I could have made this trip by myself. Hell, I could have done this trip in a thirty-minute phone call to my brother. But hearing Cara speak about my sister-in-law, smiling as she’d said she hoped she’d get the chance to meet Lailah one day, had been all I could think of for the rest of that day.

Before I knew it, I had called her back in my office as my fingers danced across the keyboard, booking our first-class seats to LAX.

I hadn’t even confirmed the dates with my brother.

By the time I’d gotten around to calling him that night with the news, the response I had gotten was expected.

“You’re coming here? With her?”

The emphasis on the word her was not lost on me.

“Yes,” I replied. “She’s my assistant. That’s what assistants do. They assist.”

“And when was the last time any of your previous assistants traveled with you for business?”

I cleared my throat, buying time. “Bethany had a husband, kids.”

She did have more than one kid, right?

I honestly had no idea.

“And the one before that? What was her name?”

“I don’t know. Shut the hell up.”

It had taken several minutes to dull down the laughter on the other end of the line, especially when he’d told Lailah. They’d both eventually promised to be on their best behavior when Cara and I were in town or else I wouldn’t bother coming around at all. There were plenty of nice hotels, after all. And they’d both understood this was a threat I would be very good at keeping.

Family had always been important to me, so much so that I worked my ass off for the company we’d built. Spending time with those family members though? I could usually go without.

Although I was slightly interested in seeing this tiny human my brother and Lailah had created. I’d glanced absently at the half a billion pictures Jude had sent over, and even I had to admit, the kid was pretty cute.

I hoped she was giving my brother hell.

“You ready?” Cara asked as the row ahead of us began to deplane.

I hid my smirk, nodding, as I remembered the moment we’d sat down, and I’d noticed the way she’d looked around like a wide-eyed child at Disney World.

“What?” I asked.

“I’ve been on a plane only once,” she admitted, “and it was the back row, right next to the lavatories. It smelled like sewage, and people were lined up next to me, pushing and shoving into me the entire time, as they waited their turn for the restroom.”

“So, this is different then?”

She looked around once more, admiring the ample legroom and the soft blanket that had been handed to her upon arrival after they’d taken our drink orders.