Tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. “Joe doesn’t think so,” she choked out.
“Give him time. We’d better go now, or your father will come stomping in again.”
Vince guided her out. The lobby was busy, people coming and going, but everyone paused to stare at her. Vince kept her going, his hand firm on her elbow, and she’d never been so grateful. There was no sign of Sarah. Or Joe. But she didn’t expect to see Joe again.
Outside the Comet Inn, the afternoon sunshine almost blinded her. Someone opened a car door for her, and Vince guided her into the backseat.
“Thank you,” she said weakly to Vince.
He didn’t reply, just squeezed her hand before letting her go. Then the door slammed and the car zoomed off and she was alone with her father.
Thankfully, he was still busy on his cell phone. “Yes, Ellen, we’re on our way home now. Thank God. I can’t wait to get out of Hicksville.”
Nina rolled herself into a ball and squeezed herself into the far corner. She’d stopped crying, but an ocean of tears was gathering inside her, and sometime soon she would have to let them flow. But not yet.
Chapter Fourteen
On Monday morning Nina swept into her father’s office, high on the twenty-first floor of a skyscraper overlooking downtown San Francisco. She didn’t have an appointment, but the personal assistant didn’t try to stop her, probably cowed by the thunderous expression on her face.
Wearing a gray shift dress and black ankle boots, her blonde hair slicked back, Nina was dressed for business, and she detected a flicker of wary surprise in her father’s face as he rose to greet her.
“I didn’t expect to see you here today,” he said, gesturing to a visitor’s chair. “Thought you’d want some time off to recover from your…experience. In fact, why don’t you take a couple of days off? I’m sure your manager won’t mind.”
Nina remained standing and unsmiling. “I said I’d be back at work today, and I am.”
“Yes, but…” Carson seemed uncertain for once. He cleared his throat. “So, what can I do for you?”
She drew in a breath. This was going to be difficult, but she was determined to see it through. Not just for herself, but for Joe, and the others in Hartley. “I came to tell you a number of things. First of all, I’m resigning.”
“Resigning? You just got promoted.”
How could her father be so dense? “I don’t want to work for a company where people aren’t promoted on merit.”
He had the grace to blush, but only faintly. “All right, I admit that was clumsy of me. But look, I’ve thought of a solution. Wait till you hear this.”
Nina suppressed a groan. Whatever he had up his sleeve, she wasn’t interested. She couldn’t work for her father anymore. Not on any terms.
He didn’t seem to notice her reluctance. “I just picked up an old resort in Palm Springs. It used to be popular, but now it’s run-down. The staff are so behind the times they’re practically prehistoric, but they’re all union ized, so they can’t all be fired without inviting more trouble. The trick is to bring in new work practices without alienating too many people. It’s a tricky job, but if you took it on and did it well, no one could accuse you of not pulling your weight. And I promise not to interfere.” Carson spread his hands wide. “What do you say, Nina?”
“No, Dad.” She sighed. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t work for you. Not when some of your business practices are so appalling. Which brings me to my second decision.” She sucked in her stomach and squared her chin, ready to do battle. “I want you to back off Joe. I want you to leave him alone and stop putting pressure on him to sell his property.”
Her father’s conciliatory manner evaporated. He walked away from her and resumed his throne-like chair behind his oversize desk.
“I can’t agree to that. Business is business, and I can’t let you change my plans on a whim.” He spoke patronizingly at her, as if she were a child. “You don’t need to worry. Everything we do is aboveboard.”
Her blood boiled as she stalked up to his desk and leaned her hands against it. “Aboveboard, my ass. You sent that grubby tapeworm Perry Stevens to threaten Joe. To use Joe’s sick grandmother against him. And when that didn’t work, Perry went to the local banks and whispered in their ears not to lend Joe the money he needs.” She bent over the desk to glare at her father. “How is any of that aboveboard? It’s sickening, and I’m ashamed to be related to you.”
“I didn’t tell Perry to go that far,” Carson protested.
“Oh, please. Are you saying weaselly Perry did all that by himself?”
