The line goes dead, and I sit there, brain swimming.
What next?
The next afternoon, Daniel is waiting for me when I get to work at Rebel Mark.
“What are you doing here?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“I have an offer for you,” he says.
His smile makes my stomach curl.
“I have to get inside, Daniel.”
“Hear me out.” He looks around and leans in. “I’ve been doing a little digging. It’s part of this business. Gotta know what my clients are getting into.” His smile grows. “Sounds like your dad’s got a little gambling problem.”
My insides burn. “Are youspyingon my family now?”
“Like I said, gotta know what my clients are getting into. Don’t want any of this coming back to bite Tully. His offers are getting better by the day. So here’s what I’d like you to do for me, Lola.” He pauses for effect. “I’ll give you half a million dollars to walk away. You can do whatever you want with it. Keep it to yourself to build a new life with your baby.Keep some and help your dad out. Hell, I don’t care. Just cut all ties with Tully, and I’ll make sure your dad doesn’t lose his business as well as his house.”
I stare at him in shock. “I underestimated you.” I swallow hard. “I knew you were creepy, but I didn’t realize you were capable of this. Why would I walk away from the man I love and leave him to deal with someone like you?” I spit out.
“Oh, I’ll take good care of him, don’t worry about that. But if you stay, I’ll make your life a living hell.”
I start shaking uncontrollably. “No, I can’t do this. I can’t hurt him like that.”
“Let me put this another way: If you don’t leave, I’ll turn him against you, and it won’t be as tidy and mysterious as your leaving him would be.” He holds out his hands and lifts one. “I’m doing you a favor anyway. Saving you from a future heartbreak. Did you really think you’d meet the man you’re gonna marry in college?” He scoffs. “Please. Tully is just getting started. He gets on the road for a month, and I promise you’ll be history.”
He shakes his head and stares at me before putting his finger in my face.
“You have twenty-four hours to make a decision and get out of town, and if you don’t, I’ll start dismantling your life piece by piece.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CONFESSIONS IN DINERS
LOLA
“We have achild?” He looks shell-shocked.
The color has drained from his face, and beads of sweat have popped out over his forehead. He looks like he might pass out. The sadness in his eyes is gutting me. I never planned on telling him about the baby.
I shake my head. “No.” I take a deep breath and sit on my hands to keep them from shaking. “I lost the baby. It happened not very long after I left.”
He slumps against the booth and just stares at me. “How far along were you?”
“Almost sixteen weeks.”
He winces. “God, Lola. I’m so sorry. I can’t believe you went through that alone.” We sit there for a few moments, just absorbing it all. Then he leans forward and sounds even more anguished than before. “Why would you keep something like this from me? Did you really think I wouldn’t be supportive of you having our baby?”
“I knew you’d try to be supportive, but that it wasn’t whatyou really wanted. You said you weren’t ready when I asked about having kids.”
“That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have been thrilled to know I was about to be a father! I would’vegottenready!” His voice rises and he lowers his head, taking a deep breath. He runs his hand through his hair, and his eyes meet mine. “When did you find out you were pregnant? Was it right before you left?
“Not long. Remember that night you brought soup and ice cream to my place? I’d only known for a few days then.”
He makes a sound, his head shaking. “Yeah, I remember that night. I thought about it a lot after you left, wondering if I’d scared you off by saying I wanted to marry you one day.”
“You didn’t scare me off talking about marriage.”