Brad lifted up his hands, palms out. He wasn’t certain now if his glass contained water or something more mind-bending. “Don’t look at me for information.”
“You need to read more than those sports and car magazines, Bradley,” his mother chided. “Expand your horizons.”
Something the Harringtons seemed to be doing quite a lot lately. And here he thought he was the only one about to expand his horizons on the Freedom Seeker. Drew adopting cats and his mother... He didn’t know this woman who looked like his mother, but wasn’t.
His mother sat on one of the bar stools and picked up her wineglass. “Everything ready with the gala?”
“Yes, thanks to Drew’s assistance with a few last-minute sponsors.” Sophie scooted out the bar stool beside his mother and sat.
“Splendid.” His mother clinked her glass against Sophie’s. “I’m looking forward to it. I’ve invited several acquaintances that could benefit from owning a pet to soften their edges and sever their selfish tendencies.”
Brad forced his sip of water to dribble down his tight throat rather than spit all over Drew’s granite counter. His mother had made a career out of selfish tendencies. He and Drew were the product of her selfish tendencies. But then Drew had admitted to adopting Milo and Felix to learn to share. His mother had rescued greyhounds since he’d been a toddler and yet the dogs hadn’t softened her.
Brad moved to the refrigerator and refilled his water glass. Maybe if he fully hydrated he’d see everything clearly.
Not long after, his headlights still not crossing the Bay Bridge, his confusion still twisting him up, Brad held the door for his parents’ departure. Evie and Sophie kept to their stools at the kitchen island. Ella slept stretched out on the couch, Milo curled up next to her and Felix guarding her from the sofa.
“Your father is lovely.” Sophie smiled at Brad. “Thanks for letting us meet him.”
Sadness lingered in Sophie’s eyes, tugging at Brad. “He found you and Ella to be equally lovely.”
“He seems to be everything a father should be.” Sophie swirled the wine around in her glass. “Everything a father is supposed to be.”
And Sophie was everything a mother should be. “He’s a good man. He balanced out our mother.”
Drew laughed and Sophie scowled at them. “Your mother is wonderful, too.”
“In her own peculiar way,” Drew added and turned to Brad. “Did Mom actually mention grandchildren when she walked in?”
Brad closed his eyes. He’d blocked out certain portions of the evening.
“She most certainly did,” Evie said. “There’s nothing wrong with a parent wanting to spend time with their grandchildren.”
“We don’t have children.” Drew stretched his arms out wide. “No kid stuff. No grandchildren to entertain.”
“I have the complete opposite problem.” Sophie spun her stool toward the living room. “There’s a sweet child. And her grandparent refuses to spend time with her.” She pressed her lips together and pushed her wineglass across the counter as if that might stop her confessing.
Pink stained her cheeks and she wouldn’t look at him when she spun back to face the counter.
“You told me your father has business to finish up. I’m sure he’ll spend time with Ella once that’s resolved.” Evie rubbed Sophie’s shoulder and also refused to look at Brad. “But what I’d really like is for your father’s business associate to stop frequenting the store. Twice this week already. That’s too much, but at least you weren’t there.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Sophie muttered, and swallowed the last of her wine. “He still found me this morning at Ella’s school.”
“Who found you?” Brad asked before glancing at Drew. His brother straightened and approached, his attention on Sophie. Why hadn’t Brad been told before now? If they were being harassed, he should know. He should’ve been informed. How was he supposed to protect her?
“He’s no one.” Sophie waved her hand as if swatting away his pestering question and his protection. “It’s handled, or will be once I find my father.”
“He was nice looking to start with.” Evie finished her wine and walked around the island to rinse out her glass. “But then he came up to the counter to ask for Sophie and I wanted him to leave. Something unfriendly in his eyes.”
Brad looked at Sophie. “And he talked to you at Ella’s school?”
“He must have followed you.” Evie dried her hands on the dish towel and frowned. “I’m not certain I like that.”
