AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Right. In his mind, I was still his little girl. “I’m busy with work right now,” I said patiently. Being Daddy’s little girl was no longer my only occupation.
“Then we can talk at the barbecue your mother has put together.”
“I’ll try to be there, but I may not be able to make it. I’ve got lots of work stuff,” I lied.
“It’s important to your mother.”
It sounded more and more like another setup I didn’t need or want. “I said I’ll try.” It wasn’t worth complaining about thelittle girlcomment.
“Munchkin, I need you to come. We need to talk. It’s important.”
When he put it like that, there was no way I could refuse. Not after all we’d been through. “Sure, Dad. I’ll find a way.” I might fight it now, but I could never forget how lucky I’d been to have an obsessively protective father when it mattered. The outcome could have been…
“Good.” Dad’s voice cut off that depressing train of thought. “How’s the new job going?”
“Fine so far.”
“You can tell me all about it at the barbecue.”
“Sure, Dad.” I got off the phone after fending off another ice cream meeting suggestion. That had been our thing when I was little, and he couldn’t let it go.
Duke looked over at the next stoplight. “Nice job not telling him about your adventure today.”
“He’s not ever going to know,” I replied as I dialed my boss, Edward Powell.
“Who are you calling now?” Duke asked.
I held the phone to my ear. “My boss.”
“Powell.” Edward Powell didn’t bother with niceties like answering the phone with hello.
“This is Serena?—”
“I can see that from the caller ID. Where are you? You missed the daily review meeting.”
“I’m sorry. I was in an accident.”
“You should have called if you were going to be late.” Ever the compassionate boss, he didn’t even ask if I was okay.
“I couldn’t. The car rolled over, and I lost my phone for a while.”
Powell continued, “The protocol is—I have an important call coming in. We’re going to have to talk later.”
The line went dead before I could explain. I looked at my phone for a moment and then put it in the cupholder.
“It didn’t sound like your boss asked how you are.”
I let out a long breath. “He had another call coming in.”
“That’s more important that talking to an employee who just said she was in a rollover accident?”
I shrugged carefully. “I guess.” Duke had nailed it. I could have said I’d just gotten out of the ICU, and it wouldn’t have garnered a reaction from Powell.
“Your boss is a dick.”
Dad had drilled into me years ago that you never badmouthed your boss, so I stayed quiet. “I’m going back towork this afternoon, and that’s that.”How’s that for standing up for myself, Mr. Cobra?
“It’s up to you, but I’m not a fan of that until we get some vetting done.”
