Chapter Nineteen
Emery
Waking up the next morning to a text from my dad was a surprise I hadn’t been expecting. Apparently, he was only in the States for a few days and wanted to see me. He was staying with friends in Seattle but could easily drive into Minton and suggested The Pancake Place for brunch if I was free.
I stared at the text in utter disbelief. The Pancake Place? Now, don’t get me wrong. It was a favorite of mine, but Dad wouldn’t dream of going somewhere like that. He wouldn’t be seen dead anywhere other than a five-star restaurant or an expensive bistro.
“What is it?”
I glanced up as Phoenix came out of the shower with just a small towel casually draped around his hips. He smirked at my apparent distraction, but it still made me a little warm inside.
“It’s my dad. He’s in the States for a few days and wants to meet me for brunch.”
Phoenix sank to the bed. “If he’s only here for a few days, you should go. Didn’t you say he lived in Tokyo?”
I nodded. “It’s odd he didn’t give me any notice. His secretary usually arranges it,” I added dryly.
“I’d love to meet your dad,” Phoenix said and walked to the closet.
I glanced up from my phone and squirmed, but he turned at my silence. He studied my expression and nodded as if I’d answered a question.
“I have some errands to run. I need to go check our supplier.”
“What supplier?”
“We’re replacing the two temporary classrooms at Minton Elementary. Job starts Monday.”
I blinked because I was still reeling from werewolves and vampires, and I forgot Phoenix had a job in the real world.
And now I felt like shit because he knew I didn’t want him to meet my dad.
“It isn’t that I don’t want you to meet him…
” I trailed off. Did I? “It’s just he’s being weird.
Mom and Dad are never casual. And his offer to drive to see me?
He’d expect me to fly to wherever he was.
I mean, he’d pay for it, but it’s just odd. ”
“I get that, and if there’s something wrong, he won’t say it in front of an audience,” Phoenix finished for me.
He smiled and leaned forward for a quick kiss.
“How about I drop you where you’re meeting him?
I have to take the truck in case I have anything to collect.
Then text me when you’re done, and I’ll stop in and say a quick hello. ”
I beamed. “Thanks, that’s a perfect solution. When will I get my car back?”
Phoenix looked away and stood. “I’ll check.”
I narrowed my eyes. The list of what we had to talk about was getting longer, and while Phoenix had told me more about the pack members last night, we hadn’t talked about us.
But what could I say? He wanted an answer I wasn’t ready for. His pack wanted a commitment I just couldn’t give them, not yet anyway. Maybe we could talk in the truck, but just as we were heading out, Nicholas jogged over. Phoenix lowered the window.
“Alpha, could I get a ride? Mom wants some of those silks.” He grinned as if sharing a joke, but then he saw me in the other seat and took an immediate step back. “Sorry, Phoenix. Sorry, I’ll go later.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, as he stepped away.
Phoenix grinned. “He thought I was on my own. He won’t want to intrude.”
And while, yes, I wanted to spend time alone, I knew Nicholas was one of his betas and important. “Nicholas?” He turned. “Phoenix is just giving me a ride to meet my dad, then he’s going to grab whatever you need for the job next week.”
“Yeah, I might swing by and see if those ICFs are ready for the insulation,” Phoenix added. “Come and see what you think.”
He nodded and jumped in the back. I searched for a safe subject to talk about. “I’m glad those temporary classrooms are finally getting done.” I shuddered. “The one I was in last year leaked.”
“Of course, you worked there,” Nicholas said. “Kindergarten?”
I smiled, then a question occurred to me. “What did the pack do for schooling?” I couldn’t imagine how that would work.
“The pack generally kept a rota for home-schooling,” Phoenix said. “Teenagers, once secure in their shift, could attend a human school if they wished.”
Which made sense.
“It was something the alpha-mate organized,” Nicholas said eagerly.
I didn’t react except to say, “I’m sure, but for that, you need kids.”
Which kind of shut the conversation down, but it was true. And I had no idea why I had to rub that in.
I got out when Phoenix pulled up outside the restaurant, and he made sure I had his cell number for the hundredth time.
I didn’t see any rented Mercedes or BMWs which my dad usually drove, but I saw him sitting in the corner looking at the menu.
He jumped to his feet as I walked in, and he folded me in a bear hug.
I was even more confused. Since when was being demonstrative a trait from either of my parents? I stuck it out a few seconds, then stepped back and slid into the seat across from him. “It’s good to see you,” I said genuinely.
He smiled, but then we were interrupted by the waitress. We both ordered coffee and the special. “I’m not used to getting a text,” I chuckled. “I normally get an email from Haruto.”
He shrugged, but then the waitress arrived with the coffee.
“I’ve actually decided to pivot slightly,” he said, a trifle nervously. “Wasn’t the right fit, you know? And I’m looking over my choices back in the US. Or Europe,” he added.
It came to me then. I had no idea what was going on, but my dad had either been fired or had quit.
I leaned back, completely stunned. I couldn’t ever remember Dad appearing at any school function or parent meeting.
Mom had been slightly better, but that was to make sure she was getting her money’s worth.
They’d both turned their back on me when I’d pursued teaching.
“That’s great, Dad,” I said evenly. “It will be nice to see more of you.” Wouldn’t it? Did we even have a relationship at this point?
“So what are you up to, then?” he asked when we’d gotten our food. “Running the school yet?”
I grinned. “Funnily enough, I quit Minton. I have a job at a middle school nearby.” Which I still needed to make a decision on.
His eyebrows raised. “Congratulations. That must come with a pay raise?”
Of course. Job satisfaction was always about money. “A small raise,” I agreed.
He grinned again. “Not that you need to worry about cash with what Graeme earns?”
