He looked at her with skeptical eyes for a few seconds, then nodded. “Yes. You fell asleep on me the first time I held you. It was the day your parents brought you home from the hospital. I was five years old. You drooled on my arm.”

A smile spread on Kamila’s face. “And now I’m the last person to fall asleep on you.” She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, above that lovely new beard. “Thank you for being there for Dad,” she whispered into his ear. She didn’t know exactly what they were talking about, but Dad was certainly not confiding in her. At least he had Rohan. She pulled away from him and grinned with mischief. “Did you like me then as much as you do now?”

He chuckled. “I prefer you now, actually. You’re still trouble and a complete handful, but at least you sleep with your mouth closed these days. Less drooling. Good night, Kam.” He kissed her quickly on the forehead, then got up and climbed the stairs to the guest room. Kamila laughed to herself as she put her glass in the kitchen then followed him upstairs to her own bedroom.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Kamila met with Anil at the Emerald office the next day to talk about the incubator project, or Aim High, as it was called. After they went through his needs, the conversation shifted to his travels, her work at the shelter, his love of art, and Emerald.

“You’re a fascinating person,” he said. “You still don’t seem the finance type, but clearly you’re passionate about your work. This office is impressive, too.”

She was in a gray pantsuit with a white silk blouse today…not her usual style at all. But it was worth it—no question she was continuing to impress Anil. “Thank you! I really love my job. It’s so rewarding. It’s nice to take the financial stuff off business owners’ plates, you know? My absolute favorite is helping start-ups. It feels so good to help people figure out how to make their dream come true.” She leaned close. “And problem solving is so much fun!”

“What kind of clients do you have at Emerald?”

“Dad’s clients are mostly doctors and other medical practitioners, but I’ve been expanding into other industries—mostly personal-care services. You know, small salons, spas, aestheticians. A lot of women-owned businesses.” She suddenly remembered that the point of this meeting was to convince Anil that she could work with Aim High permanently. “And I love to work with nonprofits.”