My father nodded his head slowly, then let out a chuckle I didn’t understand. “So that’s what made you get like that and attack Sparkles? Good God, Adalyn. It almost cost me the club.”
All semblance of hope still in me vanished.
“That’s all you have to say,” I said, not asked. Because I didn’t need an answer. He’d given me one. I shook my head. “It wasn’t about me, was it? Nothing was.”
“Everything I do is for us,” he said, something getting through to him. “David threatened going to some gossip site with the story of our arrangement if I took the VP position from him. The sponsors too. But that’s water under the bridge. Honestly, I thought you had a little more self-respect than letting this bother you.”
So Dad had never been protecting our relationship. Or me. He’d only protected himself. His name. And that broke my heart. It had been tearing all throughout this conversation, I realized. But it completely shattered now.
Silence fell in the office for a long moment. I couldn’t believe I’d come here, broken the girls’ trust. Missed out on today. I’d taken a hundred steps back, and it made my chest hurt like it never had. I clutched Cameron’s ring in my fist.
“How much in debt is the Vasquez farm in?” I didn’t need to say more. I knew my father understood.
“Big debt.”
I nodded my head. “Josie. How did it even happen?”
My father’s eyes narrowed, and any other time, that look would have been enough to silence me. But I suddenly didn’t care. I didn’t want his respect. I only wanted answers. “I always made sure Josephine was taken care of growing up. I provided for her. I invested in the town so she didn’t have to grow up in the same sad place where I was born.”
He lets people believe he’s from Miami, but he’s not. Those had been Mom’s words.
And that’s how the next and last piece of the puzzle fell into place. Dad was from Green Oak.
“That was never my place,” he stated, as if it was some card he could play. As if that was meant to justify everything he’d said or done. “I was always meant for greater things. That’s why I packed my bags the moment I could, leaving nothing and no one behind. I only returned once. Shortly before meeting your mother.” He sighed. “But it never meant anything, it was just a careless night that I’ve been paying for all my life.” Eyes that were nothing like Josie’s looked at me. “I’m not proud of it, but I don’t regret my decisions.”
“You’re not proud of it,” I repeated his words. A sad, hopeless huff left me. “You talk about a smart, beautiful, hardworking woman like she’s some bad investment you don’t want to think about.” I shook my head. Suddenly needing to move. I braced both hands on the back of the chair in front of me. Looked down before meeting his gaze. “Did you ever intend for me to take over?”
His shoulders sunk with what I knew was rebuff. “You could have any role within our portfolio. Real estate, infrastructure companies, even one of the resorts we own. Have your pick. But not the club. I’m selling the Miami Flames to David and his father.” He walked around his desk. “It’s decided.”
I remained quiet. He was not getting it. Dad wasn’t getting any of this.
“You’ll move past your infatuation with the club.” His hands smoothed out the lapels of his jacket. “It was dying a slow death anyway, it has been for a decade now, so be happy we’ll make a profit thanks to your little impromptu breakdown and that sponsor deal David has in line.”
Thanks to me, or at my expense? I wanted to ask.
But it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter that my father was allowing that energy drink to sponsor the team or taking their money. Nothing really mattered.
This had never been about legacy or infatuation, not even money.
“Sell the goddamn club,” I heard myself say. My father winced back. “This was never about me. Or the Flames. It was about you.” My hand flew to my chest again, clutching Cameron’s ring. I knew what being shielded, cared for, protected was. Cameron had claimed to be selfish, but I saw now how wrong he’d been. He’d done all of that selflessly. For me. With my best interest at heart. Even if he’d made a mistake. “It’s on you if you don’t want to understand.”
I turned around, making my way to the exit.
“Adalyn,” my father warned.
I didn’t stop. “You have twenty-four hours to tell Mom and Josie,” I said, not looking back. “I’m giving you the chance not to make the same mistake you did with me. But if you don’t tell them, I will.” I came to a stop in front of the door. “You’re also relieving all of the current Vasquez debt. I guess it won’t hurt with all that profit my breakdown made you.”
I opened the door, no hesitation, only one goal in mind.
And when I spoke next, it was with one thought, one man, one plan in mind, and one foot on the other side. At the beginning of the rest of my life. “Oh, and in case it wasn’t clear? I resign.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Cameron
I pressed the phone to my ear, feeling my knuckles crack.
“Pick up, pick up,” I begged. Prayed. “Come on, love. Pick up the phone.”
When the voice I was dying to hear never came, I cursed under my breath. I hung up, stopping myself from throwing the damn thing out of the cab window.
Christ, where was she? Had something happened? Why wasn’t she picking up her phone? It was so goddamn late and I—
My phone rang.
I picked up immediately.
“Cameron,” Adalyn said. My name off her lips flew straight to my gut. Chest. Heart. “Cam?”
“Where are you.” I heard myself bark. I closed my eyes. This wasn’t the way to win her back. To grovel like I was determined to. To show her I trusted her. “I— Where are you, love? I need an address.”
Voices in the background got through. A female one and a male one. Was she listening to me?
“Adalyn?”
“Oh God, you’re not going to believe this,” she said. And why was her voice breaking? “My father—I— Oh God. I’ve been so stupid. I wish you were here. I—”
“I’m in Miami, I’m coming to you right now, but I need you to tell me where you are.”
