“I know enough,” he said. “I did my research. I know he’s divorced and that you represented his wife, that he cheated on her. That he threw a tantrum in court.”
“The tantrum was justified, and he didn’t cheat.”
“Right. I’m sure that’s what he told you. I also know he has a DUI, a stint in rehab, and a juvenile record. His parents are career criminals, and he declared bankruptcy after the divorce,” her father said, rattling off his list like he was proud of it. “And I’ve been around long enough to know that a smart, successful, wealthy attorney who’s still single in her thirties is a prime target for someone like him.”
Rebecca’s fingernails dug into her arms. “Right. We’re ripe for the picking, us thirty-one-year-old spinsters. We just want our princes to come and save us from it all.”
“That’s not—”
“Yes it is,” she said. “You say I’m smart, but you must not believe that. You must think I’m some desperate, pitiful thing who can be tricked because she’s so needy for some male attention. Come on, Dad, are you listening to yourself?”
“Smart people can be stupid when it comes to relationships,” he barked. “Believe me, I know. I married your mother.”
“I am not being stupid,” Rebecca said, her voice carrying across the room and ricocheting off the wall of windows. “I’m not desperate for attention. Getting a guy in bed is really not that hard.”
He cringed.
“I don’t need a man. I wasn’t looking for one. But I met Wes, and yeah, on paper, all that stuff in his past looks awful. But that paper doesn’t list all the other things. Like how he’s overcome a terrible childhood and has a loving adopted family now. Or how he came out of addiction and has
rebuilt a new career at the school, helping kids who are struggling. You don’t know that when I was being mugged, he ran up to intervene, to help a stranger, with no hesitation even though it put him in danger. He is a good man. He is going to be part of my life. And if you don’t want to be anymore because of that, then I guess that’s your choice. But know that it’s not mine. You are creating this rift. Not me.”
“I want what’s best for you. I want the best for you,” he said, some of the edge leaving his tone, earnestness replacing it.
“No,” she said, a pang of sadness moving through her. “You want what you think is best for me. Those are two different things. Like keeping Mom out of my life. I’m sure you thought that was best, but it left me without a mother. Maybe she wasn’t the greatest—yes, she made bad choices—but she was the only one I had. If you hadn’t sent her away, maybe I would’ve had someone to call when I needed a woman’s advice. Maybe I wouldn’t have felt so alone all the time or like I was someone who was easy to abandon.”
Her father’s Adam’s apple bobbed, something pained moving over his features. “Rebecca…”
“I know you’ve done what you thought was best for me in my life. I know you love me. And you did give me so much. I love working in law. I love that you taught me to be independent and tough and driven.” She put her hand to her chest. “So much of who I am is because I had you in my corner. Mom left. Even if she wanted to come back, she left in the first place. You stayed. You did the hard stuff,” she said, the words spilling out of her like hot tears. “But that doesn’t mean there weren’t holes and gaps. It doesn’t mean you always did the best thing. It doesn’t mean that you’re not seeing things through warped glass.
“Right now, you are not doing what’s best for me,” she said emphatically. “You are about to cut me off from the only family I have. You are about to take away my father. Simply because I love someone and want to see how that goes and because I want to take a case that means something to me. You are about to lose me, Dad.” Her voice caught in her throat, and she had to take a breath. “Is that all I’m worth? The cost of being right?”
Her father’s eyes were locked on her, and to her astonishment, they began to shine in the fluorescent lights of her office. He pulled his hand from his pocket and swiped a hand down his face as if trying to erase what he’d revealed. “Rebecca, I don’t want to lose you. You’re my daughter. You’re what gets me up in the morning. You have been since the day you were born.”
Rebecca’s chest tightened, and the inside of her nose burned.
“But this… It’s so hard to watch,” he said, eyes going liquid again. “You have this path that will lead you to so much, a partnership, a stable career. This firm is supposed to be yours one day. You have a legacy that you’ve earned. I don’t want you to throw it away for a man. Or for some punk kid who needs to be in jail.”
Rebecca took a deep breath and stepped forward. She reached out and took her dad’s hands in hers, giving them a squeeze. “Dad, I hear what you’re saying. I know you’re worried about me. But you have to let me mess up. I don’t think I’m making a mistake on either of these decisions, but if I am, so what? You’ve raised me to be tough enough to handle the falls. And I know we are on different sides of the fence on the issue with Steven’s case, but that’s okay.
“Tell the press we have different political views on that matter. Tell them whatever you want. I’ve already told the truth about what happened with Trevor to a friend who’s going to use it in her research, so it’s not a secret anymore. But you’ve got to let me do my own thing. You have to let me try. And hey,” she said, lightening her tone, “if I fail, think of all the I told you so’s you’ll get to throw my way. It will be like hitting the fatherly lottery.”
He scoffed at that, but a hint of a smile touched the corners of his lips.
“Please don’t make this an ultimatum, Dad,” she said softly as she let go of his hands. “We don’t always agree because you raised me to be headstrong. Don’t punish me for being like you.”
He lifted his eyes at that and let out a sigh, rubbing the lines on his forehead. “Someone taught you how to argue a point.”
She arched a brow. “Uh-huh. Wonder who that could be.”
“I still think you’re making a mistake.”
She could hear the shift in his tone, the white flag. She gave him a little smile. “Noted.”
“And I can’t have the firm associated with that kid’s case,” he said gruffly. “My campaign…”
“I know. That’s okay. I think striking out on my own may be good for both of us. Give us some breathing room.” She gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Maybe give us a chance to practice a father-daughter relationship instead of a boss-employee one.”
He smirked. “I guess that wouldn’t be terrible, even though I do love being the boss. Being your dad is better.”