“I need to get Ella home.” Sophie jumped up and rubbed her hands on her legs as if she was warming herself up for a long run.
She wasn’t running anywhere without him. “And you need to pack,” Brad said. “We’ll leave for Reno within the hour as long as you’re okay with Evie staying with Ella.”
“You’re coming with me?” Sophie asked.
He nodded and watched the relief roll through her. But the quiver in her lips snagged at his heart. Didn’t she know he’d always protect her? Always help her? Of course not. He’d only just made that discovery. He pressed on his chest, trying to put everything inside him back in place.
“We talked about it earlier.” Sophie wrapped her arm around Evie’s waist. “She’s practically a second mother to you and Drew. You trust her and so do I.”
But Sophie shouldn’t trust anyone, especially the ones standing around Drew’s kitchen. But he liked that she trusted him. He liked that too much. Without trust, there’d never be love. And he needed Sophie to love him. He needed her to love him because he loved her.
Every rational thought he had suddenly evaporated. Why did he have to fall in love? Of all the irresponsible and irrational and stupid things he could’ve done, this captured the number-one spot. But that didn’t mean he had to do anything about it. So he loved Sophie. What would that change? Nothing, unless he allowed it to. And he wasn’t letting anything change. He ground his fingers into his chest, digging between his ribs. Even his skin seemed to have shrunk on his frame, and everything seemed too tight, too closed in.
Sophie’s soft voice broke into his scrambled thoughts. “You still want to watch Ella, right, Evie?”
“More than anything.” Evie hugged Sophie back.
“Thank you both.” Sophie rushed around the island and launched herself into Brad’s arms.
Everything inside Brad uncoiled. Her touch brought him focus. He seemed to always be coming back to her. He held on a little longer than necessary and a little tighter than decent, stealing the moment, uncertain if he’d have a chance for more. Or even if he’d take the risk again.
She pulled away enough to look into his eyes. “Thank you for helping me find my father.”
And there was that hope again in her voice. And that spark in her gaze. And he saw that little girl she was once—the one who’d wanted to believe with all her heart and strength that her father was good. The little girl who struggled to still believe.
For once, he wanted to be wrong about someone more than he wanted anything in his life, even his freedom. He wanted George Callahan to prove him wrong with a desperation that bordered on the ridiculous. And he wanted Sophie not to ever lose her hope. If he could give her that, it’d be worth anything. “I can pick you up in thirty minutes. Can you be ready that soon?”
* * *
SOPHIE STUFFED SEVERAL pairs of underwear, jeans and two sweaters into a duffel bag. She pulled only from the pile of clean laundry stacked on top of her dresser, not bothering to match anything. This wasn’t a vacation or surprise getaway with her boyfriend. This road trip wasn’t for fun or relaxation or entertainment. She had only one goal. She might not look color coordinated when she located her father, but she’d certainly have clean underwear on when she returned her money to her bank account to cover the loan payment that was due in t
wo weeks.
Zipping up the duffel, she strode into the family room and looked at Ella and Evie perched beside each other on the couch like coconspirators. “Where was I? Did we go over the bedtime routine?”
“That was part of section two on your list, I believe.” Evie tucked a touch pad between them, trying to hide it from Sophie.
Ella nodded and grinned, her elbow nudging into Evie’s side as if to give the older woman a silent high five.
“And you’ve been here for the shower routine.” Sophie walked across the hall toward the bathroom to grab her essentials—toothbrush, toothpaste and hairbrush. Makeup wasn’t needed on a father hunt. “You just need to be in shouting range in case Ella needs something.”
Evie’s loud whisper carried into the hall, but Sophie couldn’t quite make out the words. She paused in the hallway, listening as Ella responded, “That might make her start again from the beginning of the list.”
The dread in Ella’s tone made Sophie smile.
“I’ll wait until she goes into the kitchen,” Evie suggested.
