“You got in a car with him?” He sliced a finger through the air at Walker. “On the highway with Mr. T-bone-his-mother’s-car-the-day-he-gets-his-license? What were you thinking?”
“It wasn’t like that! That old geezer didn’t look where he was going when he pulled out. It wasn’t my fault.”
“Daddy, Mom exaggerated that whole thing just so you would back her up when—”
“Enough!” Hank bellowed.
The room was silent as Hank took a few calming breaths, one hand massaging the back of his neck. Annabeth really didn’t want to overstep her bounds, but she didn’t feel right leaving the kids defenseless, either.
“Walker, why don’t you go to the kitchen and help yourself to a piece of the cake I brought. Someone should enjoy it,” she said, ruefully.
Right on cue, Walker’s stomach growled. He looked from Sophie to her father. Sophie rolled her eyes at him before nodding at him to go. Hank leveled another fierce glare at Annabeth as Sophie sidled up closer to her. Annabeth answered his gaze with a raised eyebrow. If he wanted her to leave, he’d have to ask her.
Hank sighed. “Does your mother know you’re here?”
“Not exactly.” Defeat rang in Sophie’s voice.
He pulled his cell out of his pocket. “For crying out loud, she’s probably worried sick.”
“I doubt it.” Sophie dropped back onto the sofa. “She and Kevin took the twins to Hershey Park today.”
“And not you?”
“I’m grounded. My physics grade is still in the toilet.”
“So you came here instead of studying because . . . ?” Hank prodded his daughter.
“’Cause I wanted to spend time with my father.” She picked at the chipped blue nail polish on her thumb, avoiding her father’s face.
Hank slammed his phone on the desk. “Bull!”
Sophie leaped up from her seat. “Of course not! Why would you want to spend time with me, anyway? I came to meet Julianne Marchione. To show her my jewelry and see if she might want to use some with her gowns. Not that you’d understand!”
“Jewelry? What jewelry?”
Annabeth’s heart nearly broke at the crestfallen look on Sophie’s face. “God, Dad, don’t you even listen when I talk to you? Mom and Kevin have the twins always distracting them, but you don’t even have that as an excuse. Nobody hears a word I say.”
Sophie headed for the door, but her father blocked her way. “Hold up. I do hear what you say. I just assumed the jewelry you make is for your friends. Not to make money.” He ran a finger over the sparkling earring Annabeth had held earlier. “Is this yours? It’s beautiful.”
Hank’s tender tone with his daughter stilled Annabeth’s breathing. She’d always wanted a father to listen to her at her darkest hour. How her life might have been different had she had one. Except then she might not have had Will. And that thought choked her up even more.
“I should go check on the guests,” she said, making her way past them.
“No!” Sophie cried. “Please don’t go, Annabeth. Dad, Annabeth is going to sell my jewelry in her store. We were just talking about it.”
“Is that so?” Hank’s measuring glance focused in on Annabeth. She licked her lips.
“It is, right, Annabeth?” Sophie sounded nervous, as if her father would force Annabeth to retract her offer.
“Yes, we have a deal.” She smiled at Sophie before turning her gaze on Hank, daring him to contradict her.
He contemplated them both before speaking. “On one condition.”
“Daaaad!” Sophie wailed.
“That physics grade has to go up a letter grade before you can work on any new jewelry. If it does, you can spend all summer working in her store for all I care.”
“Really? Can I, Annabeth?” Sophie’s eyes beamed.
Annabeth looked at the girl’s father, who raised his own eyebrow in challenge.
“Sure,” she heard herself saying. “I can always use the help during the summer.”
“Ohmigod! This is so sweet!” Sophie hugged her dad before wrapping her arms around Annabeth. “I’m sooo glad I came today. Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me!” She flounced out the door to find Walker.
They both stood there in silence staring at the door. Feeling the need to flee with Sophie, Annabeth retrieved her clutch from the sofa.
“Mrs. Connelly.” Hank’s nearness startled her.
She looked up to find him watching her carefully. “It’s Miss. I’ve only ever been a Miss.”
Hank lifted a hand in agitation and rubbed the back of his neck again. She’d rattled him. Good.