“On Mommy and Daddy’s land?”
“It’s not your business, Dad,” Ruby warned.
“I’m worried about my daughter.” Bobby lifted his chin, undaunted. “I worked up to vice president of the company I work for. I learned the insurance game just to get in my boss’s good graces. I got nothing given to me.”
Veronica shook her head. Frustration flashed in her eyes. “Nothing except time. Sinceyouweren’t the one hunting down babysitters. Come on. Let’s go.”
Robert at least had the grace to look abashed. He’d taken what he wanted as a teen. As an adult, he’d found out he couldn’t do that and get ahead, so he’d learned to play the game. It was more than I had done.
Katrina’s voice echoed in my head again.If your family hadn’t handed you everything, would you have made anything of yourself?
Then Bobby’s words from so long ago.Did you send your sisters after me? Little girls doing your job.
If I hung around longer, Ruby and her mother would keep defending me. They’d keep shooting me that goddamn look.
“Bye, guys,” Ruby said. Her tone held a note of finality.
I nodded my head toward Veronica. “It was nice to meet you.”
Bobby got behind the wheel, but not before shooting me a disgruntled glare. Veronica clambered in after giving Ruby a quick hug.
I needed to leave, but I didn’t move. My mind whirled, morphing old memories with new. Nepo baby. Man-child. Loser.
Ruby waved weakly as her parents backed up and drove away.
“Tenor?” she started timidly. “I honestly had no idea.”
“That your dad is my grade school nemesis?”
“I never would’ve guessed.”
He was worried about her dating me. A guy almost her dad’s age who was her boss. “Why didn’t you tell me that your dad grew up in Bourbon Canyon?”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d know him, and I’d heard he was a bullheaded kid.” She got the same sheepish look as her dad. Another reminder. Bobby Morgan. Her mom hadn’t married him. Ruby had her mom’s last name, and she’d called her dad Robert. I never thought of him as anything but Bobby. “I didn’twant to be judged for him—or by you when I was applying for the job.”
I barked out a laugh. “Bobby Morgan.” I shook my head. “Bullheaded is a tame word.”
“I had no idea, Tenor. I’m sorry.”
Just another goddamnI’m sorrybecause I’d been humiliated by someone who thought they knew me. I took my glasses off and pinched the bridge of my nose. “This isn’t going to work.”
The words were out of my mouth. I couldn’t grab them back. I rubbed the back of my neck.Shit.
Why had I said it?
I had to. She couldn’t stay with me after this. She couldn’t witness this, then watch me paint models and eat my mama’s cooking. She’d realize her dad was right. What did I have in common with a twenty-five-year-old?
I’d known this would happen, and I’d taken the risk anyway. I should’ve learned the first time.
Ruby’s wide gaze turned watery. “What isn’t going to work?” she asked quietly.
“Us.” A vise cinched around my heart. My lungs struggled to inflate. This wouldn’t work. It couldn’t work.
“Because of my dad?”
No.
Yes.
