Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Excuse me?”
“Where are my manners?” She held out a folded piece of paper as if it were a party invitation.
I opened it slowly as the rest of the group exchanged uneasy glances, and Dax cleared his throat.
“You do realise, as a civilian, you can’t fine another civilian?” he said, his tone sharp.
Her eyes slid past me to Dax, and she tilted her head.
“Rodger!” she barked, twisting to summon someone behind her.
A stout man with a sad grey comb-over shuffled forward, looking like he’d rather crawl under a rock.
“This is Rodger Sweet from the council,” she announced, elbowing him forward.
Rodger twisted his fingers and tried not to meet Mayor Akari’s frown.
“Japanese knotweed?” I read aloud from the letter.
“An invasive species with legal parameters for disposal. Skip bins that are dumped into general landfill don’t count.” The corner of her mouth lifted. She really did have minions watching everything. Miss Lissy elbowed Rodger, who looked up as if he’d just realised where he was.
“Tell her,” she said.
“Allowing Japanese knotweed, or soil contaminated with it to spread into the wild is an offence.” Poor Rodger looked like he had a hundred other places he’d rather be.
“And…” Miss Lissy demanded. I was reconsidering my stance against slapping old people in public.
“It can result in a fine of up to five thousand pounds,” Rodger sighed. “Or a prison sentence of up to two years.”
My mouth fell open, and I exhaled sharply like I’d been punched in the boob.
I couldn’t afford that. Breeze definitely couldn’t. But of course, this wasn’t about her. This was payback. For Ema. For Bean There.
“This isn’t a fine,” Dax said, reading over my shoulder. “It’s notice of a court date.”
God bless this man and his legal brain.
Miss Lissy’s smile twitched before she masked it again.
“Court can be expensive,” she said smoothly. “I thought I’d give Miss Walls a courtesy heads-up. Rodger intended to deliver it anyway.”
Rodger stared at his shoes like they’d personally betrayed him. I wondered what Miss Lissy had over him.
Blackmail? Hidden affair? Photos?
I eyed Miss Lissy, knowing the punch line was coming.
“I just thought you might want to consider that before destroying an asset,” she said, sweeping her hand towards the house. There it was.
“I could buy this place, for example. I’ve taken the liberty of getting pre-approval for finance and had Trevor type up an agreement if you’d like to look at it.”
Fucking Trevor.
I felt Dax shuffle closer to me, and I don’t think I’d heard June breathe since Miss Lissy started talking. I felt gratitude for the first time for being the sole focus of her attention, so much so that she hadn’t recognised my sister.
A roll of pressure moved through my body like something large making its way through a tunnel, and as it reached my chest, I let out a loud cackle.
I snorted, slapped a hand over my mouth for the second time tonight, and clasped the other hand on top to stop myself—but the rolling continued, spilling laughter from my jaw like a broken dam.
I clutched my ribs as another snort escaped through my nose, tears streaming down my cheeks.
Lucky for me, I’d retired any desire to be ladylike sometime in my twenties.
I remembered being kicked out of English class for a performance like this during Macbeth.
Every line sounded filthy, and my hysterical giggling had confused everyone then as much as it was now.
I cracked one eye open. Dax was pressing his lips together to hold back a smile, still somehow maintaining professional composure—even in sweatpants.
June, on the other hand, looked like she wished the ground would swallow her whole.
Poor Rodger had finally looked up, clearly questioning what on earth Miss Lissy had dragged him into. Denis remained resolutely deadpan.
“Sorry,” I hissed, turning back to face the group. If I’d just ruined my eyeliner wing, I was going to be seriously pissed. “Not sure where that came from.”
Denis cleared his throat and looked at me, but said nothing.
“Dax?”
“Miss Walls?” he answered.
Ooh, I’d remember I liked that. My spine tingled.
“Would you mind escorting Miss Lissy off the premises?”
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish, and my lips curved.
“Love to,” Dax said, stepping towards her.
“Riley, I’d seriously urge you to reconsider—” she blurted. Rodger looked up at Dax towering over them and held up an arm to be led away.
“Lissy,” I hissed, dropping the ‘Miss’ for the first time. “Stay the fuck out of my life.”
Her eyes darkened as the words hit—but Dax’s broad shoulders quickly blocked her from view.
“Thanks for dropping the letter!” I called after them. I’d worry about the fine later. I had a feeling I had a lawyer—and maybe even a mayor—on my side, judging by the glances Mayor Akari kept sneaking my way.