“We can’t move,” Ella said. “Or she’ll find us making popcorn and assume we never listened to anything.”
“And she’ll start all over,” Evie added.
“Yup.” Ella sighed. The sound heavy and dense as if launched from a heat blaster. “I find it’s best to let her get it all out.”
Ella’s voice sounded wise and old and sage like a philosopher on a lost mountain who knew all the world’s secrets.
“Does she do this with all of your sitters?” Evie asked.
Definitely not. She’d never allowed just anyone to stay with Ella overnight. That would be irresponsible. Besides, wherever Sophie wanted to go, she wanted Ella to be with her.
“I don’t have any,” Ella said. “Just Ruthie and now you. But she does this with Ruthie every time. Ruthie can recite the list. She’s really smart and she’s known me since I was born.”
“Your aunt loves you.” Evie’s voice was earnest and kind and soft.
Sophie loved Ella more than the child could ever know.
“She loves me like a mom should,” Ella said.
Sophie pressed her fist against her mouth.
Ella continued, “And she loves her instructions.”
The distress in Ella’s tone stirred the laughter in Sophie’s chest, forcing a smile against her fist.
“They’re her way of protecting you,” Evie said.
“And she promised she’d always protect me,” Ella said.
Always. And forever. She hadn’t broken that vow yet. And she didn’t intend to start now.
“So we listen to her list from beginning to end,” Evie said.
“Every time,” Ella said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Sophie’s eyebrows lowered in tandem with her shoulders as the tension receded. She was doing the right thing going to Reno. She was saving her family. She walked into the living room, her gaze jumping from Ella to Evie. Neither had moved, only Ella’s one foot swung up to tap the coffee table and then drop down on repeat. Sophie twisted her toothbrush in her hand and looked at the older woman who’d come to mean so much to her in such a short time. “Ella gave you the list already, didn’t she?”
“She might’ve mentioned some things.” Evie grinned, almost secretive, but understanding flashed in her pale blue gaze.
And Sophie knew like she knew the sun rose in the east that Evie wouldn’t let anything happen to Ella. She stepped around the coffee table, reached for Ella and pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Ella can recite my whole list with my warnings and tones. She’s that bright and talented.”
Ella’s smile lightened Sophie like the cathedral bells ringing on Sunday.
Ella stood and wrapped her arms around Sophie’s waist. She rested her cheek over Sophie’s heart and patted Sophie’s forearm. “It’s your list, Auntie, you really should tell it.”
Sophie brushed her hand over Ella’s forehead and kissed her again before tightening her hug. She’d been holding her niece close and tight since she’d been an infant.
But when Ella hugged her back, it was like an embrace from the sun, whole and strong. The warmth left no room for shadows, worry or doubt. Sophie cherished these moments. “I need to tell it. For me.”
“So when you leave, you know I’m protected.” Ella loosened her arms, but never let go.
Sophie never wanted her to let go. Everything she did was to look after this precious child, her family. “Exactly.”
Ella lifted her head. “And I double the protection because I know the list, too.”
“Now I know it, as well.” Evie rose and walked over to them, putting her hand on Ella’s back. “I can’t replace your aunt, but I can make sure you stay safe, too.”
Ella opened one arm to invite Evie into their hug.
Sophie couldn’t recall the last group hug she’d been a part of. But she welcomed Evie’s ready embrace. Sophie’s inner circle was growing. But she wasn’t afraid. For the first time in too long to remember, Sophie felt something other than fear.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
THREE HOURS OF the journey had Sophie dedicated to tracking down her father’s hotel. Poor cell reception, thanks to the continuous snowfall; a bathroom break during their one gas-station stop; and at least fifteen minutes to rein in her frustration and temper with every dead-end call to an inn, hotel or motel filled the remainder of the drive.
Brad remained silent and stoic, only butting in twice: once to suggest inns not on her printed list and once to tug the phone from her stiff fingers and place a bag of chocolate candy in her hand, telling her to breathe and snack.
