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“Do you really have to ask?” He winked and walked off, leaving me feeling like I was floating on air. Until I remembered I had to face Auggie.
I took my time drying off before I put my cover-up back on. The entire walk in, I lamented that my father suddenly wanted to be all paternal. It didn’t help when I entered the sunroom and could hear Eva scolding Kane.
“My honeymoon got cut short because of you,” her shrill voice echoed through the house that was only halfway furnished now. “What are you thinking dating Augustus’s daughter? You’re practically related. And, well, she’s—”
“Be very careful how you finish that sentence,” Kane warned.
I stopped at the door before entering the main house and held my heart. She didn’t need to finish the sentence; I knew how Eva perceived me. It was the same way most of the world did.
“She’s not your type,” she finished. Translation: she’s not beautiful like you.
“You’re right. She’s too good for me. Good night, mother.” Kane slammed the front door.
I leaned against the doorframe, trying to reconcile who I was. Was I the woman Kane saw or the girl his momma disliked? My heart ached to be the former, especially when I had seen glimpses of her. Regardless of who I really was, I knew for sure I was Auggie’s daughter and he probably wasn’t happy I had kept him waiting. Truthfully, I didn’t really care, as I wasn’t happy with him at the moment. I wasn’t sure I was ever truly happy with him. Happiness didn’t seem to be high on the priority list in our family. I wanted that to change. These last two weeks had been amazing. For the first time, I was truly happy.
Instinctively, I knew Auggie would be in the library. He always went there when he was upset. As if the pieces of Naomi left behind in this house would help soothe him. Unfortunately, while I tiptoed in his direction, Eva and I crossed paths. She was wearing a white sundress that showed off the tan she’d gotten in Bora-Bora. Her caramel chocolate eyes, that looked just like her son’s, didn’t invoke any warm and fuzzy feelings. Instead, they were cold like frozen hot chocolate.
Eva looked me over from head to toe, shaking her head as she went.
I felt her scrutiny in the pit of my stomach where my insecurities were bubbling up. I was doing my best to stave off the nausea it was causing.
When she was done, she marched off like a soldier to war.
Thankfully, I didn’t feel like her prisoner of war. In fact, I so badly wanted to say something to her. Perhaps even tell her off, though I had no idea how to do that. I’d never told anyone off. Maybe there was a YouTube video about that.
I shuffled the rest of the way toward the library through the maze of scaffolding. The walls were looking a tad pinkish. I wondered what Auggie would think of that. If only I knew how my father truly felt. Sometimes I wondered if he had any real feelings.
Auggie was pacing the hardwood floors when I approached the glass-paned french doors. I took a moment to watch him as he ran his hands through his hair. He crossed back and forth in front of the black built-in cases that lined almost the entire room, only pausing when he came to the section of books dedicated to the classics. Those were some of Naomi’s favorites. Everything from Shakespeare to Austen and Melville to Fitzgerald. There were first-edition copies of several of them—all gifts from Auggie to Naomi. I’d asked her once why she hadn’t taken them with her when she’d left. She’d responded that she didn’t want the reminder. Apparently, my father had read to her late at night before they would go to bed. It was impossible for me to imagine Auggie being so romantic and thoughtful.
My father’s entire body seemed to sigh when he ran his finger along the prized books. Whatever his emotion, he shook it off quickly and went back to pacing until he caught sight of me. He stopped in his tracks and took a moment to gaze at me, confused. I wasn’t sure I had ever seen him so unsure.
I swallowed hard and opened the door to let myself in, closing it behind me so I had something to lean against. I twirled some strands of my wet and wild hair while Auggie composed himself. He threw himself into the paisley chintz chair closest to him and scrubbed a hand over his face.
“Scarlett, you are putting me in a hell of a position.”
“How?”
He hit me with his vacant hazel eyes. “Kane not only works for me, but you’re related.”
“We’re not related.” I held my ground.
Auggie exhaled loudly. “People won’t see it that way. And I don’t want to lose one of my best employees.”
