Colorado 01 The Gamble (28 page)

“Go,” I repeated.

“This isn’t you,” my father told me.

“You don’t know me,” I told him the
truth.

“Niles is a good man, works hard. He’s from
a good family.”

“He’s got money, that’s what you’re
saying.”

“I’m saying he’s a good man and I’m
reminding you about the fact that you haven’t chosen many of those
in your past, in fact, none at all.”

My hand itched to slap him which was
surprising seeing as, outside of shoving Damon, I’d never acted out
my anger physically on another human being but I managed to hold
myself in check.

“Go.”

“You’re repeating a pattern, Nina, as your
father –”

But at his words and their implication, I
was again seeing red and I shrieked, “How… bloody…
dare
you!”

Dad leaned slightly toward me and returned,
“I’m being honest for your own good.”

“
You’re talking about Max, a man you don’t
even
bloody
know.”

“
Yes, but I know
you
.”

“No you don’t!” I shouted.

“Think about this, Nina. Your life, what
you’d be throwing away.”

“Go,” I snapped.

“This is,” his hand, palm up, gestured
around, “unseemly. May I remind you, you’re engaged.”

“I’m not, I broke up with Niles.”

“You were engaged to him less than a week
ago and you’re standing in your nightwear, a bruise on your cheek
with a strange man in attendance.”

It was my turn to lean into him and I did,
sneering and liberally lacing my words with grave emphasis.
“Firstly, Max isn’t a ‘strange man in attendance’ considering this
is
his
house
. Secondly, are
you
serious?
You
are
lecturing
me
about
what’s
seemly?
”

“Nina –”

“
Sorry, but wasn’t it
you
who was fucking around on
Mom
when she was pregnant with me?”

“Nina, for God’s sake, that’s hardly the
point here.”

“
Yes? So, it’s okay for you to sleep with
another woman when your
wife
is
pregnant
then
leave
her
and
your
child
all alone weeks
after I was born?”

“You grew up with your mother, hearing her
side of things.”

I slammed the door and crossed my arms on
my chest, putting out a foot and inviting, “Well, I expect
this
will be interesting. Do
share,
Dad
, how is it
okay that you cheat on Mom when she’s pregnant, leave us both when
I’m a newborn and we never hear one word from you for seven years?
Tell me, how is that okay?”

“Nina –”

“
And, also,” I cut in, “enlighten me about
how that’s okay and me breaking up with Niles and living my life,
which is none of you
bloody
business I might add, something you can’t declare ignorance
of since I told you
to your face
at
Charlie’s funeral I never wanted to lay eyes on you again
in my
life
, tell me, how this
is
not
okay?”

“I’m glad you brought up Charlie,” Dad
said.

“Yes, pray tell, Dad, why are you glad I
brought up Charlie?”

“
Think, Nina.” He did that sweeping gesture
with his hand taking in specifically Max, and then his eyes locked
on me, his voice filled with obvious derision now. “Think about
what Charlie would say about
this
.”

I didn’t think, my mind was blank, my fury
so immense, I took two, long strides to him and slapped him with
all my might across his smoothly shaven cheek.

His head whipped to the side but suddenly I
found my wrists imprisoned, pulled down and crossed in front of me,
my back was pressed to Max and Max was pulling us both away.

“Out,” Max growled.

“You dare,” I whispered to my father over
Max’s growl.

“Get out,” Max repeated.

“Nina –” my father began, his hand to his
cheek, his face filled with shock.

“If Claire wasn’t such a good woman, I’d
wonder if Charlie was switched at birth and Charlie would have
wondered too,” I declared.

I watched my father’s eyes narrow. “He was
my son.”

“You forgot that when his legs were blown
off!” I shouted.

“Get out,” Max ordered. “Now, before I put
you out.”

Dad ignored Max and glared at me. “Charlie
would –”

But I interrupted him. “You have no
idea
what Charlie would or wouldn’t.
Charlie was good to the core. You have no
idea
what it means to be that way. Don’t you
dare
tell me what Charlie would
do.”

Dad opened his mouth to speak but Max got
there before him. “I’m not gonna say it again.”

At this threat, Dad looked over my shoulder
then back at me and he declared, “I’m staying at the hotel in town,
Nina. This isn’t done. We need to talk, calmly, if you can manage
that.”

Max let me go but pulled me back and stepped
around me, moving toward Dad. Dad’s glance shot toward him briefly
then he walked swiftly to the door.

He opened it, stopped in it and looked at
me. “I’ll be at the hotel.”

“Enjoy your stay,” I snapped nastily.

Dad’s gaze rested on me a moment, then he
walked out the door.

I didn’t watch him go, I stomped to the
kitchen. When I made it there I snatched up my phone from the
counter and hit the button to turn it on.

“Nina,” Max said from close and I knew he
was close because I felt his hand sliding along the small of my
back.

I didn’t look up, just lifted a hand, one
finger pointed skyward and with the other hand went to my contacts,
found Niles and hit the button to connect.

“Honey, don’t you think you should calm down
first?” Max suggested and I could feel the reassuring heat of his
body but I was focused on the fireplace across the room, staring at
it like I could ignite a fire in its grate with my eyes.

I didn’t answer Max. I didn’t want to calm
down. I wanted this to be done and to do it I wanted what I had to
say to be said.

I heard the phone ring once then twice and
on the third ring Niles answered.

“Hello.”

“Dad was just here.”

“Nina?”

Nina?
Was he mad?

“Yes, Nina!” I shouted into the phone. “What
other American would call, informing you with barely controlled,
therefore unmistakable fury that her father just paid her a
visit?”

