The Good Provider Read Online Free PDF

Fontina.”
    Daria. He scrubbed his hand across his face. “My apologies. I was expecting someone else. How may I be of assistance?”
    “No problem. Is this a good time to talk?” The voice on the other end of the line sounded slightly breathless, as if she were standing outside in the wind to hold this conversation.
    “Yes, it’s fine. Go on.”
    “My grandfather said you would be willing to fly us—my two daughters and me—to South Dakota. I know that was a week ago, so I’m wondering if your offer is still good. I’m sorry we weren’t able to leave sooner, but…something came up.”
    He liked that she didn’t go into detail about her daughter’s health problems. That showed restraint and respect for the young girl’s privacy—something the people around him could benefit from embracing.
    “Our plane and my services are at your disposal,” he said, a bit too formally, he gathered, from Morgan’s eye-rolling. “Do you have a departure date in mind?”
    He walked to his desk where a large daily planner was open to this week. He had a dozen meetings scheduled, at least. Three lunch dates with clients. One phone interview.
    “Would tomorrow work for you?” There was a tentative quality in her voice that told him she wasn’t used to asking for help. Abusers often made their victims believe that nobody would answer their call if they reached out. She was expecting him to say no. He heard that, too. He’d heard it before.
    “Whatever works for you.”
    Morgan clapped silently and made a Rocky gesture with her arms in the air.
    “I… Thank you, Mr. Hughes.”
    “William. Please. Let me grab a piece of paper and take down your specifics. I’m going to need a little information. You and your daughters’ full names and approximate weights for starters. And an estimate of how much baggage you’ll be bringing along.”
    She gave a low, rueful chuckle. “A lot, figuratively speaking. But on my grandfather’s advice, I haven’t told my daughters this move is permanent. ‘Loose lips’ as Cal likes to say. So we’re only doing carry-on.”
    He wasn’t sure what he thought of that news. Had her ex-husband upped the threat level? “Should I come armed?”
    She didn’t answer right away. When she did, her tone was lighter somehow. “No. That won’t be necessary, but thank you for asking. I’m leaving on the sly for exactly that reason—so my ex-husband and his brothers won’t show up.”
    He gave her full marks for that. “Then, we’ll be gone before anyone’s the wiser. Let me get your number so I can file a flight plan, get a look at the weather and figure out the best time to meet.”
    He jotted down everything she told him, including her daughters’ names and ages. He was thinking ahead to what he’d need to get done between now and then when she said, “My grandfather speaks very highly of you, but he never mentioned that you sound like Hugh Grant.”
    How many times had he heard that? A few thousand, give or take? “Not true. I sound a great deal more American than Hugh.”
    “Hmm,” she said. “Now that you mention it, I think you’re right. But I should tell you, my husband—my ex-husband—made me stop renting English films because he said I went gaga over Hugh Grant. Apparently anyone with an English accent was suspect, as well. Even Judi Dench.”
    William laughed. Her quip was so unexpected, and given her situation, so brave. Suddenly, he couldn’t wait to meet this woman. He looked at Morgan, who was standing a foot away, mouth open and eyes wide with shock.
    “I would gladly ask Dame Judi to accompany us—she could hold her own in any fight, I’m quite certain—but I believe she’s in London at the moment.”
    “What was that, sweetheart?” Daria called to someone else. “Okay. I’ll be right there.” To William, she said, “Thank you for doing this for us, William. You have no idea how much it means to me and my daughters.”
    Simple words, hastily spoken, but