Chapter 44
Nathan
T wo quick knocks sound from my office door before Dad barrels in. “Working hard or hardly working?” He tosses a manila folder on my desk, then plants himself in the chair opposite me.
“What answer do you think I’m going to give my boss?”
“You look tired,” Dad says. “Too much on your plate?”
There’s no way in hell I’m going to tell my dad that I’m probably looking worse for wear because Spencer and I are having sex twice a day, every day.
“Just this timeline.” I drag my hand over my face, feeling my thick stubble which probably accentuates my exhausted appearance.
“Dad, I don’t care if every permit, inspection, and transaction goes flawlessly from now until opening, there’s no way we’re getting this hotel built and opened in a year. ”
“Okay. How about another year?”
“That might save me from a stress-induced early grave,” I say.
“You got it.”
“But I thought you wanted it opened as soon as possible so your investment wasn’t dangling.”
He dismisses my worry with a carefree shrug. “You’re too young for gray hair. My money can sit tight another year.” Dad nods to the folder. “That might help.”
Dragging the folder in front of me, I glance over the stack of paperwork. “A partnership agreement with Harvey Corp?”
“I’m taking the old bastard out tonight for dinner and his signature. We’re going to celebrate our first joint venture.”
Leaning back in my chair, I fold my arms across my chest. “You’re not exactly one to play nice in the sandbox. Why are you suddenly sharing your toys with your competitor?”
Dad laughs. “I’m getting too old for rivalries. They’re tiring. It’s time for Senior and I to bury the hatchet and see if partnering gets us further than sabotage. We still need a project manager though since you exiled Casey.”
He arches his brow like I did something wrong, but I regret nothing. Casey got off easy. I should’ve decked him in the jaw. “I want to work with Spencer on this. Not as my assistant but as project manager.”
To my annoyance, Dad frowns. “She’s inexperienced. This is a huge undertaking.”
“We’ll get her all the support she needs. But she has good judgment and a keen eye. I think this would be good for her.”
“All right. I trust you.”
“Thank you. And I was thinking, maybe you and Julia can come over this weekend. If we all beg, I might be able to convince Spencer to make these Cuban egg rolls.”
Dad’s expression twists, conveying his trepidation. “Cuban egg rolls?”
“Shouldn’t work, but totally does. It’s fan-fucking-tastic.” My desk phone rings and a familiar number flashes across the caller ID. “Speak of the devil.”
I pick up the receiver and lay it to the side. “Hey, baby, you’re on speaker. Tell my dad how you make those Cuban egg rolls with that dipping sauce that I’m convinced has crack in it.”
Baby? Dad mouths at me, waggling his eyebrows.
“Hi, Mr. Hatcher. Um, can we talk about egg rolls later, Nathan? I need to talk to you about Ruby.” Spencer’s tone is off—urgent and panicked. “Should I call back?”
“No, go ahead. My dad knows everything.”
Dad goes alert. He sits up straight, staring at the phone intensely, like it’s a pot about to boil. “Are you okay, Spencer?” he asks, inserting himself into the conversation.
“I’m okay. But I don’t think Ruby is. She ambushed me and Miller outside of Beaumont at pickup. She asked me to take Claire for a few days while she goes out of town.”
That’s not good. “Did she say why?”
“No, not really,” Spencer answers. “She just said it was an emergency.”
“I have a tail on her. I’ll call and figure out what’s going on right now. Thanks for telling me, Spencer.”
Fully in go mode, I nearly hang up on Spencer before she’s ready. “Nathan, wait. Claire… She’s here at your house. Is that okay?”
My heart knocks heavily inside my chest as the situation washes over me. The last time Claire was in my home was not a pleasant memory. I wonder what she’s thinking. “Of course it is. How is she?—”
“Perfectly fine. The girls are getting changed to go swimming. We’re sending Miller out for pizza and ice cream. I think Ruby didn’t realize tomorrow is a teacher work day. The school is closed, so if it’s okay with you, I’m going to take tomorrow off work and hang out with them.”
“Yeah, I think that’s a great idea. Maybe I should…” I place my fist to my lips, debating how to ask the nerve-racking question on my mind. Except I don’t have to, because Spencer reads me better than anybody and answers the question I didn’t ask.
“Claire’s walking around this place like it’s filled with happy memories. She showed Charlie which room used to be hers. She’s so smiley and at ease… She wants to see you, Nathan. She’s missed you very much.”
All I can do is bury my face in my hands. I’m filled with relief and simultaneously overwhelmed with guilt. She needed me, she missed me , and I wasn’t there.
“Nathan’s really happy to hear that,” Dad says when I let the silence carry on too long.
“Just do what you need to. Call about Ruby. I’ll take good care of the girls until you get here. We’ll save you some pizza, okay?”
“Thanks.” My voice cracks, and I clear my throat. “I’ll see you soon.”
Spencer ends the call, and after replacing the receiver, I dial Hodge, also on speaker. He answers immediately. “Hey, boss. Finally. I called you half an hour ago.”
“Sorry, I was working. Didn’t hear my phone. Where’s Ruby?”
“That’s what I was calling about. I have my guy Terry on it. He’s following her. He thinks Ruby’s driving for the border. She loaded up a few duffel bags of cash.”
“She’s going to get herself killed. I need to stop her.”
“If she gets to Sierra Vista, border control is bound to have some questions about why she’s headed to Mexico with random bags of cash. I have a contact there. I can see if we can hold her up.”
“Do that, now. Get your guy Terry to location share. I’m on the way.”
“Roger that, boss. Stay tuned.”
The room falls silent until I roar out, “ Fuck !” in frustration. “Dad, if she enters Mexico?—”
“She’s not coming back,” he finishes. “What the hell has she gotten herself into now?”
“I know you don’t want me getting involved, but I don’t have a choice. Don’t try to stop me. I have to find out.”
As much as I despise Ruby, she’s Claire’s grandmother. While she’s been vile to me, she’s been kind to Claire. Basic humanity doesn’t want me to see Ruby ripped to shreds by a violent cartel. Not even Ruby should have to pay for Peter’s crimes.
Dad shakes his head somberly. I expect him to lecture me about letting the authorities handle it and to keep myself uninvolved, but after studying my resolute expression, he says, “ We have to find out.”
“Dad, you don’t have to?—”
“Nathan,” he interjects firmly. “Ruby’s trying to keep her kid safe. And so am I. You go, I go. End of discussion.” He pulls his keys out of his pocket and dangles them in front of me. “Come on, I’ll drive.”