“Listen, I can hear you’re perturbed but
–”

“
Yes, I’m
perturbed
, Niles, I’m very
perturbed
and if you tell me you have to go into a meeting,
I swear –”

“Not a meeting but I have a client waiting
–”

“
Whatever!” I yelled. “A client is not more
important than you listening to me, and Niles I want you, for once
in your life, to listen to me. We’re over. Do you
understand?
Over!
”

His astonishing reply: “We’ll talk when you
get home.”

I saw lights flashing in front of my eyes
but I still managed to snap, “Oh no we won’t. We’re never talking
again. Anything I left in your house you can give to a charity
shop.”

“Seriously, I want to talk about this, it’s
just that now’s not a good time.”

“
I know now’s not a good time,” I told him.
“Reason number two why we’re over. I’m not bloody important enough
for you to
take
the time to
listen to me. Reason number one, just in case you’re curious, is
that even when you do you don’t actually listen.”

“I listen.”

“Yes? If you listened then why did my father
fly to Colorado to have this morning’s infinitely loving father
daughter chat?”

“He’s just concerned that you’re not making
the right –”

“He’s not concerned about that, Niles. He’s
concerned about my access to your trust fund and the cachet he’ll
lose when he can’t link his family’s name to yours.”

“That isn’t fair.”

“
It’s not only fair, it’s bloody
true
.”

“You’ve always been too hard on him.”

My vision covered in shiny, sparkling,
white lights, I took the phone from my ear, looked at the ceiling
and screeched, “Oh my
God!
Why am I even
having
this conversation?”

Max’s fingers dug into my hip and he
murmured, “Honey.”

Again I didn’t answer Max. I just put the
phone back to my ear and said, “We’re over.”

“Who was that?” Niles asked but I didn’t
answer him either. I brought my phone down, touched the screen to
end the call then threw the phone on the counter with a
clatter.

“Nina, please, baby, look at me,” Max
entreated putting pressure on my waist but I yanked from his hold,
put my fingers to my engagement ring, tugged it off and then hurled
it with all my might across the room.

I heard the tinkling sound of its bumpy
landing but I simply picked up the phone again.

Max’s hand came to my wrist, circling it
with strong fingers and stopping my phone’s progress so I finally
looked at him. He looked a contradictory mixture of concerned and
amused.

“Duchess, I’m guessin’ he got the
message.”

“
You’d guess
wrong,
” I informed him. “Niles doesn’t pay much attention and
when he does he hears what he wants to hear. And anyway, I’m not
calling him, I’m calling my mother.”

Max gave me a look, squeezed my wrist and
then released it, muttering, “I’ll make coffee.”

“I’ll take mine with a shot of tequila,” I
snapped and watched him press his lips together and move away.

Then I touched and slid my finger on the
screen on my phone until I found Mom and then pressed to
connect.

She answered on the second ring. “You’re an
early bird today.”

“Dad was just here.”

There was complete silence.

Then a screeched, “
What?
”

“Yes. He. Was. Just. Here. Spreading his
goodwill and love all around Max’s entryway. It’s a wonder there
aren’t cherubs flying around sprinkling rose petals and rainbows
erupting through the windows, an aftermath of his delightful
visit.”

I heard the sink go off and then Max’s
chuckle.

I turned to glare at him. He grinned at me
then opened the top of the coffeemaker to pour the water in.

“What was he doing there?” Mom asked.

“Niles called him.”

“Why on earth would he do that?” Mom sounded
justifiably flabbergasted.

“I don’t know. Because he’s Niles?” I
sounded justifiably irate.

“That’s just… that’s… I don’t even know what
that is,” Mom stammered.

“It gets better.”

“Oh no.” Now she sounded anxious.

“Dad said he’s staying in town. He said,
‘this isn’t done’.”

“Oh no.” Now she sounded panicked.

“Oh yes.”

“
What are you going to
do?
” Now she sounded
hysterical.

“Well, the hotel is a pretty building, so
I’d rather not set explosives.” Max chuckled again and I glared at
him again while he flipped the lid down on the coffeemaker and then
touched the switch.

“So, with that not being an option, what are
you going to do?” Mom asked.

“Ignore him.”

“He’s hard to ignore.”

“
Yes, well, by a cruel twist of fate,
I
am
his daughter. Two can play at
stubborn.”

Mom was quiet then she said softly,
“Sweetie, I’m worried.”

“Why?”

“Because I got that picture.”

“What?”

“
The e-mail you sent,” she said. “You look
happy and he’s, Max… he’s… well, he’s
gorgeous.
” No doubt about it, she was right about that.
“And, sweetheart, he looks happy too.”

My anger took a hit and warmth started to
slide through me.

“Mom –”

“
I haven’t seen you look like that…” she
paused, “heck, I don’t think I’ve
ever
seen you look like that.”

“Mom –”

“I don’t want your Dad messing that up for
you.”

“But –”

“And he will. If he can, he’ll do it.”

“It’ll be okay.”

“You’re sure? Because I’m not so sure.”

“Mom, I really think I made my point this
morning.”

“How? Because when that man gets something
in his head –”

I was watching Max who’d taken down some
mugs and just spied the new sugar bowl. He was grinning at it as he
slid it toward him on the counter.

I was seeing this and I wasn’t seeing it.
This was because something had locked inside me, something
unpleasant and ugly.

“I struck him,” I whispered and Max’s head
came up and twisted toward me when he heard my tone.

“Sorry?” Mom asked in my ear but my eyes
connected with Max’s.

“I hit him,” I said more to Max than to
Mom.

“
You
hit
Lawrence?” Mom asked but I was staring at Max who took two
strides across the room to me as I dropped the hand with my phone
from my ear.

“I hit him, Max,” I whispered as his hands
came to my hips then slid around and he pulled my body into
his.