Daddy’s Little Assistant by Lila Fox
Chapter Eighteen
Several weeks later, Kinley burst through the door to their office and froze when she caught sight of two large dark men she didn’t know. She felt tears burn her eyes and tried to blink them away.
“I’m sorry, Da … Eli.”
Eli raised his hand. “Come here. I told you to come to me when you were upset. Besides, I’d like you to meet two friends of mine from Virginia.”
She walked past them and sat in Eli’s lap.
“She’s a little bitty thing.”
Eli smiled. “She is. Baby, the one on the right is Devon, and the one on the left is Cayson. Guys, this is the woman I’ve been telling you about.”
She turned her head and stared. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Cayson said and smiled. “He said you were beautiful, but I thought he was exaggerating. He wasn’t.”
She could feel a blush cover her face. “Thank you.”
Eli turned her head his way. “What’s the matter?”
She instantly felt tears fill her eyes. “It’s Mrs. Bennet. She told me she’s retiring and moving to Colorado to be close to her sister. I’ll never ever see her again.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know that, but just because she’s moving doesn’t mean we won’t see each other again. We’ll make a deal to see her at least once a year. How’s that?”
“It’s better. Can I go help her move?”
Eli shook his head. “No, I don’t have time to go right now.”
“I didn’t think so, but I had to ask.”
“Excuse me.”
She looked at the door and saw John from Shipping.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Turner, but I desperately need Kinley.”
She went to stand, but had Eli pulled her back into his lap. “Will it take long, John?”
“Not if she does it.”
“Bring it here.”
John handed it to her. She wiped the tears from her face and opened the laptop. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
John fidgeted. “It broke.”
Kinley smiled. “So, it won’t turn on?”
“Well, yes, it will, but it won’t go to the place I need it to.”
“Did you block it again?”
“I don’t know.”
Her fingers flew over the keyboard.
“She’s a freaking genius,” John said to the two new men.
She snorted. “No, I’m not. My IQ is only a little over one hundred and twenty.”
Eli grunted, but she ignored him.
“It’s all gone. Isn’t it? All the information I need?” John asked.
Kinley shook her head. “No, John, remember I’ve backed it up. It automatically saves every time you input information.”
“Yeah, but remember that time I screwed up the backup, too?”
“We got it all back, didn’t we?”
“Yeah, that damn cloud you keep talking about.”
Her fingers continued to fly. “John, the cloud…
“You’ve explained it to me twice. It’s over my head, Kinley.”
She shook her head. “See, here is everything.”
“Are you serious?” John burst out, and his eyes widened.
“You have to think of this as your friend and not your enemy. You think it hates you, but it can’t…”
“I know, positive thinking,” John told her.
She nodded. “That’s right.”
She handed it off. “To be on the safe side, I put another backup on it.”
“That’s three now?”
“Yes, but I’m hoping it will make you feel more secure. That information isn’t going anywhere.”
“Thank you, Kinley.” John turned to Eli. “Thank you for letting me interrupt, sir.”
“You’re fine.”
After the door closed, she turned to see all three men staring at her.
“What?” she said and wiped her mouth and nose. “Is there something on my face?”
All three laughed.
“No, baby. Why don’t you just lay here for a moment while I finish talking to them? I know you are feeling sad right now.”
He made her comfortable on his chest.
She nodded and yawned.
****
“Is she asleep?” Devon asked in amazement.
Eli smiled, looking down at her against this chest, and smoothed the hair from her face.
“Yeah, if she’s tired and in my lap, she’s out. She can be zipping around helping everyone, but once I get her to sit here, she feels safe enough to go to sleep.”
“That’s pretty amazing. I wish I could find someone like her.”
“It can happen, Cayson. I never thought it would happen to me, but the first day here, she dropped some donuts, and I helped her pick them up. We’ve been together ever since.”
Cayson shrugged. “Maybe.”
“So, when is the move final?” Eli asked them.
Cayson looked at Devon and then back at him. “We’ve turned in our resignations, bought a building here about eight blocks away from here.”
Eli was impressed. “You guys move fast.”
“The government contracts are already coming in, and we’ve got a few that Travis talked to us about previously,” Devon told him.
“Hell. Tell me if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Do you know of any good people? We need to hire several people.”
“I don’t off the top of my head, but I’ll put the word out.”
“Thank you.” Devon stood and looked at Kinley. “We’ll call when we’re here for good.”
“Just call me, guys, if you need anything.”
They left and closed the door before Eli cuddled Kinley closer to his chest.
He didn’t think he could get any happier than he was at that moment. And most of it had to do with the woman in his arms. He couldn’t wait for his father and grandfather to meet her. They planned to leave in a few days, and he had the family plane ready and waiting.
