I never wanted any of this to happen, would have told my dad in my own way in my own time.
Sighing bitterly, I can’t help but feel mad at the situation rather than any of us individually.
“I’m not just gonna watch you walk out of here, Lucy,” Nathan says, reminding me with the tone of his voice all that we’ve shared, all that we’ve promised each other already.
“And I’m not walking out of here without my daughter, you asshole,” my dad growls, struggling to get to his feet again and trying to make another fist but only making a face from his pain.
“I think it might be broken,” I remark, talking about his hand as well as his attempts at trying to keep me as daddy’s little girl.
“Let me help you,” Nathan sighs, holding his own huge arm out to support my dad into a chair before he examines his hand.
“You didn’t even feel that?” my dad asks in disbelief, looking down at his hand as we all see it start to swell and bruise.
“Oh, I felt it,” Nathan assures him, reaching for the phone, calling the front desk, and asking for a doctor to be called.
“But that’s a busted hand if ever I’ve seen one,” he adds, creasing his mouth into a frown and shaking his head.
“Lucy and me,” he adds, close enough for my dad to strangle him now. “I… We… It’s not just some fling, Paul. I love her,” he says, his eyes meeting my dad’s as he groans and sinks back into the heavy chair before he rallies himself.
Looking me square in the eye, forgetting his hand for a moment, dad has a message of his own for me.
For both Nathan and me.
“Lucy? I love you too, more than anyone you’ve just met,” he says firmly but calmly, only glancing over to Nathan who looks like he might have a go and swing one or two of his own fists after all. But he lets my dad finish what he has to say.
“You are my only daughter and still living under my roof so I’m telling you this for your own good. Get your things, we’re leaving. I can have someone look at my hand on the way home,” he says with finality.
I feel my stomach drop inside me like I’m a little kid all over again and have to do what I’m told.
My dad stands to leave and I turn to Nathan, pressing my hands against his chest as he leans in closer.
“You… You’re not serious?” he says frowning.
“Just for a little bit. Until I can get dad sorted someplace else. I know where to reach you,” I somehow manage to tell him, fighting back every emotion crashing into me and more I never even knew I could ever feel.
“I won’t just let you walk out of here, Lucy,” Nathan says, gripping my wrist, his eyes pleading with me to stay.
But I go.
It kills me inside, but I grab my things and I go with my dad.
Chapter Twenty
Nathan
I love her, but do I love her enough to just let her walk away again?
Hearing her own father give her an ultimatum I guess only a father could give, I don’t want to be the guy who tries to restrict her in the same way.
She knows how I feel about her. I’ve told her.
God knows I’ve shown her as well. Haven’t I?
If her dad hadn’t turned up we would have gone about our day together, I know that.
I would have made arrangements to refund or finish my conference responsibilities somehow. We would have ordered dinner in and I would have spent the night making love to my woman.
Can’t exactly do any of that with her old man in the next room. And now we can’t do any of it.
It takes all I have to stay in the room, not to go after her and try to stop her from leaving.
I hear her gather her things and in less than a minute, she’s gone.
‘I know where to reach you’ she said, so I have to tell myself she’s not gone forever and I should stay in the hotel, but damn if it doesn’t feel weird without her already.
It’s not long before my phone chimes and I answer, certain it’s her.
Certain she’s calling somehow to explain how everything’s been a huge mistake with her dad and she’ll be right back.
But it isn’t her. It’s the damned book conference promoter again.
I might have known, Lucy doesn’t even have my cell number.
“I’ve been in touch with our legal team, Mr. Cartwright,” he announces smugly. “Unless you fulfill all contractual obligations for this weekend you can expect a very costly legal response from the hotel as well as ourselves, the organizers,” he adds.
“Obligations,” I murmur, not bothered by his threats and wondering if I should just cut a check right now. Get it over and done with instead of showing my face in public again.