“Do you hear yourself? You moved to England. You’re the reason he had less time with us.”
“I knew no one in the States. I was a single mother—”
“God, Mum, stop. I know the whole story. I know he was willing to give up hockey for you.”
Her mum’s features froze.
“He did everything he could to make you happy.” She pulled in a shaky breath. “Even letting me go. What you did to us—”
“Oh, I see. Now you’re on his side? The two of you are ganging up against me?”
“He’s dead, Mum. The threat’s gone. You stole my chance to know my own father.” Her breath hitched. It hurt too much. And then Declan was there, prying open her fist, clasping their fingers, and kissing the back of her hand. Knowing he was there gave her the courage to finish the conversation. “Mum, I know what you did. I know all of it now.”
Chapter Seventeen
Fear gripped her mum’s features.
“You and Andrew would never have gone to Disneyland on your own. You certainly wouldn’t have honeymooned there. You manipulated the situation so I would throw a fit and refuse to go visit my father.”
Even while the color drained from her face, her mum still held her chin up. “You think I’m evil. You think I had some selfish, ulterior motive. But I know what it’s like to have a father not want to know me. I know what it’s like to ride a bike past his house and see his other children playing on the lawn. That’s a pain I wanted to spare you. I didn’t want you to go through life waiting for Kurt to call, for a birthday present that never came. I didn’t want you to know what it felt like to have two different bedrooms, to leave your friends behind so you could spend the holiday with a father you barely knew and a stepmother who didn’t want you around.”
Sorrow bled into her anger, diluting it. For the first time, Phinny understood why her mum had merged them completely into Andrew’s family. Why she’d barely known her maternal grandparents.
“You can hate me all you want, but Kurt was never going to give you the kind of family Andrew did. If you’d kept up those summers with him, you’d have spent more time with a nanny than your own father. I did what I had to do because you were my world. I wanted your happiness.”
“I believe you were doing what you thought was best for me, and I appreciate the family you gave me. But I can’t forgive you for all the years I believed my dad didn’t love me. I can’t forgive you for it because he’s gone now, and I’ll never have the chance to know him. Now, I have to go. I have work to do.”
“Well, wait a moment before you ring off. I’m calling about the auction.” Her mum looked anxious and flustered. “We’ve got our first meeting about the ball this Wednesday. Would you like me to speak with Helena about hiring you?”
Oh, now she offered to help? “I wish you’d done it when I’d asked you, but now I don’t want your help.”
“Why? Have you heard from her?”
An idea sprang to life. “No, but my life doesn’t hinge on that job anymore.” The sun burned the top of her thigh, and as utterly frightening as it was to have such big thoughts, nothing had ever felt more right.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’ve got an idea for a business.” Saying the words out loud had her pulse racing.
“What business?”
“I’m going to start a store selling locally-sourced products.”
“In Kentish Town?” Her mum appeared completely baffled.
“No, in Calamity.”
“You can’t stay in Calamity. You must come back here. To London. To your family.”
Phinny didn’t dare look at Declan. She wasn’t ready to see his reaction, to know if he liked the idea of her staying or was freaking out about his summer fling latching onto him like a barnacle. “I can do whatever I want. And that includes going into town without make-up and straightening my hair. I’m free here, Mum. I don’t have to dance around to make sure my new daddy loves me. It’s quite liberating.” With her thumb, she disconnected. She’d never spoken to her mum like that. And in the ten months she’d been waiting tables, wondering what path to take next, she’d never once considered launching a business.
As people walked by and windchimes from the yoga studio tinkled, Phinny sat still, letting it all sink in.
She’d told her mother off.
She’d announced her intentions of starting a business.
Whoa. She let out a shaky breath. Slowly, her body cooled down.
“You okay?” That voice. Rough and deep and so full of concern.
She looked down at their joined hands. “Honestly? It feels like a wild roller coaster ride just came to a jolting stop.”
“You sure told her what’s-what.” His teasing tone made her smile.
“I sure did.” She unbuckled and swung her jittery legs out of the Jeep.
Meeting her on the sidewalk, he pointed to a funky-looking building next to the yoga studio. “That’s the Reliquary Museum.”
Covered in street and animal crossing signs, the building was small, the glass so old it seemed to be melting. So, this is it. “It’s not what I expected at all. It’s very cool. They’ve got wonky hours, so I called and talked to the curator. She’s sending someone to meet me here next Monday after the festival.”
He caught her hand and towed her into the alley. Sandwiched between two old brick buildings, the air was cooler, and he pushed her up against the wall.
She threaded her hands through his silky hair. “Hi.” His cock pressed against her stomach. “You seem happy to see me.”
“I’m always happy to see you.” He thumbed her bottom lip. “I’ve seen this mouth wrapped around my cock, remember?”
“Declan.” She glanced in either direction to make sure no one was around. “Tell me more.”
“Listening to you talk to your mom…”
“Made you hot?”
“Made me like you even more.”
“Even more? How much did you like me before?”
“A whole fuck of a lot. After everything you’ve found out these past three weeks, you could’ve gone off on her. You could’ve ripped her a new asshole. But you didn’t. You spoke your truth, but you didn’t try to hurt her. You’re a good person, Seraphina Crutchley. And I’m so damn glad you’re going to stay here.”
Relief nearly took out her knees. “I wasn’t sure what you’d think.”
“If there’s one thing you can be sure of, it’s that I want to be with you.” He brushed the hair off her shoulders.
“But what…” Her pulse spiked, and her palms went clammy. “Forgetting about the competition, what would that look like?” The possibility of a real relationship with him was as thrilling as it was terrifying.
“I’d take my share of the Renegades, and you’d open that business.”
“The one I told my mum about?”
“Yeah, it’s a great idea. Weren’t you serious?”
“I am. I think it’s brilliant, but I’m not a businesswoman.”