My father nodded as if that satisfied him. He really didn't think I should go and do my MA. I was surprised but I expect he thought I should have been married to his former attorney instead of dating a bicycle courier and working for free.
Yes, he'd fired Jerkface, but I knew he really still wished we were together. Maybe even that I should forgive him his indiscretion.
Not on your life.
"Did you hear that Josh was in an accident and his brother was injured?" Sharon said before we left her office. Of course, I felt extremely awkward about her mentioning Josh. My father's ears pricked up at the mention of his name.
"Really?" I said, trying to sound surprised. "That's terrible."
"Yes, it is. We're lucky that Josh wasn't injured. Just a bit scraped up but he's fine. His brother broke some bones. I guess their friend is not going to make it." She shook her head and clucked her tongue.
"Joshua Macintyre?" my father said, stepping closer to Sharon's desk.
"Yes," Sharon said. "Do you know him?"
"I knew his father," my father replied dryly.
"Were you friends? You must have been surprised to learn of his death."
"Not really friends," my father said, and his tone indicated he didn't feel bad at all. "His news station did some hit pieces on my business partner years back. We had a history, shall we say." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.
I could tell Sharon got the picture that my father didn't like Joshua Macintyre Sr.
She nodded and smiled nervously.
"Nice to meet you," my mother said, pulling my father away. "I'm glad to know Ella is doing well as an editorial assistant. She was really excited to get the position." She gave Sharon a big smile.
"Nice to meet you, too," Sharon said.
I managed to push my parents out of Sharon's office and gave her a meaningful look as I closed her door. "I'll talk to you later."
She nodded, and I herded my parents back to the elevator, glad that we had to leave for our lunch date.
"Have you met Macintyre?" my father asked, turning to me, his arms crossed. I could tell he was spoiling for a fight at the mere thought I worked for his arch nemesis's son.
"Yes, but he's now the CEO of MBS and he doesn't have much to do with publishing. He hired someone to manage it for him from what I understand. Last I heard was that he bought The Chronicle and is trying to revitalize it."
"What's he like, dear?" my mother asked. "He's handsome, from his picture. His father was quite the looker when he was younger."
"He's attractive, I guess," I said in as nonchalant a way as I could manage.
"He's ex-Army, or so I read," my father said, adjusting his tie and checking himself out in the reflection in the mirrored
walls of the elevator.
"Really?" I said, pretending that I had no idea about Josh's past.
My mother reached over and lad her hand on my arm. "Next time we're in town, we'll have to get together with you and Keith. Have dinner together."
"If we're still seeing each other," I said with a nervous laugh.
"He's cute," she replied and gave me a wink. "I'm glad to see that you're making new friends. I was afraid you'd be lonely all by yourself, what with Steph staying in Concord and you and Derek breaking up. You're on the rebound, so keep that in mind when you're dating." She nodded meaningfully.
"I know, Mom," I said and gave her arm a squeeze. "I'll be extra careful not to get involved with anyone too soon."
"Speaking of Derek," my mother said, her eyes wide. "Did you know that he broke up with that piece of trash he had the affair with? Bambi or whatever her name was?"
"Bunni," I said derisively. "With an 'i'."