“I’m done. You can have it.” I lean forward. “Dad might not like it, but I’m a grown woman and can do what I want.”
He stares at me. “Are you serious?”
“I am.”
He laughs. “Yeah, he’s not going to go for that.” He stands up. “And I’d think about it before asking him. If he thinks you want to run from here, he might tighten the reins.”
I frown. “What does that mean?”
He turns around but continues to walk away backward. “Why don’t you ask Dad to explain why he wants us all living in this house?”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
Duke smiles. “It’s not my place to tell. Ask him. If he’s not honest with you, then I’ll fill you in.” He spins around, leaving me with more questions and doubts about having a future with Logan.
But if my dad isn’t telling me something, he needs to now. I knock on his office door.
“Come in,” he says.
I step in and close the door behind me. “Can we talk?”
He stands up and walks over to me. “Of course. Have a seat.”
We both sit on the couch next to the fireplace.
“What’s going on?”
Instead of beating around the bush, I take a deep breath, then turn to him. “I’m moving to Virginia with Logan after I graduate.”
His nostrils flare, and the warmth in his eyes quickly cools. “Virginia?”
“Yes. He’s going to leave the Navy, and we plan to start a life together.” I leave out that it will be a year later.
My dad turns his body away from me and faces the fireplace. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
I stand up. “What won’t be?”
“You moving that far. I need to be able to protect you.”
“But, Dad, you don’t need to protect me. I’m a grown woman. And I’ll have Logan.”
He stands up. “I said no.”
“You can’t tell me what to do.”
“Don’t test me.”
My brother’s words come back to me. “Why do you want me here so badly? What aren’t you telling me?”
The warmth returns to his eyes. “Delaney, I want you here to keep you safe. Besides, you are destined to run Manzia Construction. You’ve been working there for years. What would I do without you?”
“Why can’t Duke run the company?”
He takes my hand in his. “Duke has another role. I need you to be the face of Manzia Construction.”
The face? Why me? I pull back my hand. “I’m sure someone else could run the company.” I spin around and walk to the door.
“Delaney, don’t do this.”
