The Object of His Protection - Brenda Jackson [31]
Drey lifted a brow. “What?”
“Evelyn Braddock came to see me last week.”
There was a moment of complete silence, shrouded in tension, when Drey came to sit back down at the table. “For what reason?” He leaned closer to his mother.
Daiyu took a sip of her tea before meeting her son’s concerned gaze. “She had heard about Harmon’s calls to Stewart Industries and knew I worked there.”
Drey nodded. “Had the two of you met before?”
“Yes, years before. The night he broke things off with me she was with him. I guess it was their way of showing me they had both come to terms with his affair and were working through it.”
Drey could only think that at the time meeting her lover’s wife had to have been difficult. “What did she say to you last week when she came to visit?”
“She wanted to know about the call Harmon made to me. I told her that I didn’t talk to him. I’m not sure whether she believed me. I could tell she was upset to find out that he had tried contacting me after all these years.”
Deciding he wanted something to eat after all, Drey went to the counter and helped himself to a plate of cookies while asking, “Do you know of anyone at Stewart Industries that Harmon was interested in?”
“No. However, I do know that Harmon’s daughter took a job there a month or so after his death to find out whose number Harmon called. It’s my understanding that she ended up falling in love with Connor Stewart.”
Drey also poured a cup of tea. “That’s my understanding as well. And they were able to determine the call from Harmon came to you, but no one knows I’m your son.”
Daiyu sighed. “Evelyn never knew I was pregnant, so she’s unaware that Harmon has another child. Although you know who they are, they don’t know you.”
Drey intended to keep things that way until he was forced to do otherwise. He wanted to have completed the investigation by then.
“I’m sorry I don’t have more to tell you, Drey.”
He glanced over his mother and forced a smile. “That’s fine. You’ve told me enough.”
Chapter 9
Charlene went inside Drey’s home after sitting on the patio for the past hour or so. Although the weather was a little cool, she had enjoyed sitting there watching the ducks play on the water. They appeared not to have a care in the world and she envied them.
Feeling somewhat hungry, she went into the kitchen. She had checked out his refrigerator and pantry earlier and found both places to be well stocked with food. One thing was certain. She wouldn’t starve while living with him.
Within minutes she had prepared a sandwich that would make even the people over at the sandwich shop near work jealous.
And speaking of jealous…
She frowned when she remembered the call that had been left on Drey’s answering machine. It was from some Karen, who wanted to know if Drey was interested in a fun time, and if so to come over to her place tonight, along with an extra set of clothes to stay for the weekend. The nerve of the hussy!
She turned when she heard the sound of the key in the door and felt a quickening in her chest when Drey walked in. She frowned thinking that this deep attraction for him was not what she wanted. But then she couldn’t dismiss memories of the kisses they had shared. Kisses that still had her lips burning in some places.
She could feel her temperature rise when he strode into the kitchen and stood next to her at the counter and stared down at her sandwich. He then looked back at her and smiled. “Hungry?”
She wished he wouldn’t smile in a way that made her want to wrap herself around him, cuddle close and hold on to him real tight. His smile always made him look extremely handsome in a totally masculine and sexy sort of way. “What makes you think that?” she asked.
He chuckled. “The size of your sandwich is a dead giveaway. It’s enough to feed two people.”
She lifted a brow. “Is that a hint that you want half?”
He shook his head. “No, not half. I ate a bunch of cookies over