Serenity (Inevitable #5)(85)

He debated what his father had told him earlier - about taking away Hayley's phone for awhile in the hopes of teaching her a lesson. And the more he thought about it, the more he decided the idea had real merit. So when the time came to leave about a half hour later, he deftly plucked the phone from his daughter's hands and shoved it in the back pocket of his jeans.

Hayley was visibly shocked. "Dad? WTF? Is this some sort of stupid game? Give me my phone back!"

Matthew shook his head. "No. At least not until we return home later. You need to spend some quality time talking with your grandparents while they're here. They fly home on Sunday, after all, and you've barely spent any time with them. Besides, I doubt there'll be any cell phone signal or internet reception in Muir Woods. That way you can be sure to fully enjoy the beauty of nature."

"Are you insane?" screeched Hayley. "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard! I need that phone, Dad. I'm expecting an important call from Sierra."

Matthew shrugged. "Seriously? It can't be that important, Hayley. Sierra can leave you a message and you can call her back later. Today is about family time."

Hayley threw up her hands in frustration. "Screw that. I'll just stay here then and use one of your computers to Facetime."

"My computers?" asked Matthew, chuckling. "You don't mean the computers that I've very carefully password protected, do you? Each one a different and equally complex password. Oh, and then there are the security questions you'd need to answer if you somehow managed to crack the password. And since the questions are all very, very advanced mathematical equations, I don't think that's going to be possible."

She glared at him evilly. "This is so unfair," she hissed. "I should have gone along with Mom on her trip. That way I'd at least be having some fun right now, instead of getting dragged along to boring old museums and hikes in the woods. Ugh!"



       
         
       
        

"Your father's right, pumpkin," assured Wade cheerfully, calling Hayley by the nickname he'd always used for her. "Your grandmother and I hardly get to see you these days, so why don't you leave that silly phone alone for a little while and talk to us instead?"

Maureen draped an arm around her granddaughter's shoulders. "Why don't I go with you and help you pick out something to wear, hmm?" she suggested, glancing at the pajamas Hayley was still wearing. "And then we'll go have a lovely morning walking in the woods. Maybe on the way home we can stop for a late lunch at that sushi restaurant you were telling me about the other day."

"Maybe," mumbled Hayley sullenly, but she allowed Maureen to steer her in the direction of her room. Then her scowling gaze fell on Sasha, who had quite intentionally remained quiet during the entire incident, before asking her father in a haughty tone, "If today is supposed to be family time, then why is she coming along?"

Sasha's green-gold eyes widened in alarm, and she clutched her tea mug a little tighter. Maureen shook her head in dismay, while Wade opened his mouth to protest, until Matthew held up a hand to forestall him.

"Because I choose to have her along," he bit out angrily. "Because it makes me happy to have Sasha with us. And like it or not, Hayley, Sasha is here to stay. So you'd better start getting used to the idea, and you had definitely better start minding your manners around her. Now, go with your grandmother and get ready. Otherwise, you're not too old for me to hire a babysitter for you."

Hayley had paled visibly at her father's tirade, and looked defeated as she let Maureen shepherd her to her room. Casey tactfully announced he needed to finish getting dressed, and made a beeline for his room. Wade gave Matthew's shoulder an encouraging squeeze.

"You did the right thing, Matt," he assured him. "That little girl is definitely getting too big for her britches, and needs to toe the line. And being deprived of her phone for a few hours is nothing. Especially considering how rude she was to this beautiful lady here."

Sasha offered Wade a weak smile. "You're very kind. But I don't ever want to come between Matthew and his children. Or make trouble for him. I - I really think it's for the best if I don't go with you today."

"No!"

Matthew and Wade uttered the denial simultaneously. In seconds, Matthew was at her side, taking the mug from her trembling fingers and wrapping his arms around her.

"I wouldn't give Hayley the satisfaction," he declared. "My father's right. It's time she learned that she can't have her own way all the time. And that rudeness simply won't be tolerated. You've gone out of your way to befriend her, Sasha, to be kind to her. And there have been far too many times when you've backed out of dinners or breakfasts or outings because you were afraid it would anger or upset Hayley. That ends now. She needs to start accepting the fact that you're a part of my life, and that her little snit fits aren't going to change that. So, please go with us, hmm?"