Chapter 29
FISHER
My eyes fly open, and I stare at Lila through a thick haze of desire…did she almost just kiss me?
She looks up at me, her pupils dilated. “I think that’s your phone,” she says, exhaling a shaky breath.
“Oh. Shit.” My phone can burn in hell for this.
Reluctantly, I sit up and dig the damn phone out of my pocket. When I see the caller on the screen, I want to scream in frustration. Louis Fisher the Fourth.
I haven’t heard a thing from my father since the morning he and Mom stormed out of the loft, and the eerie silence has been unnerving. Makes me think whatever he’s calling now to say, I need to hear.
“You saved your father on your phone by his formal name?” Lila asks with a laugh.
“Nothing but the best for Daddy Dearest.” I shrug, still living in disappointment for our ruined moment. “Sorry, but I should probably answer this.”
She nods. “Of course.”
I press the green circle to accept the call. “Hello?”
“Archibald.” My father’s voice oozes distinguished charm. He sounds…happy…to speak to me. Which is odd considering how we left things. “Congrats on the big win last night.”
“Um, thanks…” It’s the only response I can muster in my befuddled state.
“I assume you’ve arrived back in San Francisco?”
“Yeah,” I answer, looking over at Lila. She’s watching me, her expression carefully neutral.
“Wonderful,” he says. I want to ask him why, exactly, this is wonderful, but I bite my tongue. “I’m actually back in town with your brother, and I was hoping we could meet.”
I grit my teeth. “I meant what I said before.” This bullshit is why he interrupted that incredible moment between me and Lila? “I’m not giving up the property, and I’m not getting my marriage annulled. There’s nothing you can say to change my mind.”
“I was hoping to make amends.”
These words coming out of my father’s mouth are such a shock to my system that I freeze. Lila frowns and rests a hand on my arm. The warmth of her palm on my skin grounds me.
“Oh, okay,” I say, focusing on Lila’s warm hand.
“We’d like to meet your wife properly and welcome her to the Fisher family. Could you both meet your brother and me for dinner tonight?”
This is so out of the blue, and so unlike my father—not to mention that for once, there’s no hint of condescension in his tone, no sign of his usual disappointment.
My heart wants to believe that my father’s intentions are pure and that there’s hope for my relationship with him, that the Fishers will accept Lila—hell, that they’ll accept me.
But my brain is screaming at me that this is a setup and he has something up his sleeve… an ulterior motive.
I swallow. The desire to give the man who raised me a chance to redeem himself wins out. “I need to talk to Lila, but I think that would work.”
“Great, I have a reservation at Père et Fils. Be there at six.”
“Okay, I’ll let you know for sure, like I said, I need to check with Lila—” I trail off, because he’s already hung up.
“Everything okay?” Lila asks.
“I’m not sure…” It’s the most honest response I have as I attempt to sort through all the thoughts running through my head.
All I wanted to do today when I arrived home from Seattle was spend time with Lila. I thought of two things during the short flight home: Lila, and the fact that we have three days off while we’re waiting for round two of the playoffs to begin.
I’m physically and mentally exhausted from round one, so these next few days will be a much-needed reset.
But now, after an amazing and relaxing time with Lila at The Palace of Fine Arts—a place so meaningful to me, a landmark I connected with through my Santi painting—my father had to go and ruin it.
When I had access to my trust fund, I would’ve wined and dined her at some over-the-top restaurant to impress her.
But ordering copious amounts of Thai food so she could teach me about each one, felt much more intimate…
like we were sharing more pieces of ourselves with each other.
And I swore Lila was going to kiss me just before my phone rang…
she was leaning in and staring at my mouth.
I don’t think I have ever wanted to do anything so badly, but as usual, my father has the worst possible timing.
Now I’ll never know if she would’ve pressed her lips to mine while we sat there enjoying each other’s company.
“My father and brother are in town, they want to meet us for dinner tonight,” I explain. “He said he wants to make amends, and they want to get to know you…but it could very well be a trap. You never know with my father.”
Lila’s mouth drops open to answer, but I hold my hand up to stop her. “There’s absolutely no pressure. I can go alone, or we can both skip it.”