“I told him to be tough, but I never told him to go to any banks or snoop around sick grandmothers. Sometimes Perry’s too smart by half.”
Nina crossed her arms, trying to gauge if he was being honest. “Are you telling the truth?”
“Of course I am. I play hard, but I don’t go below the belt. I have a reputation to uphold.”
And that was more important than her opinion of him, obviously. Her heart dipped, but she decided that his reasons didn’t matter as long as Joe was protected.
“So you’ll leave Joe alone?” she asked, hope rising.
“I’ll yank Perry back,” Carson said grimly. “But I can’t promise to leave Farina alone. I want my resort, and it can’t happen without his property.”
His determined words crushed her hopes. “Build your resort somewhere else.” She scowled at him.
“I want it there.” He scowled back at her before a calculating look entered his eyes. “Maybe there’s a compromise we can both agree on.”
“What?”
“I’ll back off your precious Joe if you take the job in Palm Springs.”
She clamped her lips and thought through the implications. She hated the idea of going to Palm Springs and working for her father. But if it helped Joe, then wouldn’t it be worth it?
Yes. She would do it. She would do it for Joe even though he despised her. She would do it to make amends for her lies, but mostly because Joe deserved it. Because he was good and honest and wonderful. Because…her heart shuddered as the stark truth overwhelmed her. Because she loved Joe. She loved him, and she’d do anything for him. Even if he never knew, even if she never saw him again. Pain rippled through her, but it was a pain she welcomed. Finally, she knew what real love was like. Real love hurt, but it also inspired her. Made her a better, stronger person.
“Nina? What’s wrong?”
She blinked away the tears that threatened to spill out. “Nothing. I’m just thinking about Palm Springs.”
“So you agree?”
“Yes.” Maybe moving to the desert might stop her from moping too much.
Her father sighed, looking strangely relieved. “All right, then. It’s a deal.” He held out his hand to her.
They shook hands, and they both sat.
“Happy now?” her father asked.
She shrugged. She doubted she’d ever be happy again, not the way Joe made her happy. But at least Joe would get his dream, and he could be happy.
“Seems like a poor deal from your perspective,” she said. “You’re giving up a multimillion-dollar resort, and all you’re getting in return is me working in Palm Springs.” She peered at him, a little suspicious. “Why are you so eager for me to stay?”
“Because I want to protect you. Because I haven’t always been there for you in the past, and I want to make it up to you.” He paused and scratched at his neck, looking uncomfortable.
Nina’s mouth fell open. “Oh.”
He waved a hand, still discomfited. “I know I haven’t always been the best dad, especially after your mom died and I married Ellen and brought her and Brooke into your life. I know you didn’t like that.”
“Oh, God, Dad,” Nina exclaimed. “I don’t resent you for marrying Ellen. I didn’t want you to be alone for the rest of your life, and neither did Mom. She wanted you to be happy.” It felt strange to talk about her mom with him, since they’d rarely done so in the past.
He swiped a hand over his forehead. “But you were always acting out, doing crazy things.”
To get his attention. But that was water under the bridge. “Guess I’m just a regular pain in the ass.”
“Your mom knew how to handle you, whereas I never could. Didn’t want all the hassle, I suppose. But when you got arrested over that protest, I knew I had to do something. I thought giving you a job in the company was the best way to keep tabs on you.” He sighed, and he seemed softer, kinder, more fatherly than he’d ever been. “I’m glad we’re on the same page now. You’re going to do great in Palm Springs. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll be running this business.”
“I seriously doubt that.” Feeling worn-out, Nina rose to go.
“But you’re my daughter,” he called after her. “Business runs in your blood.”
“Talk to you later, Dad.” She made her escape.
The only business she’d be interested in running would be something she had a hand in creating. Unbidden, an image of Joe’s B&B, restored to gleaming elegance, drifted into her mind, before bleakness chilled her. Joe would get his dream, but she’d have no part in it. She would have to find her own dream, without Joe, but that seemed impossible.