Sins of the Father by Angela Benson Page B

earlier this year.”
    So Abraham had kept them a secret from the people who’d known him longest. That knowledge
     made her heart ache, if only a little.
    “I’m sorry,” Alan said. “I shouldn’t have been so matter-of-fact about it.”
    Deborah realized then she was wearing her emotions on her sleeves. She’d have to watch
     that in the future. “You don’t have to be sorry. How did you end up working for Abraham?”
     she asked, seeking to change the subject.
    “It’s a long story.”
    “I’ve got time,” she said with a grin. “I’m the boss’s daughter.”
    He chuckled. “You’re going to be a breath of fresh air around here. I’m glad to have
     you on board.”
    “Thank you,” she said, “but you haven’t answered my question.”
    “Pretty and sharp, too.”
    Deborah lifted her brow at the “pretty” as she wondered if Alan was flirting with
     her. Not that she’d mind. In fact, he was just her type. She glanced at his left hand.
     No ring, but that didn’t mean anything. “Are you married, Alan?”
    “No, why do you ask?”
    “Because I think you’re flirting with me. Are you?”
    “Would you mind it if I were?”
    She wasn’t ready to answer that one yet. “It would dependon why you’re flirting with me. You still haven’t answered my question.”
    He chuckled again. “Abraham may not have raised you, but you definitely have his genes.
     Like you, he gets what he wants.”
    She leaned back in her chair. “Does that mean you’re going to answer my question?”
    “Do I have a choice?”
    “I guess not.”
    “Your father and I were classmates at Morehouse. He looked me up when his business
     began growing and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. I’ve been with him ever since.”
    “You must be good at what you do.”
    “The best.”
    She laughed. “And modest, too.”
    “That’s something else you’ll learn about your father. Modesty is not a trait he possesses
     nor is it one he respects. He’s self-confident to the point of being arrogant, and
     respects self-confidence in others.”
    “I’ll have to remember that.”
    “You won’t have a problem. Abraham would not have bought Running Brook and put you
     in charge if you didn’t have traits he respected, daughter or no daughter. It’s not
     in his DNA. Ask your half brother, Isaac. Abraham is a hard taskmaster and he has
     high expectations.”
    “I have a lot to learn about him, don’t I?” she asked, praying that she’d have the
     opportunity.
    “Don’t worry about Abraham,” he told her, as if reading her mind. “He’ll probably
     be kicking around here long after you and I are gone. He gives new meaning to tough.”
    “There’s so much about him I don’t know,” she confessed. “And I want to know everything.
     You’ve known him a long time. What kind of a man is he?”
    Alan leaned forward and rested his palms on his knees. “I think you already know the
     kind of man he is. He’s driven. He’d have to be to build MEEG. He can be selfish.
     He’d have to be to have ignored you and your brother all these years. What kind of
     man is he? He’s human, with all the flaws and frailties we humans have. Sometimes
     he does the right thing; other times, he does the wrong thing. To his credit, he’s
     a man who admits his mistakes when faced with them. He’s just a man, Deborah. Take
     what he has to offer, but don’t expect more than he gives. He’ll undoubtedly disappoint
     you, but then so would any man. Rarely do fathers live up to the expectations of their
     daughters.” He sat back in his chair and studied her. “Did that answer your question?”
    Deborah nodded. “Thank you.”
    “No problem,” Alan said, standing. “Why don’t I take you home and you can get a fresh
     start in the morning. I’ve arranged for you to meet with the current Running Brook
     team at ten A.M. They’re a good group but you’re not going to want to keep them all. We can talk about
     all that