Page 56 of Her Brother's Billionaire Best Friend

“I do,” said David firmly, and Lucien turned to go.

“Hey.”

Lucien turned around.

“I…uh…I didn’t get much of a chance to thank you,” said David. “That kid means a lot to me.”

“He means a lot to me too.”

“Well, don’t let him hear it from me,” said David with a grin. “But I think you’re pretty awesome. And if he didn’t already, well…”

I held my breath. I was still worried that Lucien was going to say something clever, or brush him off. But he smiled.

“Put her there,” he said, extending his hand. David smiled thinly and shook his hand. He scratched his head.

“You must have been some linebacker in college,” he said. “To run all that way with Kyle in your arms.”

Lucien smiled again, revealing his white teeth. And for a moment I thought back, to a long time ago. And all I could think of was Conor.

It was the way Conor used to smile, flashing his teeth like that.

“I was Special Forces. He’s a lot lighter than the 100-pound packs they used to make us run with.”

I was startled. I had no idea that Lucien was a veteran. But now it all made sense. His broad, muscular frame, the way he approached every situation with logic and efficiency. His careful manner, his stony face. Of course he was a soldier.

“No kidding,” whistled David. “Army?”

Lucien looked at me, and for a moment, I saw that look. The secretive look he gave when anyone asked him about his past.

“Navy,” he said.

“No kidding,” said David. “I had a buddy who was in the Navy. He—”

Then Lucien looked at me, and saw the pain in my eyes.

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll see you round. Take care,” David waved his hand and left the two of us alone.

I was shocked as we stood there awkwardly. What did that mean for the locked door inside Lucien’s room? What might it contain? His old army gear? I knew that sometimes veterans had to keep classified information a secret. What would I find if I looked behind the door? A secret spy room? It was silly, but I couldn’t help but ponder the possibilities.

“Mr. Barnes?” said a doctor.

Lucien turned. “Yeah?”

“Would you mind—I know it’s a terrible inconvenience. But those newspaper people out front, we need them to go away. Is there any possibility you could…”

“Sure,” he said. “No problem. Come on, Laura. Let’s go talk to them.”

“Me?” I said, following him down the corridor.

“You’re his mom, aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah,” I said defensively. I hadn’t forgotten Lucien’s unkind words in the hall. But I was puffed up with gratitude for him now too much to care.

“And you were a journalist, weren’t you?”

“So?”

“So you can stop me from saying anything stupid.”