Chapter 28 Lemon #2
I pinch the bridge of my nose, sucking in a deep, steadying breath. I can do a single dinner with Father and Hunter. And then I’ll probably go back and visit the Keeper’s house because I feel really bad that she reached out to me, and I’m already standing her up.
Not wanting to spend any more time with Father and Hunter than I have to, I locate the main dining room and ask for a table for three. The wraith host checks our room number and promptly leads me to an opulent alcove with a small, comfortable table and black velvet bench seats.
I order a bloody martini while I wait. Father and Hunter show up half an hour later, having changed into more formal attire. I’d feel self-conscious about still wearing my work clothes, but I can’t let either of them under my skin.
Father slips several sheets of paper onto the tabletop between us. He drops elegantly into the chair next to me and inclines his head at the stack.
Glancing down, I’m horrified to see copies of The Gulch Gossip. And there I am on the front page twice, looking in love and silly. Furyon’s next to me, staring at me like I’m the best thing since sliced bread.
Father taps two thin fingers on the sheets.
“Letitia gave me these. Seems like you’ve been distracted by this,”—he snarls at the topmost piece of paper—“Fish and Wildlife officer?” He looks up at me, expressionless as I scramble to figure out which version of this story to tell.
I can’t lie. The Gulch Gossip is plenty of evidence.
I lift my chin. I’ve done nothing wrong. “This place is far smaller than our haven, Father. Everything is newsworthy here, particularly when a big city girl relocates to a small town. Shiny new object syndrome and all.”
To my left, Hunter sips loudly at a drink while beckoning the waiter over for another.
Father’s eyes narrow on me, nostrils flaring. “Are you telling me that what’s printed here are lies?”
Fuck.
I nip at my lower lip. “Well, I—”
“Actually, I don’t care,” he barks, straightening in his chair to lay one long leg over the other.
He waves at The Gulch Gossip. “Our competitors are breathing down our necks. Varitius is disparaging us everywhere he possibly can as his daughter is still ill. House Denton’s entire business philosophy is being highly exclusive and rock solid.
Your potion sent us into a spiral we will struggle to recover from if there is even the whiff of more nonsense from you.
” He leans forward, baring both long fangs at me. “Am I clear, Lemon?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to suggest that if one bad potion can tear the foundation out from under our entire business, perhaps it wasn’t that strong to begin with. But I suspect Father will not want to hear that. Just like he won’t want to hear what Furyon is to me.
“You are a disappointment,” he says softly, leaning back in his chair. “Thank gods your mother is long gone, rest her soul.”
I grit my teeth to hold back the tears that fill my eyes at his casual mention of her. She was my everything, my best friend, my confidante. And when she died in a potion accident, I lost my way in our family.
I’m silent for the rest of dinner, barely holding back the tears.
Of course, Father and Hunter order multiple courses and dessert, and I’m forced to sit in utter misery while they talk about all the things I used to pretend to care about—city gossip, other potion houses, our clients, the social scene.
“Rookwood is still breathing down our necks,” Hunter helpfully offers, sucking on fish with blood-infused escargot. “Serafina’s been in The Yapper a few times talking about how devastated she is to have delayed her Introduction Ceremony.”
I’m silent, looking between them. I can’t even imagine what he expects me to say to that. There aren’t enough apologies in the world for what happened to her as a result of my potion. Honestly, I’m a little shocked he’d be willing to continue bringing it up considering his part in it.
I glance at Father, folding my hands in my lap. “Are we losing clients? Is there any reason we’d actually be forced to sell to Rookwood?”
Father sighs and leans back in his chair. Sucking at his teeth, he glances furtively around as if the Rookwoods might be hiding in the restaurant just waiting to hear our family secrets.
“We’ve lost enough clients for it to be a problem,” he answers tersely. “I am not the only one watching your moves here, Lemon. I’m quite certain the Rookwoods are keeping an eye on you as well.”
Discomfort rushes through me. It hadn’t occurred to me that the competing potion house would follow me all the way to Pine Gulch.
“I need you to not step a godsdamned toe out of line,” he says with a sneer. “Not a toe, Lemon. Do you understand?”
“I haven’t,” I remind him. “I’m doing exactly as you asked.”
He thrums the copies of The Gulch Gossip littering the tabletop. “Try harder, Daughter.”
I can’t think of a thing to say after that. And when we’re done with dinner, I escape as quickly as I possibly can. Outside the wraith property, I shoot up into the sky and back toward downtown.
As downtown looms, the tears finally come. And when they start, there is absolutely nothing I can do to slow them.