter.
I stare at her as she fixes a drink with a dreamy look on her face. I bet she’s humming to herself again.
I go to my call list and bring up Arabella’s number.
“Hi. How’s your mom doing?” I force myself to ask, despite wanting to get straight to the reason I’m really calling.
“Oh, well… she’s trying to keep her spirits up… and she says thank you for the flowers,” Arabella tells me. “But she’s not so good. It’s hard to tell if the meds are working. She’s scared she’ll lose her foot.”
“Give her all of the team’s regards,” I say.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Don’t worry about that, just be with her. Listen, I needed to ask you… You said your friend’s niece works at the coffee place next door?”
“Oh, she does. Such a lovely girl.”
“The kindergarten teacher?”
“That’s right. She’s working there while she interviews for jobs. Kids love her. She’s a sweet girl. Beautiful too. Men are always giving her their number.”
My eyes drop over the redhead’s curves as she serves a guy at the counter. He grins at her and drops a business card into the tip jar, along with a bill.
“So I could trust her with Molly?”
