insistence that you marry Lee. I’m…hasty to see him settled with the right girl.”
“You need the money,” I say. He looks shocked, but the smile returns.
“So I do. I’m sure Lee told you of it, in whatever brief conversations you’ve had at school.”
“You sent him to UCLA just so he could try and woo me,” My voice becomes low. “You made him transfer –”
“Not against his will.” Farlon shrugs. “He was eager to leave the country. And me. He was eager to get the money as well, you know. He wants nothing more than to run from his responsibilities. I would never let him have it, of course. I have my ways of taking it from him even if he did receive it.” Farlon slams the photo album shut, but his smile widens. “He is my only son. My father ran the stables just as his father did before him, and his father before him. I was not allowed to choose my own career. And neither will he. He will bow to duty and tradition as I have, and as the men before him have.”
A sharp pain alerts me to the fact my nails are biting into my clenched palm. The microwave finishes, the gentle beep cutting the tension. I fish the mugs out and pour the instant cocoa mix in and stir each slowly. Farlon watches me the whole time, dark eyes so different from Lee’s. Lee must’ve gotten his hazel-gold from his mother.
“I won’t pester you to marry him any longer,” Farlon says. “I realized my mistake shortly after you left the restaurant. One should not force marriage for gain.”
His words are nice, but something about the way he says them doesn’t sound true. Grace said he was in debt to loan-sharks. Is he really giving up that easily? Or does he know Lee and I are growing to like each other more? He probably thinks it’s all going to work out, that it’s all going according to his little plan.
I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t like you.”
Farlon laughs. “Is that so?”
“You use your kids just to get money. You’re going to force Lee to inherit the family business. No wonder Grace won’t talk to you anymore. You treat your kids like pawns in a chess game and it’s disgusting. You disgust me. I’ll never marry Lee just so you can have the money.”
I pile the mugs on a platter and start to the door. Farlon calls after me.
“But you need the money, don’t you? Your family’s business is in quite a lot of trouble. I had my insiders research your parent’s stock, and it’s not looking very good. If you don’t get a large sum of money soon, it’s over. Poof. Their quaint dream company down the drain.”
My hands clench hard around the platter.
“You’re much more loyal to your family than Lee is. You have the sense of duty and familial honor I wish my own children had. You will do the right thing. I know you will.”
I let out a snarl under my breath and push out the front door.
Dad asks me what’s wrong. I just smile and hand him a cocoa. Riley dives for his. Mom takes her cup while maintaining a good distance from Dad. They don’t look at each other. When they talk they don’t lock eyes, staring at the ground or above each others’ shoulders.
“Why is Farlon here, Dad?” I ask.
Dad takes a deep swig of cocoa. “Grandpa’s lawyer said some things in the house were willed to him. He called us and arranged to come to the house when we were cleaning it out.”
“You trust him in the house by himself?” I ask.
“There’s nothing left in there worth any value, kiddo. We cleared it out weeks ago. Don’t worry so much, okay?”
“She has every right to worry, Daniel,” Mom snaps. “The man gives me a bad vibe.”
“Oh stop,” Dad scoffs. “You were always so suspicious of your dad. Don’t tell me that extends to his friends, too.”
Mom draws up to her full height and makes her voice icy.
“We are not having this conversation.”
Dad shrugs at me and tries to smile, but it’s fractured. Riley sits on the rusty swing and sips his cocoa. I walk over to him and sit
“You need the money,” I say. He looks shocked, but the smile returns.
“So I do. I’m sure Lee told you of it, in whatever brief conversations you’ve had at school.”
“You sent him to UCLA just so he could try and woo me,” My voice becomes low. “You made him transfer –”
“Not against his will.” Farlon shrugs. “He was eager to leave the country. And me. He was eager to get the money as well, you know. He wants nothing more than to run from his responsibilities. I would never let him have it, of course. I have my ways of taking it from him even if he did receive it.” Farlon slams the photo album shut, but his smile widens. “He is my only son. My father ran the stables just as his father did before him, and his father before him. I was not allowed to choose my own career. And neither will he. He will bow to duty and tradition as I have, and as the men before him have.”
A sharp pain alerts me to the fact my nails are biting into my clenched palm. The microwave finishes, the gentle beep cutting the tension. I fish the mugs out and pour the instant cocoa mix in and stir each slowly. Farlon watches me the whole time, dark eyes so different from Lee’s. Lee must’ve gotten his hazel-gold from his mother.
“I won’t pester you to marry him any longer,” Farlon says. “I realized my mistake shortly after you left the restaurant. One should not force marriage for gain.”
His words are nice, but something about the way he says them doesn’t sound true. Grace said he was in debt to loan-sharks. Is he really giving up that easily? Or does he know Lee and I are growing to like each other more? He probably thinks it’s all going to work out, that it’s all going according to his little plan.
I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t like you.”
Farlon laughs. “Is that so?”
“You use your kids just to get money. You’re going to force Lee to inherit the family business. No wonder Grace won’t talk to you anymore. You treat your kids like pawns in a chess game and it’s disgusting. You disgust me. I’ll never marry Lee just so you can have the money.”
I pile the mugs on a platter and start to the door. Farlon calls after me.
“But you need the money, don’t you? Your family’s business is in quite a lot of trouble. I had my insiders research your parent’s stock, and it’s not looking very good. If you don’t get a large sum of money soon, it’s over. Poof. Their quaint dream company down the drain.”
My hands clench hard around the platter.
“You’re much more loyal to your family than Lee is. You have the sense of duty and familial honor I wish my own children had. You will do the right thing. I know you will.”
I let out a snarl under my breath and push out the front door.
Dad asks me what’s wrong. I just smile and hand him a cocoa. Riley dives for his. Mom takes her cup while maintaining a good distance from Dad. They don’t look at each other. When they talk they don’t lock eyes, staring at the ground or above each others’ shoulders.
“Why is Farlon here, Dad?” I ask.
Dad takes a deep swig of cocoa. “Grandpa’s lawyer said some things in the house were willed to him. He called us and arranged to come to the house when we were cleaning it out.”
“You trust him in the house by himself?” I ask.
“There’s nothing left in there worth any value, kiddo. We cleared it out weeks ago. Don’t worry so much, okay?”
“She has every right to worry, Daniel,” Mom snaps. “The man gives me a bad vibe.”
“Oh stop,” Dad scoffs. “You were always so suspicious of your dad. Don’t tell me that extends to his friends, too.”
Mom draws up to her full height and makes her voice icy.
“We are not having this conversation.”
Dad shrugs at me and tries to smile, but it’s fractured. Riley sits on the rusty swing and sips his cocoa. I walk over to him and sit
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