I hug him. “Thank you for being so understanding. I’ll take care of everything, Dad.”
“You’re the best daughter a father could have—just don’t tell your sisters,” he says. “You shouldn’t be sacrificing yourself for us.”
“It’s a job, and after this, I’m sure I’ll get something so much better you’ll be proud of me.”
“I’m already proud of everything you do, mija. And thankful because you sacrifice a lot for your mom and me.”
“It’s not a sacrifice. I’m happy to do it.”
“You should go home,” he reminds me as the grandfather clock announces its nine o’clock.
“Right. The car service is waiting for me, and I still have a few calls to make.”
“When are you leaving?” he asks.
“Not until you have the green light to travel,” I declare, as I’ve decided that’s my new condition to live in Baker’s Creek.
“What’s going to happen to your place in the city?” Dad asks.
“It’s still mine, at least while I keep my employment with Merkel hotels.”
He stares at me and shakes his head. “You should let us take care of you. Everything you’re doing isn’t right. I only hear you talk about work. When do you have time for yourself?”
“I have plenty of time, and now that I’m going to live in that small town, I’ll have my friends close by.”
It’s not like I don’t have friends in the city. We are just not close anymore. Most of them are either dating, engaged, or already married. Hanging out with couples only reminds me of what I’m missing.
Once I’m in the car, I call Henry.
“Sophia, are you okay?” he asks concerned.
Instead of answering his question, I tell him what I’m doing, “The doctor needs to run some tests before he agrees to let Mom travel. If I can set everything up, they’ll start tomorrow, but Dr. Carmona doesn’t think she can travel right away. I’ll be there once I have the guarantee that they’ll be visiting me often.”
“When is that?”
“A week or two,” I tell him. “In the meantime, we can set up interviews to choose a new vice president of operations. I have a few people in mind, as long as you’re open to sponsor work visas and listen to my ideas.”
He lets out a loud exhale. “I need you tomorrow.”
“No.”
“Sophia,” he says my name and it’s almost a whisper. “It’s been almost a week. You left without saying goodbye. You have to be here tomorrow.”
“My father is thinking about moving to South Carolina,” I mention. “The properties are cheaper and so is the cost of living. Maybe I can find a job that pays good enough for the area. The benefits wouldn’t matter since everyone can pitch in.”
I cross my fingers hoping he’ll take the bait. If I see him tomorrow, I’m going to punch him—or kiss him—and I shouldn’t be doing either of those things.
“You can’t be serious,” he states.
Of course I’m bluffing because we have the debt. We still owe twenty years of mortgage payments, and I doubt there’s a suitable job for me that will let me help my parents.
“I need more time.” It’s all I say, hoping he doesn’t ask me why because I might be honest with him.
What is the point of bringing up Saturday night when it’s obvious he doesn’t care about it while I have the kiss replaying inside my head over and over again.
“How long?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I answer.
“Ten days,” he says, almost growling, but not with anger. It’s more like with misery. “I don’t give a fuck if your parents can visit or not. You need to be here by then. You have the rest of this week and next one to get used to the idea that you’re moving to Baker’s Creek. We’re working with a public relations company. I’ll have them contact you tomorrow so you can follow up on the press release and my plan of action.”
“Thank you for understanding,” I say, instead of asking about this so-called plan of action. I just pray he doesn’t do anything stupid.
“I’m disappointed,” he says, and his voice pains me. “However, I’m trying to give you the space and time. If you have any expenses, use the card you received today.”
This weird calm makes me wonder what’s on his mind. I frown and stop to think what’s his end plan. He’s never this composed.
“Why the sudden change, Mr. Aldridge?” I ask suspiciously.
“There’s no change, Sophia,” he responds. “I realize that I scared you on Saturday. If staying away for a few more days is what you need, take them. I could easily arrange for your mother to get those tests done by tomorrow and get an answer sooner, but it’s not about her. It’s about you. Just know, you’re coming home to a desperate man. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to control myself. Call me tomorrow when you’re ready to work.”
Henry
The sunset is starting to dip behind the horizon. Oranges, purples, and crimson spread into the grateful sky reflecting on the lake. It’s a nice evening to stay out and avoid my brothers and their significant others.
Sophia is like family, and since I pissed her off, not only Blaire and Leyla are upset, but my brothers too. Instead of going inside to hang out with them, I stay by the fire pit we built a couple of weeks ago and start the fire.
I’m tempted to text Sophia to see if she’s already at the penthouse. A few minutes before she called me, Julian, her driver, told me they were at her parents’ house and he was just driving her back home. That’s an odd time to visit them. She’s usually there at the crack of dawn. I haven’t received a text from him to confirm that she’s safe at home. As I’m typing the message, I receive one from Hayes.
Hayes: Where are you?
Henry: Outside. I started a fire.
Hayes: I’ll be right there.
“I never thought you would upset everyone at the same time,” Hayes says as he approaches me, carrying a six pack.
“You’re not angry?”
He shrugs and offers me a beer. “I see the situation from your perspective, and it makes sense,” he says calmly as he takes a seat. “It’s wrong. However, in your head it is a perfectly executed plan. Cyril and William would be so proud of you.”
“Thank you. That makes me feel so fuzzy and warm on the inside,” I growl at him. “Any man would love to have the seal of approval from those tyrants.”
“Henry, are you aware that you’re forcing her to move, just like William did with us?”
“It’s not like that,” I defend myself.
“How is it not like that?”
I drink from my bottle and turn to look at him, nodding. He looks at me expectantly. It’d be best if I just shut him down, but Hayes has become more than my obnoxious nerdy brother. He’s my friend.
“She’s my best asset,” I explain, and he gives me an unamused glare. I continue because there’s more than just that fact. “No one knows the company better than she does. However, Merkel isn’t her passion. Why would I want to have her take my place when she can create an empire with Aldry’s Sweets? I’ve never seen her so excited about a project. The day I showed her what I brought from the factory… Her face illuminated as she told me everything that she could change. I knew it was for her. Also, I understood two things. One, it’s her project, and two, Merkel is not her future.”