“That’s indecent. That’s…shameful.” Her mum breathed heavily into the receiver. “I will never forgive him for treating his own child this way.” Her stepfather must’ve come onto the terrace because her mum’s voice grew muffled as she replayed the news. Phinny could hear Andrew murmuring in a soothing but firm voice.
Since she was the one living it, she really didn’t want to deal with her parents’ reactions. “Mum? Can you please talk to me?”
But her mum only grew more upset, and her stepfather worked harder to calm her down.
Anxiety tapped a heavy beat on her nerves, fraying them to the breaking point. She just couldn’t take it anymore. “Mother!”
“I’m here. I’m just horrified your own father could treat you in such a manner. It’s wrong—”
“Stop. I’m the one who has to quit my job and give up my room.” It made no sense to keep the house-share now that her parents were loaning her money. “And I’m not there to move out of it. I only brought enough clothes for a long weekend because I had no idea I’d need to stay so long. So, instead of outrage at what your ex-husband did, can you please talk to me?” Emotion she’d fought for days finally bubbled to the surface. “I haven’t showered since I left yesterday morning. The only money in my checking account is for July’s rent and utilities. I’m living in an RV that has no electricity or running water, and I’ve spent the entire day shoveling horse shit, feeding pigs rotted kitchen scraps, and chasing a dog out of a chicken coop. I smell, I’m tired, and I’m scared to death.”
“Oh, darling, I’m so sorry. Your father says not to worry one bit about the flat. He’s going to send Richard there this afternoon to pack up your belongings. We’ll take your furniture out to the country.”
“Thank you so much. You’ve no idea what a weight that is off my shoulders. Mum, I’m absolutely knackered. Being here brings up all the old feelings of rejection. I know everything he did wrong to us, but he was still my biological father and…he’s gone. Forever. And I guess there was some small hope inside me that one day he’d…want to know me.” The words rushed out, easing the crowded space in her mind. “That maybe he couldn’t relate to a six-year-old girl, but once I’d grown, he’d want to spend time with me again.”
“I felt the same way. After I moved back to London, I thought he’d come after me. I thought he’d miss me, miss us, enough to change. I used to fantasize about him showing up and begging us to come home.”
“But he never did.” Phinny said it flatly because she’d heard the story so many times. But now that she stood on his land and sat on his couch, she wanted more information, more details. She wanted to talk to people who knew him.
“No, of course not. Hockey was more important to him than anything.”
Phinny played with the faucet, flicking it on and off. Of course, nothing came out. “Well, I’m going to win that contest and sell the ranch, and then I’ll never have to eat another packet of ramen again because I’ve run out of money for the month.”
“I will remind you that’s your choice. You don’t have to live like this.”
“You mean I can still marry Cameron, and you’ll give me back my credit card?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” her mum said. “You never did understand. It’s never been about a credit card. It’s about your total lack of understanding about how the real world works. Your choice to humiliate Cameron had a social and economic cost to your family. And the cost to you…it’s more than I can bear.”
Shaky, she sat down on the banquette. “What does that even mean?”
“Seraphina, you work in a diner. You live in Kentish Town. For God’s sake, you’ve removed yourself from polite society and as long as you stay there, your future will be with truck drivers and green grocers and not the people who run this country.”
She ran her palms on the smooth, yellowed surface of the table. “I didn’t love Cameron. I couldn’t marry him.”
“Then you shouldn’t have led him on. Intended or not, you’ve disrespected him and his family, and that has created a frightening scenario where your father’s business might lose its largest and most important client and make us persona non grata among our friends.”
“It’s been nearly a year. Surely, they’ve gotten over it.”
“The only thing that’s happened in that time is you’ve been left behind. Verity’s marrying a baron, and Allegra’s pregnant with her first child.”
Oh. She nearly doubled over with the blow. Not because she wanted to be married and having a baby but because these were once her closest friends, and she hadn’t known about any of it.
It hurt to talk to her mum. She needed to wrap up the call. “Well, if you wouldn’t mind putting some money in my account, I’d appreciate it. I don’t need a lot. Just enough so I can eat, buy some clothes and shampoo...well, actually, according to the terms of the will, I have to live and work on the ranch, so I’ll need a generator.” The Airstream would be fine once it had electricity and running water. “I really don’t know how much all that will cost, but if you could loan me ten grand, I’ll pay you back in a month.”
“I’m afraid we can’t do that.”
“You…” What? “Why not?”
“When I agreed to loan you money, you hadn’t mentioned the contest.”
Phinny didn’t know how much more she could take. “I don’t understand. I just told you I’m inheriting hundreds of millions of dollars.”
“You might be. But since you know so little about Kurt, there’s no guarantee you’ll win.”
“So, you’ll tell me everything you know. How hard can it be?”
“Your father left when you were three. You stopped visiting him in America when you were six. And that hockey player you’re competing against knew him as an adult. I should think he’s got more insights into Kurt than you. I’m sorry, darling, but there’s nothing to loan against. I’m sure you understand.”
* * *
Long after the call ended, Phinny stared out the window. A low current of anxiety ran through her body. She didn’t deserve this.
I’m a good person.
I work hard.
I don’t lie or cheat or steal.
Had her parents cut her off gradually, it might have been easier. But to punish her for not marrying a man she didn’t love, to kick her out of the apartment before she’d had time to save enough for first and last month’s rent, had been cruel.
She’d begged them to reconsider, but they hadn’t believed she’d take it seriously if they’d given her more time. They were probably right. She’d have been certain they’d forget or change their minds.
Outside, the ranch was a hive of activity. A couple of cowboys worked an unbridled horse in the ring. A truck drove past, its engine knocking and rumbling.
Declan came out of the house, all clean and powerful and broodingly handsome. With his scruff and tattoos, he looked like a brawler, and yet he had an athletic grace about him that spoke of massive discipline. No doubt he worked relentlessly hard to hone those muscles.