by Lee McKenzie
She at least had the grace to look uncomfortable. “No. My friends and I went for coffee and then we hung out at the beach. It wasn’t a good time to talk.”
“You couldn’t have answered, let her know when she could call you back?”
She shrugged. “I guess. Did she call you?”
“Yes, she did. She wanted to know why you didn’t pick up.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “I’m sure she’s not mad because I missed a call. I talk to her pretty much every day.”
“She wasn’t mad.” Not at Kate, anyway. “But you’re always wondering when she’s going to call, checking for text messages, so I was surprised you didn’t take her call.”
“Fine. I’ll text her to let her know I’m home and she can call me if it’s not too late over there.” She unzipped one of her high black leather boots and pulled it off, removed the other one, and headed for the stairs. The bag still swung from her shoulder.
“Not so fast,” he said.
She turned around, her sullen expression easy to read. Now what?
“I asked your mother if you’d thanked her for giving you that bag.”
Her defiance waned.
“She said she didn’t send it.”
Kate lowered her gaze to the floor.
Keep your cool, he warned himself. “I have a pretty good idea how much it cost and I know you didn’t have enough money to buy it. Where did you get it?”
She kept her head down, her eyes low, but it was the indifferent shrug that made him lose it.
“You don’t know where it came from? You expect me to believe that?”
Her head snapped up and the defiance was back, in spades. “Duh. Of course I know where it came from. I got it at Sarah’s.”
Duh? Not a good way to respond to a man whose patience was worn dangerously thin. “You...borrowed it?”
“Not from her house, from her store. And I didn’t borrow it, she gave it to me.”
He walked away from her, drew a long breath as he raised his hands and jabbed his fingers through his hair. Heaven help him. He exhaled slowly, turned to face her again.
“Sarah gave you an expensive handbag? For no reason, she just gave it to you?”
“No, she didn’t just give it to me.” She hiked her nose in the air, hitched the bag higher and held one arm against it, as if protecting it from him. “I earned it.”
He wanted to believe her. If this was true, then she hadn’t shoplifted the bag, but it still didn’t make any sense. “You ‘earned’ it. How, exactly?”
“I’ve been going to her store after school on the days you have soccer practice. I went that first day because I didn’t have anything else to do. The woman who works for her had called in sick that day and Sarah was super busy so she let me do her window display while she unpacked a shipment of handbags. She said I did a really good job so she let me choose one, you know, as payment. I liked this one, and I didn’t feel right about taking one of the really expensive bags.”
While he tried to process this new turn of events, he recognized the last statement for what it was—an attempt to turn the table in her favor.
“So let me get this straight. For the past two weeks you’ve been going there after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays?”
Her nod was almost imperceptible.
“The days you said you were at the library or at home doing homework.”
That question garnered another halfhearted acknowledgment.
“That explains why you’re already behind in your school work and failing assignments.”
“You’ve been checking up on me?”
“Of course I check up on you. I’m your father. That’s my job.” He was finding it hard to keep his reactions in check and not raise his voice. “You have a job, too. You need to keep up with your schoolwork and get decent grades, not waste time decorating store windows.”
“It’s not a waste of time. I knew you wouldn’t understand. Because of Mom you think being interested in fashion and wanting to wear nice clothes is totally lame, but it isn’t. Sarah said a lot of her customers told her how much they liked the displays I put together, and the Facebook page I set up for her is already really popular, too.”
Facebook? Not that he had any experience with it, but that had to be an even bigger waste of time than window-dressing. And what was Sarah thinking, letting his daughter do these things without asking him first? She’d had plenty of opportunities and hadn’t even hinted at it.
“So, you lied about the purse, you lied about what you’ve been doing after school. Anything else? Did you ask Sarah to lie to me, too? So she wouldn’t tell me—”
“I never asked her not to tell you. If she didn’t mention it, it’s because she didn’t think it was a big deal. And it isn’t!” She’d resorted to the high-pitched yelling that was the precursor to a full-on meltdown. “Seriously, I can’t believe you’re so...so not cool about anything.”
“Believe it. From now on, when I have soccer practice you will remain at the school, do your homework and study. There will be no more working at Sarah’s store, no more hanging out with your friends.”
“So I’m grounded?”
“If that’s what you want to call it, yes.”
“For how long?”
“Until your assignments are caught up and your grades improve. Then we’ll talk.”
“This is not fair! If I was on your stupid soccer team or if I’d joined the stupid chess club, you’d be fine with that. But you think the stuff I like to do is a waste of time, so I’m grounded?”
“You’re grounded because—” No. The increased decibel level reminded him that he was more than a dad, he was a teacher, too. He knew better than to let a situation get out of hand, and this one was. Time to bring it down a notch.
“We both need a time-out. Go up to your room. I’ll start dinner and call you when it’s ready. We can talk after we’ve both calmed down.”
