Stirring Up Trouble(53)
They each sat on the brown leather couch, taking the same positions they’d sat in as children.
“What’s wrong?” Braden asked, searching his sister’s face for some clue. “Did you hear from Mom?”
“No.” She grimaced at the reference to their mother and he wished he could have saved her from the pain of the betrayal. “I want to talk about Lola. I’m concerned.” She wrapped a piece of hair around her finger and pulled, a nervous habit carried over from childhood.
He squeezed her shoulder. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”
She sat up tall and surprised the hell out of him. “It’s not you I’m concerned about.”
It took him a moment to understand who she referred to. “You’re worried about Lola? You don’t even know her.”
His sister removed her glasses. “I don’t need to know her. I know you. You don’t give anyone a chance to love you.”
Shouldn’t she take his side in this argument? “Excuse me, but you have no idea of what happened.”
“So tell me,” she said gently.
“She’s been working with my competitor to bring down Acropolis.” The bitter words fell from his lips, leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
“Really?” Rose asked with doubt in her voice. “She confirmed that?”
He thought back to Lola’s conversation with Jon. “No, she didn’t have to. I overheard her speaking with the jerk right in my own restaurant.”
His sister sighed. “Did you give her a chance to explain?”
He crossed his arms. “What is there to explain?”
“I saw how you two looked at each other. Why would she do anything to hurt you? You pushed her away because you’re frightened.”
“Of what?”
“Taking down those walls you’ve guarded your heart with and allowing yourself the opportunity for others to get to know you. What do you think will happen?”
His father walked into the room and said, “He doesn’t want to end up like his mother and I. Isn’t that right, Braden?”
Braden stared at his sister who played with her hair. She’d set him up.
“Dad.” He nodded.
Martin Angelopoulos sat in the chair across from them. “Don’t get mad at your sister. She was upset. I asked why and she told me. I asked her to call you over here. Figured you wouldn’t come if the call was from me.”
No, he wouldn’t. His father was the last person he’d call for anything. Braden glared at his sister who jumped up from the couch as if she had something important to do somewhere else.
“I’ll give you a few minutes to speak.” She stopped in front of him. “Braden, give Dad a chance before you throw up those walls, all right?”
He hadn’t been in a room alone with his father since he was a teenager, and even then it wasn’t more than two people sharing space. They’d never shared a conversation before. Why start now?
“How’s the restaurant?” his father asked after a minute of awkward silence.
“Fine.” Great, relegated to small talk with a stranger. He started to stand. “If that’s what you wanted to talk about—”
“No. I’m not worried about your business.” His father held up his hand and motioned for Braden to sit. “You were always a bright young man. There was never a question you’d be successful in any endeavor you put your mind to.”
He processed his father’s words. It was the first compliment he’d received from him that he could remember. He settled into his spot on the couch. “Thank you, sir. That’s kind of you to say considering you don’t know the first thing about me.” While he appreciated the compliment, he wasn’t going to make it easy on the man. He didn’t deserve it. Hell, he didn’t deserve ten seconds of Braden’s time.
His father didn’t seem offended by Braden’s comment. He just nodded. “You’re right. Your mother and I failed you in every way that counts. We weren’t there for you as children because we were too busy trying to out-do the other. We ignored you kids. I thought if you had enough money, the right school, the right nannies, you’d grow up better than if I’d stuck around to raise you. I admit I made a mistake.”
Braden waited for the world to end. Had his father really admitted to making a mistake? “Excuse me?”
His dad laughed. “You didn’t misunderstand.” He leaned forward, his expression serious. “I should have been more involved in your upbringing. My mother was from the Old World. She spent every moment cooking and cleaning and taking care of her family. My father worked. That’s how it was done back then. When I married your mother, I expected to have the same kind of marriage. I see now she wasn’t capable of taking care of anyone. When we got divorced, I figured you were your mother’s responsibility, and when she refused to take full custody, I resented the hell out of being relegated to substitute mommy. I didn’t even know how to begin raising two kids. I should have learned rather than hiring strangers to care for you.”