“That’s the best kind.”
Chapter 21
Landon
The twenty-four hours with my parents wasn’t too bad. They took me out for dinner, and my mom dragged me along as she went shopping for fabric for one of my guest rooms. “All-white rooms have no personality,” she told me.
Still, I was grateful when Claire and Tinsley returned. I missed them both. Claire was great and took my parents out for dinner that night, while I enjoyed a date with Tinsley that ended with me ravishing her. Being with her centers me. I wish I knew how to explain that to Claire—and most importantly, to Tinsley.
It was hard to get up this morning. I wanted more time with Tinsley, but it’s Monday, and we need to get back to work. As we leave for the office, Tiffany is yet again in the lobby. She doesn’t hide her disdain.
“Pig!” she shouts.
I shake my head. Tinsley reaches for my hand and gives me a tight smile. I know I brought this on myself by sleeping with Tiffany, and I wish I could turn back time and never go near her.
As Stan drives us over to SHN, Fiona, my attorney, calls.
“What’s up?” I ask in greeting.
“Have you seen today’s Gossip Gorilla?” she asks.
“Nope. I’ve heard of it, but can’t say I’ve ever read anything in it.”
“I sent you a link.”
“To what?” Why would I care about a Gossip Gorilla article?
“I’ll hold.”
She needs her coffee this morning. She’s rather testy.
I open the link on my phone while Fiona remains on the line. It’s an article about me. This is going to fucking blow up. Great. They have all the information about me impregnating a woman—who, of course, is not named for her privacy—and that I deny paternity, despite the test coming back with overwhelming odds that the baby is mine.
“Fuck! How did they get this?” I screech into the phone.
“I’m only speculating, but my guess is your baby mama wasn’t happy with your offer.”
I see red. “You know this only proves I’m not the father.”
Tinsley looks up from her phone at me. Shit, now I have to drag her into this.
“I agree,” Fiona says. “Something was up with the test or the facility where it was done. If she knew a payday was coming, she wouldn’t be scorching earth.”
“This is a smear campaign. So, what are you going to do?” This is what I pay Fiona for, and I expect her to shine right now.
“I have a few ideas. But I also thought you should warn your business partners and your family. This may get ugly.”
“I understand what you’re saying.” I look over at Tinsley, who’s back to studying her email. “Call me back with a detailed plan to make this woman pay.”
Tinsley turns to me again and furrows her brow.
“I’ll have a plan for you within the hour,” Fiona confirms.
We disconnect the call.
I turn to Tinsley. “That was my attorney, Fiona McPhee. What’s been weighing on me is that a woman has claimed I’m the father of her child. But I’m not. I assure you.” I pause to hold her eyes a moment. “She knew a few things about me and how I might have hooked up with people in the past, but there are problems with her story. We weren’t even in the same city when she says this happened. She requested a paternity test, and I obliged because I knew I hadn’t slept with her. However, on Friday morning, the test came back with a ninety-two-percent probability that I was the father of the child.”
A look of disappointment crosses Tinsley’s face, but it clears quickly. “What does that mean?”
“Despite what the test says, I can’t be the father. For starters, the day she said we were together, I was in Las Vegas. I was at a poker tournament, so there are multiple witnesses that can attest I was there.” Now for the hard part. “Second, given what I have to lose, I keep a list of all the women I’ve slept with and where I slept with them.”
Tinsley’s eyes bulge.
“This was advice given to me when we sold our video conference software to Tom Sutterland and PeopleMover. Tom warned Claire and me that we should keep meticulous records of who we meet and what we do, because there are a lot of people out there looking for a quick buck.”
“You keep a list of everyone?”
“I only include the date, the name they gave me, and the location of our time together—no ratings or comments.” I reach for her hand. “I promise I did not sleep with this woman. Fiona thinks the test or the testing facility may have been compromised. She showed me a picture of the woman, and I’d never seen her before. I’m positive I’ve never been with her.”
Tinsley rubs her temple. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to drop you at SHN, and then I’m heading back to my place to talk to my parents and Claire. I need to let them know what’s happening. We’re going to get a plan from Fiona. She’s not only my attorney, she’s a fixer.”
“What’s a fixer?”
“She fixes problems.”
“What other problems has she fixed for you?”
“We had a problem with our immigration paperwork when our permanent residency looked like it wouldn’t be renewed. She also helped on a matter with Morgan Bennett and a few other difficult subjects, including a past employee.”
“How is she different than what Jim does for you?”
“Jim tends to deal with issues like you had with Tomas. Fiona becomes involved if there’s a legal matter.”
After a moment, she nods. “Okay, let me know how it goes.