He didn’t offer false encouragement or empty promises that they’d definitely find her father. Nor did he blame her for taking him on some wild-goose chase through a snowstorm. He just drove—a competent, confident presence beside her as if he’d already understood her need to do this her way, before he’d even stuck the key in the ignition to start his truck.
He pulled into the entrance to the Grand Desert Casino Hotel, the only place she’d called that hadn’t offered another dead end. The pleasant Grand Desert concierge had thanked Sophie for calling the hotel before connecting her to George Callahan’s guest suite. Four rings and the phone had been answered. She’d managed to squeak out the word Dad before the dial tone echoed in her ear. That had been less than an hour ago.
Brad parked and opened his door to hand his keys to the valet. Sophie stepped off the running board into the snow and drew in as deep a breath of the frigid air as she dared. They’d passed under the famous sign welcoming visitors to Reno and she prayed this city proved to be little just like the sign claimed.
But the hotel looked to be a small city unto itself with its two massive towers and wings that spanned the length of several blocks. Lights flashed on the casino sign and guests rushed inside from the unrelenting cold. Sophie wiped her boots on the carpet and crossed the massive marble floors in the lobby to the check-in counter. Her pace much less anxious, much less excited than the other guests swarming her, their suitcases bouncing along with their joy.
Sophie stepped up to the high counter and requested to be connected to George Callahan’s room.
The woman smiled, tugged on her blazer and typed on a keyboard Sophie couldn’t see. “We don’t have a guest by that name.”
Sophie tried not to wilt against the check-in counter and slide down to the shiny marble floor. “But I was connected to George Callahan’s room about forty minutes ago.”
The polished hotel clerk stared at her screen and shook her head. “I’m sorry, we no longer show a guest under the name of George Callahan.”
“But you had a guest registered as George Callahan,” Sophie challenged.
The woman’s hands paused as she p
ushed a kind look onto her face. “I’m sorry. Unless you’re part of George Callahan’s party or registered to the guest’s room, I cannot release that information.”
Sophie refused to let her head drop. Always keep your chin up, so you can duck when reality tries to knock you down. Not the best time for Grandmother Callahan wisdom. “Could you connect me to Cal Henry’s room, then? He’s my uncle.” The lie lifted her chin higher as if she was prepping for the sucker punch about to crack her jaw.
If her father used an alias like the ones in the articles she’d discovered in the attic, then he’d need false identification and credit cards. It would mean her father would be more than a liar—he’d be a fraud. And she’d be the fool for ever believing in the man.
The woman glanced up from her screen. “I’m sorry we don’t show Cal Henry registered with us. But I’d be more than happy to check you in to your room?”
Brad set his arm on Sophie’s waist. “We’re sorry to bother you. Her grandmother is ill and we need to bring the gentleman home.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” The desk clerk lifted her arm to motion for the next guest to step up to the counter.
Brad led her toward the leather lounge chairs and glass tables gathered around a massive fireplace on the other side of the lobby. Sophie leaned into him for only a moment before pulling away. “My grandmother is dead.”
Brad remained silent. Sophie skirted past the lounge and followed the signs leading to the casino. A Friday night close to midnight was early by casino standards. And the snow outside hampered travel. If her father had vacated his room, he’d hang out in the casino, the temptation too much to avoid.
Sophie scanned the crowded slot machines, even though she knew the return was too low for her father on those machines. She wove through the gaming tables, stopping to search the bodies pressed up against a craps table, then pausing to watch the ball settle into red five at the roulette wheel. Cheers and claps echoed over the muffled groans of the losers. Her father wasn’t among either group. Sophie moved on, dismissing the crowded dance floor covered with a smoky haze. The dance floor offered no viable return for George Callahan. And he lacked the patience for poker, so she only skimmed her gaze over the numerous tables in that section.
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