She walks away, leaving me standing there, the weight of what just happened settling over me.
No job from the only place that even called me back.
“I have no doubt your father has something to do with this,” Honey says when the lady is far enough away.
“Of course he did. He wants me back. Heneedsme back.”
I glance down to my phone on the table. It’s still open to Ella’s drawing. My daughter, who thinks I'm a prince. Who believes I can protect her and her mother from anything, but how am I supposed to do that when I can’t even get a job?
“I need to warn Tiff,” I say, taking my phone so I can type her a message.
“No.” Honey's hand on my arm stops me. “Not yet. Don't let him know you're onto him. Act normal. Let me dig deeper at the firm, and find out exactly what they’re planning. You don’t have to honor whatever weird arrangement your grandfather has. We can figure this out. We can fight back.”
“Honey—”
“Trust me,” she says, and there's steel in her voice now. “I've been playing their game long enough to know the rules. We need to be smart about this. Strategic. I’m not letting them take any of you down.”
Fuck. When did she become such a warrior? She gives off the vibes that she’s trying to be the perfect daughter, but deep down, she’s not. She’s fighting them without them realizing it.
“Okay,” I agree. “But if things escalate—”
“They will,” she says grimly. “It's not if, it’s when, but we’ll be ready to fight back.” She squeezes my arm once, then lets go. “I'll be in touch. In the meantime, don’t think about your father. Just enjoy your time with them. You deserve it.”
She's walking away when I call out, “Honey?”
She turns back.
“Text him,” I say. “Zach. Tell him what’s happening. Just…don't shut him out. You'll regret it if you do.”
Her smile is sad but grateful. “I'll think about it.”
As she disappears into the books, I sink back into the chair, staring at my phone. Ella's drawing stares back at me, that pink crown perched on my head.
She wants a prince, and I’m not giving that up.
I don't care what my father throws at me, I’ll fight like hell to earn that crown.
I press my hotel key card against my door, waiting for the green light to show, feeling like this morning was a waste of time.
I missed Ella for a nonexistent interview, but at least I cleared up a few things with Honey. She’s on my side, and I’ll always be on hers. Who knows? Maybe we can be the team that they always wanted us to be, but just in a different way than they expected.
Pushing my door open, I start to think about other jobs I could try to get. Tutoring? Tiff put that idea in my head the other day, and now I can’t stop thinking about it.
“Thatcher Hastings?”
The deep voice comes from behind me, and with one foot in my room, I freeze.
“Are you Thatcher Hastings?” he asks again.
I slowly turn to find Tiff’s father leaning against the wall down the hall with his arms crossed. He’s in the same worn jacket from two days ago, sporting the same bitter expression.
“Who?” I play dumb, not wanting to get Asher in any more shit than I already have, everyone knows he gets himself into enough trouble without me adding to it.
Tiff’s father laughs, bitter and sharp. “That’s who you said you were, at least when you didn’t want anything linked back to you—Jamie Nicks.”
“How did you know where I was staying?” My hand tightens on the door handle.
“Does it matter?” He pushes off the wall, taking a step closer. “We need to talk.”