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Linda pursed her lips. “Well, it’s a very hard job. Especially without a supportive husband.”
I took a deep breath. She didn’t know what she was talking about, but I didn’t want to correct her. “I’ve shown up tenfold for my daughter —”
“I can’t imagine how that’s possible with how mammoth your company — uh, what’s it called?” Stan’s eyes rolled up as he tried to remember.
I gritted my teeth. If he was going to have the audacity to insult me and my work, he may as well know what the hell he was talking about. “MediaDeck.”
“Right…” He smiled wolfishly. “MediaDeck. And you’re launching a new branch of your company in the next quarter, right? Surely, you don’t have time to run a company, be a doting father, and give time to a budding relationship?”
Katie suddenly cut in, waving a hand toward her parents. “You guys, quit it with the third degree! They seem happy. You’re happy, right?”
I glanced at Cara. She wouldn’t look at me. I felt my heart break. Was I losing her right here, right now? I would have deserved it, too, after pushing her away the first time. But I couldn’t bear the thought of losingusso soon after we’d begun again. “I am. I think we both are.”
“Yes,” Cara agreed in a tight voice. “Very happy. I wish you could see that.”
“Oh, Cara, sweetie. You’re so young, when happiness is such as fickle and changing thing.” Linda smiled at me saccharinely. “I’m sure you’ll agree, Wesley. The older you get, the clearer everything becomes. And the things that made you happy in your twenties don’t make you quite so happy anymore as you age.” She let out a long sigh. “I just don’t think you’re ready, Cara.”
Cara’s body tightened. “I’m not a child, Mom.”
“You’re more of a child than Wesley is. And I’m sorry, I know some people think age is just a number, but I don’t. I don’t understand how a man in his forties could be interested in a girl as young as Cara unless he wanted just one thing from her.”
That was the kill shot. I was an older man who, in their eyes, only wanted to take advantage of their daughter.
“Could youpleasestop talking about me like I’m not even in the room?” Cara snapped. “And how dare you imply he’s taking advantage of me? As if I have no say in the matter?”
Katie hummed in support. “Mm-hmm. That’s fucked-up.”
“Katie,” Cara’s father admonished.
“I have had a choice at every turn to say no to Wesley. He’s neverforcedme to do anything. In fact, I was the one who accepted his professional offers. I’ve held my own.That’swhy he’s interested in me.”
Goddamn, I wanted to kiss her fiercely. She was so full of fire and passion. Forme. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.
“You know what I meant, pumpkin,” Linda said, not even willing to apologize for offending her daughter. I would have to take note for the future. I never wanted to put Lucy in this position.
Cara crossed her arms over her chest and shrunk into her seat.
Stan took the stage now, eyeing me intensely. “You have to admit, Wes, your track record isn’t reassuring. What’s to say you won’t just chew her up and spit her out like you do with most all of your ventures.”
“I’m not sure I follow.”
“Well, for one, your personal life is kind of dicey from everything we’ve read,” Stan replied with a humorless chuckle. “And while I know you’re plenty successful, I also know you haven’t achieved that without cracking a few skulls…stepping on a few backs. You get my meaning, don’t you?”
I pursed my lips. I hated when people combined my personal and business behaviors. They were two separate worlds. In business, Ihadto be cutthroat. In my personal life, I just hadn’t found the right person yet to get serious. I hoped now that I had. “Cara isn’t a venture to me, and I’m offended you’d suggest that.”
“You tell ’em, Taves,” Katie said.
At least I had one of the Smiths on my side. Linda and Stan exchanged a look. Stan cleared his throat. “You’ve got a daughter. You probably already understand how hard it is to protect her. You’ll understand when she’s older how that shifts, but I think you’d be reacting the same with her.”
“I think I’ve had enough of everyone talking about me like I’m not here.” Cara pushed her chair out from the table. “Come on, Wesley. I think we should go.”
“Cara!” Linda’s eyes widened, the same luminous amber as her daughter’s. “Be reasonable.”
“You’ve made it clear that Wesley isn’t welcome here and as long as he isn’t welcome, I don’t feel welcome, either.”
I felt stuck to my seat until Cara shook my shoulder.
“We’re leaving.”
