I saw her as a beautiful, amazing woman—and a powerhouse at that.
Her desire to chase down a career and rise to the top was admirable, but backed by her talent and knowledge, I knew she could do it. I saw the potential she had and the smarts, and I found every bit if it just as attractive as her body.
"Nate, I just…"
Then came the knock at the door.
We both froze, but my heart sank too.
We were just beginning to bond.
Ember pulled back slightly, her eyes wide. "Are you expecting someone?"
"No." I glanced toward the front door, irritation spiking through me. "Stay here."
I stood and crossed to the door, already composing a polite dismissal for whoever had decided to interrupt.
When I opened it, my father stood on the front steps with a windswept combover and a scowl of disapproval on his face.
"We need to talk," he said, pushing past me into the house.
My stomach dropped.
I turned to see Ember scrambling off the sofa, smoothing her blouse and trying to compose herself.
My father took one look at her and his face darkened further.
"Of course," he said coldly. "I should've known."
"What do you need, Dad?" I closed the door and moved to stand between him and Ember. "I wish you'd have called. You shouldn’t just come over without announcing yourself first."
Years of tension and painful moments knotted together in my shoulders as I scrambled to think of a way to make him leave before he hurt Ember the way he was so good at doing.
"I can when my son is making a fool of himself." He gestured at Ember without looking at her. "Is this her? The girl from the photographs?"
"Her name is Ember," I said through gritted teeth. "And yes, she's my guest."
"Your guest." He swept a hand downward over his face and turned fully toward me so his back was to her. "Nathan, do you have any idea what people are saying about you?"
"I'm aware of the gossip, yes." I noticed Ember chewing a nail and tried to ignore the pained expression on her face.
"Then you understand that you need to end this immediately." He finally looked at Ember directly. "No offense, young lady, but you're a liability. To his career, to his reputation, to the entire Lightkeeper tradition."
Ember flinched as though she'd been struck.
Her face screwed up into a grimace and her eyes pleaded with me for help.
Rage surged through me almost immediately. "Don't speak to her that way."
"Someone needs to speak plainly," my father said. "You're throwing away everything you've built, and for what? A fling with your secretary?"
"She's not my secretary. She's?—"
"No, she's also young enough to be your daughter, which makes this entire situation even more distasteful." He turned back to me. "I raised you better than this, Nathan."
"You raised me to prioritize achievement over happiness," I shot back. "I am successful now. Can't I just have a private life without my father nosing in? Christ, I'm almost fifty."
"I raised you to be a man of integrity," he said coldly.
