The bell above the door dings, and I slap on a reassuring smile for whoever needs our services.
My father. Shit.
How did he find out I was here? My hands shake as I slam them down on the counter. He’ll smell weakness a mile away.Stop. You’re a grown woman with an undergraduate degree under your belt. You’re not a four-year-old. You’ve got this.
“Hello, father.”
“Daisy.” His jaw flexes as he lets the door crash shut behind him. “We need to talk. In private.”
“Yes. Okay.” I swallow over the lump in my throat.
“Daisy.” Melissa grabs my upper arms. “I can stay if you need me to.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’ll be fine. If you could take the front door, I’d appreciate it.”
“Absolutely.”
Fear and worry seep through me. This is not going to be a pleasant conversation. “Thank you.” I squeeze her shoulder. “I’ll be fine.”
“Okay.”
I lead the way to the office. After I step inside, my father slams the door shut, crosses his arms over his chest, and glares like a bull prepping for a red cape to be swooshed in front of his face. If he had a nose ring, he’d fit the part.
“I told you years ago to quit working here. It’s a distraction. You need to focus on your studies and your future. Not slumming it down here with the dredge of society.”
“Father.” My nostrils flare as my hands ball into fists. “That’s enough about our clients. Just because they haven’t been graced with silver spoons in their mouths is no reason to talk ill of them.”
“That’s bullshit.” He shakes his head in disgust. “You weren’t raised to hang out in the shady part of town.” He waves his hand around the room. “But that’s not what I’m down here for. I’m here because you didn’t answer your text.”
“I was busy and didn’t see that you texted.”
“Yes. Apparently.” His tone is full of condescension. Enough to cloak the room and drown everyone. “You’re so busy that you forgot to submit your interview paperwork.”
“No, I didn’t.” I march over to the computer and pull up my emails. “It’s right….” I scan through everything. Nothing. No sent emails to the interview panel. Where did it go? It was night Alexander was here. I was….
A new client came right as I submitted the paperwork. I click on the draft emails. There it is. Filled out and ready to go. But I never hit send.
Shit. I fucked up.I inhale. Roll my shoulders and straighten.
“Don’t worry about it,” he growls, making the vibration radiate off the walls. “I took care of it, but you’re done here. You can’t be here and focus on what’s important. You need to–”
“You’re right.” I nod. “I’ve not focused on medical school as I should. But I’m not walking out tonight. I’ll finish out the week.”
I need to do the right thing. The responsible thing. Keeping one foot on either side of the fence won’t help me any. Melissa keeps hoping I’ll change my mind and apply for the program director position, and I can’t. It’s not fair to string her along.
“I want you to live up to your potential. I’m nearing retirement, and I want to keep it in the family. You know I would have loved a son to hand off my legacy to, and you could have played here at the shelter, but life doesn’t work out that way.”
“Yes, I’m aware.” Sometimes I wish he’d had that son. Like today. “I’ll focus on my priorities.”
After my sister was diagnosed with cancer, she took all their energy and attention by the time she was in the clear, my mom refused to go through it again. She’d had a miscarriage the first month of Julia’s treatments and wasn’t about to go through another miscarriage or birth another child who might get sick.
I understand her viewpoint, but I bet my imaginary brother would have preferred to take over the plastic surgery business. I’m guessing he would have fancied the thought of feeling up boobs all day more than I do.
“Thank you.” He beams as all the animosity fades from his expression. “You’re doing the right thing. I know you enjoy helping people, and as much as it sounds like I don’t value the work they do here, I do. But you have a responsibility to uphold.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Alexander