Anger burned inside Jude as he imagined Angela trying to run to Jim’s no doubt exacting standards. “Annie isn’t big on exercise either. But she’s put in the work so that she can defend herself.”
“I should do that too,” Angela said. “I already feel stronger with the training we’ve gone through.”
“You’ve done a good job so far,” Jude told her. “I appreciate that you’ve committed to the training, even though I’m sure you don’t see the purpose in it yet.”
“To be honest, I hope that I never understand the purpose in it.”
Jude nodded. “I hope that too. Because understanding can come through experience, and I’d rather that none of you have the opportunity to use what you’re learning.”
“That makes two of us.”
Jude gave her a quick smile. “Do you need anything else?”
She stared into the cart, then consulted her phone. “No. I think that’s it.”
Jude pushed the cart to the cashier at the front, then unloaded everything onto the conveyor belt. He was placing each bag into the cart as the cashier filled them when he noticed that Angela was staring at the cash register screen with a frown.
Moving closer to her, he bent to look at the screen himself, trying to ignore the light floral scent that surrounded her. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s just adding up really quickly.”
Jude gently took her arm and moved her away from the screen. “Help me load the bags into the cart.”
“But—”
"No buts," Jude said firmly. "Don't worry about the total."
When the cashier finished scanning everything, Jude paid with his credit card without even glancing at the screen. He could see Angela trying to peek around him to get a glimpse of the total, but he blocked her view.
After completing the transaction, he pushed the cart toward the exit with Angela walking beside him, still looking troubled.
"I feel terrible," she said once they were outside in the cold air. "That was so much money."
"Angela." Jude stopped walking and turned to face her. "You picked up basic necessities and a couple of books. Duncan Burke probably spends more than that on a single bottle of wine."
"But still—"
"Do you know what your father's net worth is?"
She shook her head.
"Billions. With a capital B." Jude resumed pushing the cart toward the SUV. "What you just bought wouldn't even register as a rounding error in his monthly budget."
They loaded the bags into the back of the vehicle in silence. Once they were both settled in their seats, Angela turned to him.
"It's going to take me a while to get used to this," she said quietly.
"I know. But you need to understand that Duncan wants to take care of you in the way he hasn’t been able to for years. It's not charity—you're his daughter. This is what fathers do."
Angela was quiet as they pulled out of the parking lot. After several minutes, she spoke again.
"Can I ask you something else?" she said softly.
Jude tensed, hoping she wasn't going to circle back to his personal life. "What?"
"Do you think Duncan really wants us to stay? Or does he feel obligated because I’m his daughter?"
The vulnerability in her voice caught Jude off guard. He glanced over to see her staring down at her hands folded in her lap.
