She wouldn’t see him again, but it was a nice fantasy.
Three months later. . .
Los Angeles
“Arabella! Arabella, where are you?”
Shoot. She wiped her hands on her apron. He wasn’t supposed to be home for another few hours and she’d just gotten the cupcakes into the oven.
Oh well.
She’d just tell him they were for the nursing home. That would annoy him, but it was better than him knowing that she was making money selling her baking.
Not that it was much money.
It wouldn’t pay for Pop-Pop’s nursing home or his medication. Or even her Epi-pens if she had to replace them regularly.
But at least it felt like she was doing something.
“Arabella!” her father yelled. “Where are you?”
Crap. Crap. Crap.
She took off her apron and rushed out of the kitchen, banging into the corner of the island as she ran.
Ouch.
Shit.
That was going to leave a bruise. She quickly checked her appearance in the mirror in the hall, then headed to her father’s study.
As she entered, she saw him pouring himself a drink. She grimaced when she saw it was only two in the afternoon.
And he was already drinking?
That didn’t bode well.
“Is everything all right, Father?” she asked, trying to keep her voice calm and emotionless.
Her father wasn’t fond of emotions. At least when it came to her. He loved to express his own emotions.
Turning to her, he looked her up and down. “Why do you look like such a mess?”
“I’m sorry. I was in the kitchen.”
“In the kitchen? What are you doing in there?”
“Well, since we had to let Michelle go, I’ve been cooking and baking.” To say their financial situation was dire was understating it.
At least the nursing home was paid for another two months. She had to figure out a plan before Pop-Pop got kicked out.
He waved his hand through the air. “Forget about all of that. I’ve solved our financial issues.”
A feeling of dread filled her. “How?”
His business was in a financial mess that she was meant to get him out of by marrying Cole. But that hadn’t worked the way that her father had thought.
Since Cole was now living in Haven with his former assistant. And her husband.