“Are you ready?” Denis asked ten minutes later, once Dax had returned. I tried not to lose my cool at his millionth offer of an out.
I’d wanted to do this since I was five.
His eyes softened, and I dipped my head—but then anxiety clenched my chest.
“Actually, can you wait?” I asked.
Dax and June shuffled awkwardly on either side of me.
“I just have a quick thing I need to do,” I reassured them, hoping to soothe the sudden ripple of concern.
Denis squared his shoulders and positioned himself in front of me, blocking the view of the recruits.
“Go ahead,” he said simply.
I skirted around the temporary tables and chairs, ignoring a panicked glance from the woman in the brown pantsuit.
Slipping through the gate, I silently thanked my biological mum for the great rack that held a collection of things, including my phone.
I have to admit that I felt mild anxiety putting it there now after the article about the electromagnetic waves.
Nothing like a good headline to keep you paranoid. Or careful?
I scrolled through my contacts and pushed the call button.
“Riley?” the strained voice answered after one ring. I felt the newly familiar rage sweep through my body with the heat of a blue flame, but I kept my voice contained. Through the burning, my chest squeezed, and could sense the little caged bird that had something to say.
“I want you to be my dad.”
A few moments of silence passed before I heard a choked snort, and my dad cleared his throat.
“Thank-you,” he whispered. I’d made Colin cry more times in the last fortnight than I’d seen in my lifetime. Well, in thirty years of my lifetime, and I couldn't help the guilt that filled my throat as a result.
“I’m angry,” I said. “And I don’t know if that will ever change. But I needed you to know that.”
“I understand, Ry,” he said, using the nickname he never had before. My heart clenched.
“For what it’s worth, I’m so sorry. And I want you to know that I want to be your dad. So much. And I will continue to be in your life in any way that you allow me to be. I want you to know I’m here, but I don’t want to pressure you.”
I nodded, not that he could see it, and I let silent tears dry on my face.
“I love you,” he said, filling the stillness.
“I love you too,” I replied without hesitation and disconnected the call.
The crease between June’s eyes deepened as I returned. The firefighters had moved into their groups, now scattered around the property. I probably should’ve insisted they shoot the annual firefighter calendar here tonight. Felt like a missed opportunity.
“You all good?” June asked, just as Denis’s folded arms mirrored the question.
“Ready to go,” I said with a smile, feeling lighter.
I couldn’t read Dax’s expression.
“Off we go then.” Denis cocked his head in the direction of the house. For the first time tingles filled my body, dripping out my fingertips. I finally felt excited. I was eager for this moment, but I felt excited about my future too, and that was a novelty all on its own.
Denis led the way, and June and I fell into step behind him before I felt a hand tug the back of my arm. I spun around to find Dax’s dark eyes looking down at me, his long lashes making him look impossibly handsome.
“Do you need me in there?” he asked, shifting his gaze towards the front door that Denis and June were now walking through.
The question of need always filled my stomach like curdled milk on a hot day.
Dax’s mouth curved as he placed his palms gently on either side of my arms.
“Do you want me in there?”
Did I?
I hadn’t even considered that being an option. People either showed up or they didn’t. I wasn’t used to being offered a choice. But something clinked in my chest. A tiny cage door finally fell open.
“Here’s what I think,” Dax said, when I didn’t answer. “Actually—here’s what I know. I know you can do this without me in there. I know you’re capable of anything you set your mind to. You’ve spent your whole life being the strongest person in the room—because you had to be. It kept you alive.”
Oof. Right in the gut.
“I don’t have to go in there,” he continued. “I’m technically needed out here. But if you want me to come in, I will. And if you’d rather go in alone, then I’ll be right here, ready to congratulate you when it’s done. I know what this house represents. It’s your war.”
That lump in my throat would need an ice pick soon.
I thought for a moment, chewing my bottom lip.
“I think… I want to do it alone.”
No one in the world would be surprised by that answer—but I was.
“It’s not that I don’t need you,” I added quickly. “Because I think I do.”
I looked down, unable to deal with the intensity of the emotion tornado swirling through my body. I was equally not ready for any brewing reaction his face might be giving away.
“I haven’t always felt like the leader of my life. Even when I didn’t understand why. I don’t want to do this on my own because being on my own feels like the only safe option. I want to fight it on my own so that I can begin to trust myself to take care of me.”