My dad answers on the third ring. “Lucy. What a pleasant surprise. Is everything all right?”
“Yes, everything is fine. I need to see you to discuss some things.”
“Of course. Why don’t you stop by the house tomorrow evening?”
“No, now.”
I can tell from the rasp I hear through the phone that he’s rubbing his chin in thought. It’s a habit of his.
“I’m afraid I’m out of town,” he tells me. “But I’ll be back tomorrow. Let’s meet at five-thirty?”
I’m about to argue with him about being put off, but then I remember I’ve had a couple glasses of wine. I want to be clearheaded for this conversation.
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I agree.
“Tomorrow. Bye.”
“Bye.”
“You’re really going to tell him to back off tomorrow?” Connie asks when I hang up the phone.
I grab my wine glass and walk to the counter to refill it. “Yes, I am. Because you’re right. If I keep asking for his help, this will never end. I’ll thank him for helping me with Ted, then tell him I need to stand on my own.”
“Then are you going to return to Cody?”
God, Cody. After everything my dad did to him, including framing him for Randy’s murder, I still ran to my father for help. No wonder he’s so upset with me. I owe him an apology.
Though he has every right not to speak to me again.
The thought of never seeing him again hurts so damn much.
“Lucy, here.” Connie hands me a tissue.
I’m crying. “I can’t lose him.”
“I hope you mean Cody.”
I scoff through my blubbering. “Of course, I mean Cody.”
“Well, what are you going to do about it?”
As I clean up my face, I lay it all out. “After I talk to my dad tomorrow and tell him no more meddling in my life, I’ll find Cody. Then I’ll do whatever I have to in order to convince him we belong together.”
“Do you really think you can trust your dad not to meddle just because you ask him to?”
I take a deep breath. “I’ll make it clear if he doesn’t back off, I’ll cut him off like Ronan. I don’t think he’ll risk hurting my mother in that way again. Ronan’s absence crushes her every holiday.”
There’s a knock at my door, and the butterflies that form in my stomach hope it’s Cody.
Connie blinks in surprise. “Are you expecting someone?”
“No.” I jump up. “But it could be Cody.”
I open the door and see an enormous bouquet of flowers. The thought they might be from Cody has me smiling. But my smile falls when the flowers lower and I see Ted.
“You shouldn’t be here.” I go to close the door, and he puts his hand on it to stop it.
“Wait. Lucy, I’m so sorry about the other night. It was a huge misunderstanding. Just hear me out, and then if you don’t want to talk to me again, I’ll understand.”
