His face pinked, eyes incredulous. Previously, on the rare occasions he’d taken a hard stance, I’d buckled. (Or quietly gone about my business behind his back.) But this time … I was not convinced. For once my father seemed old to me, unsure. More than that, this problem was mine, all mine.
“Please, trust me,” I said.
“Ev, honey, you don’t have to do this,” said Dad, trying a different tack. “We can figure something out on our own.”
“I know we could. But, he’s got lawyers on the job already. This is for the best.”
“Won’t you need your own lawyer?” he asked. There were new lines on his face, as if just this one day had aged him. Guilt slunk through me.
“I’ll ask around, find someone suitable for you. I don’t want you being taken advantage of here,” he continued. “Someone must know a decent divorce lawyer.”
“Dad, it’s not like I have any money to protect. We’re going to make this as straightforward as possible,” I said with a forced smile. “It’s okay. We’ll take care of it and then I’ll be back.”
“We? Honey, you barely know this guy. You cannot trust him.”
“The whole world is apparently watching. What’s the worst that can happen?” I sent a silent prayer to the heavens that I’d never find out the answer to that.
“This is a mistake …” Dad sighed. “I know you’re as disappointed over the internship as I am. But we need to stop and think here.”
“I have thought about it. I need to get this circus away from you and Mom.”
Dad’s gaze went to the darkened hallway heading toward where Mom lay in her drug-induced slumber. The last thing I wanted was for my father to feel torn between the two of us.
“It’ll be okay,” I said, willing it to be true. “Really.”
He hung his head at last. “I think you’re doing the wrong thing. But call me if you need anything. If you want to come home, I’ll organize a flight for you straight away.”
I nodded.
“I’m serious. You call me if you need anything.”
“Yes. I will.” I wouldn’t.
I picked up my backpack, still fresh from Vegas. No chance to refresh my wardrobe. All of my clothes were at the apartment. I smoothed back my hair, tucking it neatly behind my ears, trying to make myself look a little less like a train wreck.
“You were always my good girl,” Dad said, sounding wistful.
I didn’t know what to say.
He patted me on the arm. “Call me.”
“Yeah,” I said, my throat tight. “Say bye to Mom for me. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Sam stepped forward. “Your daughter is in safe hands, sir.”
I didn’t wait to hear Dad’s reply. For the first time in hours I stepped outside. Pandemonium erupted. The instinct to turn tail, run and hide, was huge. But with Sam’s big body beside me it wasn’t quite so crazy frightening as before. He put an arm loosely around my shoulder and hustled me out of there, down the garden path, and toward the waiting crowd. Another man in a sharp black suit came toward us, making a way through the mob from the other side. The noise level skyrocketed. A woman yelled that she hated me and called me a cunt. Someone else wanted me to tell David that he loved him. Mostly, though, it was more of the questions. Cameras were shoved in my face, the flashlights glaring. Before I could stumble, Sam was there. My feet barely touched the ground as he and his friend hurried me into the waiting car. Not a limousine. Lauren would be disappointed. It was a fancy new sedan with an all-leather interior. The door slammed shut behind me and Sam and his friend climbed in. The driver nodded to me in the rearview mirror, then carefully accelerated. People banged on the windows and ran alongside. I huddled down in the middle of the seat. Soon we left them behind.
I was on my way back to David.
My husband.