“So, you own a jewelry store?” her father asked Ross.
Ross gave her father a brief glance. “It’s a family business. My cousin owns it. I’m just the bench jeweler. I’m keeping an eye on the place while she’s away.”
“Ross makes all the beautiful pieces they sell. Mom would have loved it,” Mia provided with an upbeat tone.
Her father ignored this, keeping his attention on Ross. “Your family is really putting a lot of trust in you then.”
The first hint of an awkward tension was developing in the air. Mia jumped in. “Dad, what happened to your poker game? I thought you always played with your buddies on Thursday.”
“Phil’s kid was sick, and it was canceled. So, you guys went to school together?”
“Mm-hmm,” Mia provided.
“Did you go to college?” her father asked.
“No,” Ross replied.
The judge pointed his fork in her direction. “Mia here studied at UC Berkeley, went to grad school and everything. Top of her class. Did she tell you that?”
“No.” Ross pushed the remaining sauce around on his plate.
“Well, she did. And now she’s planning on getting her doctorate. But I always knew Mia would go far.”
An internal cringe went through her at the turn in conversation. “Alright, we don’t really need to talk about this, Dad.”
“What were you talking about before I interrupted?”
“Just old school stuff.”
“Oh yeah? Did you tell him how you used to tutor some real duds in high school?”
Mia’s eyes snapped to her father’s face. The full shock at his statement was incapable of penetrating her mind. Her father’s metamorphosis was instantaneous as he shifted from a beloved guardian to an omniscient judge.
Her father continued. “You always have to wonder about kids like that. What kind of life can they truly have? Especially the ones who lack brains and have a penchant for trouble. Ah, well. Not that you were one of those. Right, Mr. Manasse?”
“Thanks for dinner, Mia. I think I’m going to take off.” Ross didn’t wait for a response before walking from the kitchen and out the front door.
Her father turned an innocent gaze toward her and shrugged. “What did I say?”
Mia glared at her father before going after Ross.
She caught him outside on the driveway before he got to his car, her hand latching onto his arm. “Ross, please—”
“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m going home. This was a mistake.”
“I’m sorry, but my dad… This doesn’t make any sense.” Her brain struggled to understand. What was she missing?
He let out a bitter laugh to the night sky before facing her. “Really, Mia? Don’t be so naïve.”
“Even if he doesn’t like you, I don’t think—”
“No, this goes way beyond the judge having a simple dislike. He punished me before, and, in his effort to protect you and your future, he’s going to keep punishing me.”
Mia stilled, her hand clutching the sleeve of his jacket, refusing to let go of him or the issue. “What do you mean he punished you before?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“No, I don’t.”
