He wasn’t saying who had made all those decisions, whether some of them had been Celestine’s. Was he still trying to protect her from my dislike? The Spark knew that ship had sailed ages ago.
But we could have that conversation another time. Right now I was more concerned with what he did next.
“Then maybe you can admit that we owe Gabriel a hand up?” I said. “I think he needs it. From what he said, he’s been traveling around a lot, and now he’s just crashing on a friend’s couch. He still sees this town as home, but it’s not like there are tons of jobs in a place this small.”
To my surprise, Dad followed my train of thought immediately. He gave me an evaluating look, but his voice was calm. “You’re suggesting I offer him work.”
I spread my hands. “I thought maybe he could take a look at the old Cadillac you’ve always been saying you’d like to get running again. He learned a lot from his dad, you know.Ifhe wants to work for us again. I didn’t say anything about that to him without talking to you first, of course.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Dad said. I still couldn’t quite read his tone. I tucked my hands behind my back, my fingers poised to form a quick magicking. Just an impression of positive feeling to relax him if he started to look worried about my personal investment in Gabriel. It was a spell I’d been taught for use if someone was injured or with a child having a tantrum, but it could work for a case like this too. Because I wasn’t done yet.
“I noticed the current garage manager isn’t using the apartment up top,” I barreled on. “Matt goes back to his house in town at the end of the day. It might be good to have a driver on the premises overnight—we didn’t need that in the city, but out here in the country…”
Dad let out a bark of a sound. I tensed up before I realized it was a laugh. “You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you, lamb?” he said, an amused gleam coming into his eyes. “Are you sure he’ll appreciate the offer? I remember what he was like as a boy. I got the impression he had a fair bit of pride.”
He was considering it. He didn’t sound concerned at all. Maybe I was the one who needed that calming spell.
I let out a slow breath and smiled without having to force it. “It can’t hurt to ask. And to make all the necessary apologies at the same time?”
Dad’s good humor dimmed. “Yes,” he said. “There’s that. All right. You find out how I can best reach out to him, and he and I will have a talk. I have been wanting to get that damned Cadillac running again.”
I couldn’t have asked for that to go better. “I will,” I said. “Thank you.”
I turned to go, but Dad’s voice stopped me.
“Rose.”
I glanced back. “Yes?”
He gave me a smile that looked a little sad. “I don’t think I need to remind you of this, but I’d feel remiss if I didn’t. You know it’s better if you and Gabriel don’t renew your friendship. Strictly professional is always the best policy with the unsparked. It simply makes our lives—and theirs—so much less complicated.”
My pulse hiccupped. So he still felt that way even now, did he?
When I was twenty-five, when I could claim this estate as mine with more authority than Dad, he couldn’t stop me from associating with whoever I liked. But for now, I didn’t want to challenge him too overtly. He could retract the job offer, fire Gabriel if he thought we were acting too close later on. I had a couple of months to change his mind, and if he wasn’t seeing things differently by my birthday, it wouldn’t matter anymore.
I bobbed my head, keeping my expression as mild as I could. “I know, Dad.”
My jaw tightened as I stepped out of the office. One small victory, but I still had so much farther to go. If he’d had any idea just how complicated and intertwined with unsparked guys my life had already become…
The last guy I wanted intertwined in my life chose that moment to enter the hall. Derek glanced me over and ambled closer.
“Worried about your stepmother?” he said.
Ha. I just wouldn’t answer that question. “No one knows where she is,” I said.
He touched my side, with a sly smile that made my skin crawl. “While there isn’t anything we can do… perhaps we could find some way to distract you.”
My spine stiffened. Oh, no. I might not be ready to tell Dad what I knew about my former fiancé, but there was no reason I had to play along when Dad wasn’t watching.
I pulled away from Derek’s touch, letting my tone go frigid. “No, thank you. I’d prefer to turn to my books for that.”
Derek blinked. He opened his mouth, but I was already striding into my bedroom.
My heart thumped as I closed the door behind me. I didn’t really want to be in here. Not with all these people I couldn’t really talk to, couldn’t really trust.
Swallowing thickly, I pulled the prepaid phone Kyler had gotten for me a few weeks ago out from its hiding spot behind the loose baseboard on one of my built-in bookcases. For a moment, I just sat there in the armchair I usually used for reading, gazing at it blankly.
“Are you not sure what to say?” Philomena asked, leaning over the chair.