Page 16 of Dr. Sexypants

When my biological dad—the one I’d had no idea even knew I existed—died and left me a share of his estate, probably trying to buy his way into heaven, I decided to take advantage of my windfall. I’d aced my market simulations class, so I took a leap and decided to manage my inheritance personally.

I’d almost doubled it in three years—even while I’d been going to school.

Granted, managing my portfolio was the equivalent of a part-time job, but it paid my bills and then some. Admittedly, the cost of living in Haven Springs made that easy, but I liked my small town, so I didn’t complain.

And the idea of working a nine-to-five job now gave me hives. Much like settling down with one guy did.

I knew I had daddy issues—and I hadn’t even needed to see a shrink to figure that out.

Not that it was hard. One Psych 101 class my freshman year did the trick.

That wasn’t a knock against my stepdad. Bruce came into my life when I was in sixth grade and was the only father I’d ever known. But my mom, trying to keep me from making her mistakes, hadn’t shielded me from the fact that my biological dad had denied paternity and cut ties with us. His family’s fancy lawyers bullied Mama into accepting ten thousand dollars in exchange for going away and never disclosing he was my biological father.

She took the NDA seriously; I hadn’t even known his name until I got a call from his attorney to be present at the reading of his will.

Initially, my pride had wanted me to refuse anything from the man, but Mama had talked some sense into me.

“Don’t cut your nose to spite your face, Kristy Marie. Go see what he left you.”

There was no way I was walking away from the money once I learned the amount. My sperm donor’s wife wasn’t happy to learn about my existence, but once the DNA results came back, she realized she’d waste more money on attorneys fighting me in court—and probably lose—than just letting me have my portion, so that’s what she did—begrudgingly.

Apparently, I had three younger half-siblings in their teens, but I didn’t think they knew about me. It wasn’t my place to tell them, although I wouldn’t be surprised if I got a phone call from one of them in a few years.

I’d deal with that if the time ever came.

At the moment, Lain was the closest thing to a sister I’d ever had, and I could have easily lost her at the hands of her crazy landlord and his nephew. So, I’d suck up waking at the crack of dawn for her.

As long as it didn’t become a habit.

~~~~

Holy shit, the bakery was busy that morning.

I grumbled more than once that Lainey better find more help, soon.

“I know, I know,” she replied. “I put a flier up at the community college, but it’s summertime, so not a lot of people are taking classes.”

“Just put something on your Instagram page; I bet you’d have applications by the end of the day.”

“Hey, speaking of the end of the day… Jade texted and said a bunch of people from the hospital are going to Hannigan’s tonight, do you want to go?”

I don’t have anything better to do.

“Why not? What time?”

“I think she said seven. She’s coming by after work, so we can get more details then.”

~~~~

Jade showed up after the lunch crowd had thinned and the only customers left were there for the free Wi-Fi.

“Well, well, well,” Lainey said with her hand on her hip. “She is alive!”

Her sister wasn’t fazed in the least and smiled from ear to ear.

“Sorry, Brian is staying at my place, and he’s been keeping me busy.”

“I’ll bet he has,” Lainey quipped.