Lila tilts her head, offering me a soft smile. “Okay, can I speak now?”
I huff a laugh. “Yes, please do.”
“We should go to dinner and hear him out,” she says.
“This is the first time you’ve heard from him since that day at the loft, so maybe his chess game has simply reached a stalemate, and he’s decided to focus on another property.
Maybe he’ll make amends and be true to his word, and if not, we leave.
But I think you’ll regret not giving him a chance. ”
She’s right…I would regret it. Because although there’s part of me that wants to cut my family out of my life for good, another part longs to have a healthy relationship with them.
I blow out a breath. “You’re sure?”
She nods, and we stand to gather everything from our picnic and haul it back to my vehicle.
While we’re packing up, I consider what my father and brother are doing in town…
what bomb they might drop at dinner. But I come up blank.
The firehouse is already off the market with a signed purchase contract.
So maybe he’s truly just here to mend our relationship.
Either way, I’m relieved I’ll have Lila by my side.
I always assumed it would be a pain in the ass to be in a relationship and have another person to consider in my busy schedule.
I’ve even wondered before if my teammates were annoyed trying to meet expectations from their significant others…
but in reality, there’s something so comforting about having a person who gets you, someone to talk things out with.
Someone who makes you feel like you’re never alone.
“I’m sorry our date got commandeered," I tell Lila as we walk back to my G Wagon with our arms full of takeout. “I wish ignoring him would make this mess go away.”
“Fisher, you have nothing to be sorry for. I mean, I wish our date wasn’t cut short.” She blushes and looks away.
Is she thinking about how we nearly kissed?
Lila swallows. “But we can always go on another date.”
I take a deep breath and blow it out. “Yeah, we’ll plan another date.”
She grins at me, brighter than the California sunshine. I stare at her, wondering how I ever handled anything before she came into my life.
A few hours later, Lila and I walk into the expensive restaurant my father reserved. She takes my hand, threading her small fingers through mine.
“You gonna be okay?” she asks as her thumb absently moves back and forth across the edge of my hand, the motion pure comfort.
I am now that you’re touching me.
“Fine,” I say. “Just want to get this over with.”
Lila grins. “If the food here sucks, we can make grilled cheese after.”
“Deal.”
On the way here, Lila told me not to worry about my father’s motives until I’ve heard him out, and instead, to focus on making sure he and my brother buy that we’re truly in love.
Not that that’s a hard thing for me to sell.
With Lila by my side, walking up to the table where my family is already seated, I feel less like prey about to be consumed and more like just a man in the proximity of a beautiful woman.
I’m at ease with her by my side. My growing feelings for my supposedly fake wife should terrify me, but falling for this brilliant, kind, talented woman feels like the most natural thing in the world.
I glance over at her, noting how she swept her dark hair into a sleek, low bun.
She looks stunning, as usual, but I miss her messy braid with strands kissing her face and neck.
She’s also wearing something I’ve never seen her in before…
instead of a bohemian dress or baggy pants, she’s dressed in white trousers and a tailored black vest with brass buttons down the front.
I wonder if she borrowed the clothes from Hazel because it doesn’t look anything like Lila’s usual clothing.
Or perhaps Ally lent her the pants; Hazel’s pants would be miles too long on Lila’s petite frame.
Either way, it’s nice that Lila was thoughtful enough to dress in a way she thinks my family might approve of now that father claims he wants to make amends, but I hate that she ever had to have that thought to begin with.
That she would ever feel like she has to be anyone but herself.
When my father and brother spot us, they both stand to greet us.
“Hello, again. Lillian, was it?” My father holds out his hand for her to shake. He’s smiling, but it doesn’t reach his eyes—which are appraising her like she’s an animal in the zoo, and he’s worried she might escape her exhibit.
At least he’s trying?
“Just Lila.” She grabs his hand awkwardly in hers and gives it a pump.
Louis chuckles. “It’s great to finally meet you, Lila,” he says. His tone is kind, and his smile looks genuine.
I pull out a chair for Lila, and scoot it in behind her, then the rest of us sit down.
A server comes and takes our drink order and then leaves us.