“Oh, I’m going up to my room all right.” She stomped up the stairs. “But I will not be down for dinner,” she shouted over her shoulder. “And I’m not talking to you. Ever.”
He could still hear her footfall after she disappeared down the hallway.
And here we go. Wait for it.
Wham!
These abrupt reversions from nearly adult to petulant child and back again always caught him off guard and left him floundering. He doubted that slamming the door made her feel any better, and it probably scared the daylights out of the cat. Best to give her time to cool off and wait for the return of the nearly adult phase so they could have a conversation that involved less shouting and more listening on her part.
He went into the kitchen, debated what to fix for dinner, and decided on tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Kate had loved both since she was little, and since he knew from experience that she was stubborn enough to stay in her room until well past dinnertime, he could take some up to her and feel reasonably confident she would eat something.
While he chopped, sliced and stirred, he thought about Sarah. Hiring a kid to work in her store, not telling her father...why would she do something like this? How would she feel if someone sabotaged her daughter’s academic success with what was little more than frivolous volunteer work? She’d be as furious as he was, and justifiably so.
So what are you are going to do about it?
He slapped the wooden spoon on the counter. He would go over there and talk to her, that’s what he’d do, as soon as his soup was ready.
As soon as your soup is ready? No wonder Kate thought he was lame. He was.
CHAPTER TEN
SARAH CAME DOWNSTAIRS to find Casey and Petey already curled up together on the sofa. The little dog was well trained and well behaved, but he had no understanding of the no-dogs-on-the-furniture rule.
After only one day, Sarah had given up and decided to let it go. He was only here for a week. Then she would have the furniture shampooed, or least thoroughly vacuumed.
The dog was asleep and Casey had a book in her hands.
“What are you reading?”
“My science textbook. This week’s lab assignment is all about cell biology so I’m reading up on the parts of a cell.”
“Good idea.”
“Look at this diagram.” Casey angled the book so she could see a labeled drawing of a cell. “Did you know the human body has trillions upon trillions of cells? They’re not all the same, but they’re all this complicated. That’s crazy. We’ll be using microscopes, too. I’ve never used a microscope before, so that’ll be cool.”
As she often did, Sarah gave silent thanks for being blessed with such an awesome kid. “How was your afternoon?”
“Good,” Casey said.
Hmm. Details were usually more forthcoming.
“Just good? Who did you hang out with?”
“Kate and Henry and some other kids from school.”
A sleepy-eyed Petey popped his head up when Sarah sat down. She gave him a scratch behind the ears but kept her gaze on her daughter’s face.
“Do these other kids have names?”
“Alycia was there. She’s on the soccer team and she’s in Kate’s and Henry’s art class. And Brody and Dexter.”
Three girls, three boys, and there was no mistaking the color that bloomed in Casey’s cheeks.
Sarah decided to try a different approach. “What did your friends think of Petey?”
That was all it took to brighten her eyes and dissolve the evasiveness. “Everybody loved him! Henry had his camera with him and he took some awesome pictures of the guys throwing sticks for Petey. He made a video, too, and he’ll post them on Facebook tonight.”
Aha. Sarah would discreetly log in and check those later. She knew Alycia and Brody, but until now Casey had never been particularly good friends with either. Dexter’s name was new to her, and she had a hunch he might be responsible for her daughter’s telltale blush, not to mention the unwillingness to talk about him that actually spoke volumes. For now, this was all the information she needed.
“For dinner tonight, I thought we’d go to Wharfside for fish and chips.” After pizza, it was Casey’s favorite.
“Sure.”
“We could invite Kate and her dad to join us.”
Casey grinned at that.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.”
“Should we invite them or not?”
“Sure. I’ll text Kate and see what she says.” Casey closed her textbook and picked up her phone just as the doorbell rang. She jumped up and Petey followed her. “Maybe that’s her. Oh. Hi, Coach. Come on in,” she said after she opened the door. “Mom, it’s Kate’s dad.”
Sarah stood, smoothed her hair and pressed her palms to her cheeks for a moment before walking into the foyer.
Casey, textbook in one hand, phone in the other, gave her a broad wink. “I’ll be up in my room. Come on, Petey.”
“Hi,” she said after Casey was out of earshot, trying to get her emotions under control.
“Hi.” He looked tense, upset about something.
“I was going to run over to your place and invite you and Kate to join us for dinner. We’re going down to the wharf for fish and chips.”
“Not tonight.”
“Okay. Is something wrong?”
He didn’t respond right away, but she could see he was angry.
“Jonathan? What’s going on?” He was starting to alarm her.
“Did you give my daughter a handbag?”
That’s what this was about? “Yes, I did. She helped me at the store one day and I—”
“Just one day?”
“Well, no. She’s been there on the days the soccer team practices after school.”
He just stood there and stared at her, arms tightly folded across his chest, feet planted on the runner.
“Is there a problem?”
“Yes, there’s a problem. Didn’t it occur to you to get my permission?”