I was going to correct him, but I simply replied. “Graeme and I aren’t together anymore.”
I didn’t think I’d ever seen my dad lost for words. Mom always said he could talk the pope into blasphemy. “Not together?” he repeated like he hadn’t heard correctly. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure what was confusing,” I said a little snappishly. “We’ve split. We’re not boyfriends anymore.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “No, you can’t have.”
“Since when do you care?” I kept my voice lowered, but this conversation was seriously out of hand. “We meet once a year, Dad, if that.” I had no idea why they’d bothered to have a child. All my life, I’d felt like an inconvenience.
He ran a hand through his hair and didn’t answer.
“What’s wrong?” Because something was going on.
“I—” He took another drink. “I was hoping to speak to Graeme. About some investments.”
I frowned. “Dad, Graeme’s a realtor. He’s not a financial advisor.”
Dad looked at me like I was brainless. “And his house sits on land currently valued at over ten million.”
I gaped, thinking of Graeme’s house. It was in a nice spot and a decent-sized sprawling ranch house, but Dad needed to take an awful lot of zeros off that value. “Since when?”
“Since his godmother died,” Dad said.
“Jenny?” I leaned back, gutted. Jenny was one of the nicest women I’d ever known and the one thing I missed when we split up.
In fact, I’d visited her over spring break.
I knew she was wealthy, but I’d never thought much about her house except it had a fabulous view of Madison Park. “But that doesn’t mean—”
And the penny dropped.
In my defense, I’d been a little distracted over the last couple of weeks. “You don’t need investment advice. You just want money.”
Dad didn’t answer. He didn’t even look especially apologetic.
“We’re not together. We don’t speak. He’s with someone else who already has money.” Dad’s head shot up, and his expression brightened.
“No,” I said, before he asked. “I told you he left me. I’m not about to go crawling back just to get you a conversation.
” I leaned forward. “Did you get fired?” I knew all the wealth in their relationship came from Mom’s family, and she would’ve had an iron-clad prenup before my grandad let her even smell an engagement ring.
“No,” Dad spat out. “It was a misunderstanding.” I waited. “I was a shoo-in for partnership. I just needed to land a good client. I—” He swallowed. “I might have made some initial investments look a little better than they actually were. Just a little shuffling, you understand.”
I shook my head. “Shuffling?”
“Prop trading is perfectly legal, and if one client hadn’t had their hands in other pies and decided to use questionable funds…”
I put a hand out to stop him. We were getting nowhere. I had no idea what prop trading was, nor did I wish to. “I’m sorry, Dad, but we’re not together. I can’t help.”
“You have to,” Dad croaked and glanced at me. “There are people wanting their money back, and…”
I got it. I had a little saved. “I can loan you some,” I added gently. “How much are we talking about?”
“Some?” Dad scoffed. “You have seven million in your back pocket, do you?”
“You know I don’t.” But Dad had lurched to his feet. “Dad—”
“Thanks, I’ll be sure to tell that to the goons that break my legs.”
What? But I almost felt Phoenix before I saw him and turned.
He’d come inside the café but was three tables away by the counter, standing with Nicholas.
Nicholas had his back to us, buying coffee to-go.
Phoenix sent me an apologetic look, and I knew.
Knew he’d heard. Dad hadn’t been loud, but Phoenix was an alpha werewolf with exceptional hearing.
I also didn’t know how much Nicholas had heard.
“Who’s that?” Dad said, noticing Phoenix staring at us. I smiled, and Phoenix took that as an invitation and came over.
“This is Phoenix Colton.” Phoenix put out his hand.
“Phoenix, this is my dad, Christopher Valentine.” They shook.
“Phoenix gave me a ride. I’m staying with him while I get a place nearer my new job.
” I cringed, feeling about fifteen. I didn’t owe my dad any explanations. Dad smiled pleasantly at Phoenix.
“Are you a teacher?”
Phoenix shook his head. “No, sir. I work in construction. We’re currently doing some work at Minton Elementary over the summer break.
” Then he put his arm around my shoulders.
Claiming. Possessive. At any other time, I might have been thrilled, but now wasn’t it.
Not when my dad was up to his ears in questionable and very illegal money shuffling or whatever he’d called it.
And breaking his legs? Seven million? Was he serious or just trying to scare me into talking to Graeme?
“Phoenix has his own construction company,” I offered, then wished I could take it back. I felt like a kid again, trying to get their attention. I didn’t need my relationship choices validated by anyone, especially Dad.
I glanced over at Nicholas, who was just paying for some coffees to-go and either hadn’t heard or was doing a good impression of that. I was grateful either way, and I watched him go wait outside.
“Well, Emery.” Dad turned to me. “It was nice catching up. Give me a call tomorrow. I may stay in the area a few more days, and perhaps we can meet up again.” He smiled and left.
I stood, watching him as he paused briefly, looking at Phoenix’s truck. Probably trying to decide how much it was worth.
Phoenix squeezed my shoulders. “I’m sorry if we came back too early.”
I walked out with him and accepted my coffee from Nicholas.
Dad had gone. I sipped at it and managed to stop pulling a face because it was really strong, but I followed them out to the truck.
He offered me a muffin, but I refused, not hungry even though we hadn’t eaten the food we’d ordered.
I sat and let them talk about the school job and worried all the way back.
Break his legs? Was that manipulation? Or was Dad really in trouble?
I stared out of the window and felt Phoenix’s hand rest on my thigh, squeezing slightly, and I knew he was trying to be supportive, but I just wasn’t sure I could take any more hits. Was there really anything stopping me from just getting in my car and driving away?
I didn’t know. But I knew I was going to have to make up my mind.
And soon.