Perfect Family by Patricia; Potter Page B

but then he’d had reason to personally extend the investigation, and those findings belonged to him and only him. He too had a lot at stake in the upcoming family battle. He’d wanted to know everything there was to know about Jessica Clayton.
    After learning what he had, he’d expected her caution. He’d made a few assessments from his conversations with her but unlike most women, she was accomplished at masking her feelings.
    He knew that there was a bottle of champagne in her room, ordered by Congressman Marc Clements; a basket of fruit from Sarah; and God only knew what else from other members of the family. Even without the DNA results, they were all trying to position themselves. If they weren’t careful, they would send Jessica Clayton running back to Atlanta. He didn’t think she suffered fools lightly.
    He wished for a cigar at times like this. He’d stopped smoking years ago, but the longing remained with him. Especially at stressful times.
    He looked at his watch. She should have arrived in Phoenix four hours earlier. Depending on how she drove, she should be here shortly. Or had she changed her mind about coming?
    Not for the first time, he wondered why he stayed with the family. Its various members and their enterprises constituted more than fifty percent of his law firm’s time, as they had his father’s practice but he knew he could do far better financially in Phoenix. Still, he stayed. He’d inherited the practice when his father died, and Alex, like his father, had become an extended member of the family. He was like Ross in that aspect. Almost a Clements, but not quite.
    The work had been varied and challenging these past twelve years. He’d interpreted the provisions of a very complicated will, seen to the government lease contracts, and negotiated land sales for the Quest. He’d also bailed Cullen’s twins out of jail, kept secrets no outsider should know, and tried to keep peace among the family members.
    Now he would have to take sides, and he hadn’t decided yet which side he would choose. He liked Sarah enormously, but she lived in the past. His firm stood to make a fortune if the ranch was sold, and he was never adverse to money.
    Marc wanted the sale. With adequate financing, he was a shoo-in to be elected senator—and then who knew how far he would go? He had hopes, Alex knew, of running for president. Marc’s friends would travel a long way with him, too.
    Every pot was ready to boil. He just didn’t know which would boil over first.
    For the moment, Alex was keeping his options open.
    He looked at his watch again. Should he keep waiting? Would she even want him to be here? But he was the one who had lured her here, and he felt a certain responsibility. He wondered whether he should even have reported the search firm’s finding. Whatever else she’d had, Jessica Clayton had undergone more than her share of betrayal and pain.
    The entrance door opened and the object of his thoughts entered.
    She looked startled as he stood. “Are you the innkeeper, too?” she asked.
    â€œJust the welcoming committee,” he said, holding out his hand and taking hers. He looked over at the desk and the well-groomed young man behind it. “You don’t have to check in. I have your key.”
    She nodded, her gaze steady but wary. She wore a pair of jeans that fit, but not too tightly, and a green knit shirt that brought out a compelling green in her changeable eyes. Nothing pretentious. Just comfortable, and he was reminded how much he’d liked her. He liked her challenging manner, her forthrightness, and her intelligence. He should tell her to turn around and leave.
    Instead, he gave her his most charming smile. “I thought you might like to see a friendly face. I’ll show you your room, then you can get a couple of hours of rest before the party tonight.”
    He saw doubt flicker in her eyes and reminded