“Of course it did. She seemed to be at loose ends that first day she came to the store. I told her she was welcome to stay as long as she let you know where she was and what she was doing. She sent you a text message and a few minutes later, you replied and said it was okay.” And then the penny dropped. “She didn’t send the message, did she?”
“No, she didn’t, but that doesn’t let you off the hook, does it?”
“Excuse me?”
“You could have checked with me, but instead you didn’t even mention it.”
He was angry with her because she had been duped by his daughter? “I didn’t mention it because it didn’t come up. I wasn’t trying to hide anything, and I certainly haven’t done anything wrong.” And aside from lying about having her father’s permission to be there, neither had Kate. She’d spent a few hours helping Sarah and she’d been very fairly compensated for it. So why the overreaction?
“Thanks to you filling her head with nonsense about working in a clothing store, she’s already falling behind and getting failing grades on assignments.”
“Wait just a minute.” She was no longer shocked, she was angry. Maybe angrier than he was. “I filled her head with nonsense? Your daughter lied to me, doesn’t do her homework, and that’s my fault?”
“She’s impressionable. Of course she’d rather think about things that don’t matter rather than getting good grades at school.”
“Things that don’t matter? Well, let me tell you a thing or two. Those ‘things’ you find so frivolous have put a roof over our heads, paid off my mortgage and helped me set up a college fund for my daughter.”
He started to speak and she cut him off.
“I’m not finished. If your daughter isn’t interested in school, if she feels she can’t be open and honest with you, then that reflects on you, not me. If you want to know why she told me she had your permission when she had nothing of the sort, then you need to take stock of your relationship with her.”
“I’m trying. It’s hard to get her to focus when there are so many outside influences.”
Sarah refused to back down. No way was he pinning this on her. “I sympathized with your struggle to raise a kid on your own because I thought you were really trying, but not anymore. Not if you’re going to be such a narrow-minded jerk. Kate’s a smart kid with a real eye for design and a good head for business. My customers are impressed with her displays, she set up a Facebook page for the store and it’s already bringing in business, and I—”
“Oh, well, why didn’t you mention that sooner? Who needs an education when they know how to set up a Facebook page?” His sarcasm cut deep. “Don’t expect her to be back. She’s grounded until she catches up at school and improves her grades.”
“Good luck with that.” She opened the door and flung it wide. “You need to leave.” Tears threatened to spill and her voice was as shaky as the rest of her.
He hesitated.
“Now,” she ordered.
He backed out and she firmly shut the door. To make sure her message hit home, she clicked the dead bolt into place. Then she turned her back to the door and leaned against it, trembling, eyes squeezed shut.
Was she really such a bad judge of character? There’d been no question she found him attractive, but she’d also been drawn to him as a person, and she was already fond of Kate. If he couldn’t manage his kid, that was his problem, and if he thought he could use her as a scapegoat, he could darn well think again. She wasn’t sure she would ever forgive his behavior, but she hoped this disagreement wouldn’t affect her daughter’s friendship with the girl next door. Poor Kate ne
eded a friend, and Casey...
Oh, no. Casey! Had she overheard this ridiculous exchange? She certainly hoped not. Explaining why they’d be going to dinner alone would be awkward enough.
* * *
KATE WAITED TILL her dad went jogging on Monday morning before she put her plan in motion. She started by sending a message to Casey.
Am walking 2 school 2day OK?
Why?
Why not?
It’s raining
Rats. She peeked past her curtains and sure enough, it was. Not pouring though. She would take an umbrella, wear her Hunter rain boots, and she’d be fine. Besides, anything, anything, even walking in the rain, was better than having to spend even one minute in the car with her dad.
I’ll share my umbrella.
R U going to tell me wuz up?
Had a fight with my dad.
So did my mom.
She knew he’d stormed over there, probably to tell Sarah not to let her hang out at the store anymore. How could he?
Sry. CU in 15?
OK.
Ugh. This was so typical. Just when things were going great for her—just when she’d made new friends, met grown-ups who believed the things that interested her were worthwhile, found a supercute boy who wanted to hang out with her—her super-lame dad had to ruin everything.
She made a quick tour of her bedroom, opening and closing drawers, tossing things into her bag. At least he hadn’t made her give the DKNY back to Sarah. Having it now strengthened her resolve. She carefully opened her door. The house was quiet. She slipped down the hall to her dad’s room, slid the credit card out of his wallet—it was hers, after all—and scurried back to her room.
Princess sat on the foot of her bed, all four paws tucked out of sight beneath her. Kate knelt and buried her face in the cat’s soft fur and listened to her purr.
“Sorry, girl. I can’t take you with me but don’t worry. He’ll take care of you.”
Her father had soccer practice after school so he wouldn’t miss her for a couple of hours. By then she’d be...well, that was the thing. She had no idea where she would go, not yet, anyway, but she wasn’t coming back here. And by the time he came home and realized she was gone, it would be too late for him to do anything about it.
