So, I decided to call Dad.
“What?” he asked as he answered the phone.
I giggled. “Having a good morning, I see.”
He grumbled. “Hey there, El.”
“Hey, Dad. How are you feeling?”
“Fine. How’s the apartment?”
Guilt swarmed my gut. I didn’t want to lie to my dad, but I also didn’t want to tell him the truth. I knew someone would die by his hands if I did. I just didn’t know if it would be that stalker guy or Bart. And I didn’t want him to hurt Bart.
“I’m actually spending some time with Willow and Bryce,” I said.
“Oh? Everything all right?”
I shrugged. “Yeah, they’re good. I mean, they just need some help. Bryce is working more than ever on some refinery project or whatever, and Sadie is too pregnant to help out anymore.”
“How’s she feeling?”
I blinked. “Willow or Sadie?”
“Both, I guess.”
I smiled. “Willow’s overwhelmed and missing Bryce, but good. Sadie’s ready for her pregnancy to be over, though.”
“She still sick a lot?”
I sat down on the couch. “I don’t think she threw up yesterday, but she’s just picking at food for now.”
“So, probably trying to avoid throwing up.”
“Probably.”
“They know what the twins are yet? Or are they being weird and making it a surprise?”
I giggled. “A few days ago, Sadie finally forced Will to give in.”
He chuckled. “Let me guess. Two boys?”
I blinked. “How did you know?”
“Women are always sick as hell with boys.”
“Like you’d know.”
He clicked his tongue. “So, when you gonna stop lying?”
I froze. “What?”
“There’s something you ain’t tellin’ me. What’s going on?”
I sighed. “Dad, it really is okay.”
“Luna, you’re my daughter. I know when you’re withholding something. Now, tell me what’s going on.”
“I’m handling it. I swear, it’s okay.”
His voice lowered. “I ain’t gonna ask you again.”
I stood to my feet. “And while I’m still your daughter, I’m also an adult. So, you need to trust me when I tell you that I have it under control.”
Silence fell over the phone before I heard Dad draw in a curt breath. “I’m here if ya need anything. Okay?”
I blinked. “Yeah, I know.”
“Good. And call more often.”
I smiled softly. “Can do.”
“Love you.”
“Lo—love you, too, Dad.”
He chuckled. “Sure about that?”
I smiled. “It’s the one thing I’ll always be sure of.”
“All right. Talk soon.”
“Yeah. Talk soon.”
I hung up the phone before the front door inched open, and through the slat of the door, I saw Bart’s twinkling eyes.
“Sorry, didn’t want to interrupt,” he said.
I waved him in. “No worries. I understand.”
He came and sat beside me on the couch. “We have a lot to get done in a small span of time. So, we’ll be working in overdrive for a few days.”
I cracked my knuckles. “Ready when you are.”
Bart had been off the past few days, but once I did some digging into the documents he wanted me to read over and the phone calls I placed on his behalf, I quickly figured out what was happening. The headquarters was coming along splendidly, but the buildings we had picked out for the refinery had already been sold off to the highest bidder. My heart went out to him. Bart seemed more stressed than I’d ever seen him before. But, I also knew what all of this might mean.
He’ll have to go back to Houston.
Bart typed at lightning speed. “I’m moving the video conference you just scheduled back a day. I’ll need that time to go look at some places along the coast.”
I nodded. “I just got your meeting with the bank scheduled. It’s next Monday at nine.”
“Perfect. For how long?”
“Slated for an hour, but they said they’d block off two hours just in case you guys needed it.”
He continued typing away. “Perfect. We’re probably going to need every bit of those two hours.”
After scheduling meetings and setting up his schedule for the next month, the last thing I did was schedule his flight out in the morning. He was adamant about flying back and forth instead of driving, and while I didn’t ask why, I was curious.
Was he trying to make it seem like he was going to come back?
Stop giving yourself hope, Luna.
“Can I ask you something?”
I nodded when Bart’s voice pulled me from the recesses of my mind. “Sure. What’s up?”
He chuckled. “Can you look at me for a second?”
I leaned closer to my laptop. “Just one more… thing… and… got it! Submitted.” I turned to face him and found a solemn look on his face. “Everything okay?” I asked.
He rubbed the nape of his neck. “So, I’ve been thinking.”
Uh oh. “About what?”
“About you, and us, and this job you’ve taken so well to.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. “It’s a great job. I’m very thankful for it.”
He grinned. “I know. And I could really—”
I felt myself slipping and falling into the beautiful pools of his adoring eyes. “Yes?”
He clicked his tongue. “Come to Houston with me. Help me there. As a team? We could knock this shit out in two, three weeks.”
I felt my stomach drop to the floor. “Oh.”
He blinked. “Oh?”
I cleared my throat. “I mean, no. No, I—I can’t do that.”
He took my hand. “Luna, you are so efficient. You make this entire process damn near seamless. I could really use you on that end.”
I slid my hand away from him. “You know I can’t go, Bart. I have to stay here in case something happens to Dad. I’m all he’s got. You know this.”
“I could hire some in-home care for him while you’re gone.”
I shook my head. “It’s not going to be the same. He’s weird about strangers.”
He chuckled. “The man’s sixty-two years old. I’m sure he’s just fine with strangers. Especially if I hire a nice-looking nurse for him.”
I scoffed. “Contrary to what most people think about my father, he’s got a few better morals than that.”
He paused. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. It was only supposed to be a joke.”
I stood to my feet. “Well, it wasn’t a very funny joke.”
I folded my arms over my chest and walked over to the window. I gazed out over the rolling pastures, watching as their beautiful horses galloped and frolicked and rolled around in the grass. They seemed so carefree and happy. Like their lives were completely worry-free.
Lucky them.
Bart’s voice sounded behind me. “Will you at least help me from here, then?”