Chapter Thirty-Four
Caroling went off without a hitch. Contrary to his claims, Zane was a good singer. Caroling complete, the entire Flint brood swarmed the inn for warm beverages and cookies. The doorbell rang, and Clara hurried to answer it. Her mouth dropped open when she saw who it was.No freaking way!She suppressed a groan and stared at the man standing on her front porch.
“What do you want, Dad?” She drawled the last word with as much disgust as she could manage. It wasn’t that hard to express her dismay at the sight of her father.
“Clara, darling. Aren’t you going to ask me to come in?”
“Nope.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “How did you find me and what do you want?”
“Can’t a father come to visit his daughter for Christmas?” His smile was oily, and he took a step toward her.
Fighting the demons of her past, she stood her ground. “Wasn’t the fact that I changed my last name enough to tell you that I didn’t want anything to do with you?” She scowled, trying to be menacing and failing. For all that he wasn’t much of a father, he was the only parent she had. Part of her still loved him and felt sorry for him.
“I thought you were just—embracing your heritage by taking your mother’s name. A tribute to the woman who birthed you.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“What can I do for you? I have an inn to run and guests to see to.”
He gave a mocking, slow clap. “Congratulations, you managed to find a job as hotel staff. What about your great music career? Where did all those piano lessons lead you? I told you they were a waste.”
“Which is it going to be? A waste to take the lessons, or a waste not to use them on a solo music career? You can’t seem to make up your mind. Wasn’t that what you said? I was stupid to take lessons. Or I was stupid to become a studio musician? Or stupid to give up my career? Why don’t you remind me?” She didn’t care what he thought, she was just calling him on his hypocrisy.
“Don’t take that tone with me, I am your father. I deserve your respect.”
“For that reason alone, I’m not going to call my cousin-in-law, a police officer who is inside at this very moment, to have you removed from my property.”
“Your property? Are you telling me you own this dump?”
“First, yes, Dad, I do own this in. I inherited it from Aunt Tilly. Second, it is not a dump. The exterior needs a bit of paint, but I’ve completely restored the inside.” She struggled for patience. It was Christmas. Kindness and charity ruled the season. “Third, I happen to have a very successful career selling my music. My compositions sell quite well, thank you very much.”
Anger flashed in his eyes. “You always were a stupid ingrate,” he snarled.
There was no sense in losing her temper. He had no control over her. None. Surprisingly, his ugly words didn’t hurt. “Perhaps I seem ungrateful. You did feed, clothe, and house me until I was able to move out. Thank you for that. But, one thing I have learned, thanks to my extended family and friends, who all believe in me, is that I’m not stupid. I’d guess average intelligence, but with one hell of a talent for creating music and running an inn. I’ve come a long way. I’m happy. I’m successful.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him clench his fists. Wow! He’d never succumbed to physical abuse; verbal had been his specialty. She refused to budge or to give in to his intimidation.
“Is there anything else you needed? Do you have a vehicle, or shall I call you a taxi?” Inside, she trembled. Outside, she presented a calm, unaffected face.
She had this!
“I’d like a room. On the house.”
“Oh dear, I’d love to help. The thing is, I’m booked up. Booked solid. I can’t help you, Dad. You’ll have to return to wherever you came from. It’s Christmas, and there’s no room at the inn.”
Motion to her left, on the far end of her porch, where it wrapped around the corner, let her know she wasn’t alone. A large shadow showed her someone was watching. Zane. They’d been in the kitchen together when the bell rang. He must have heard their conversation and come around the house to investigate. She appreciated that he was letting her handle this. His unspoken belief empowered her.
“Taxi?” she repeated her offer.
“No.” Doubt crept into her father’s stare.
“Listen, Dad. There’s a hotel in the next town. Why don’t you head that way and get yourself a room? Drive the rest of the way home in the morning.”
“You ingrate.”
“Yeah, you mentioned that.”
“As of this moment, you are no longer my daughter. I’m disowning you and cutting you out of my will.”
The threat should have affected her. It didn’t. She needed nothing from this man.
