Page 2 of Top Shelf

“Wren.”

I stop talking.

My father is smiling, but it’s off. It’s one of the ones he uses that I don’t like. That smile adults use when they’re humoring children. Not the smile they use when they take you seriously.

The excitement in my chest flickers. “What?”

He taps one of the pages. “You worked very hard on this.”

Pride blooms instantly. “I did.”

The man beside him laughs.

Dad’s smile grows before he reaches over and ruffles my hair. The way he always does when he thinks I’m being cute.

Not smart.Cute.

“You’ll make a great assistant one day.”

I blink. “What?”

His smile remains easy.

“I don’t want to be an assistant,” I tell him stubbornly. “I’m going to run the team one day.” I beam at him. “Just like you!”

For a second, he just stares at me.

Then he laughs. It’s not cruel, but there’s an edge to it, like he thinks I said something funny. But I didn’t.

“Oh, sweetheart.”

My stomach drops. I know that tone. It’s the one adults use right before telling you why your idea won’t work.

“What?”

He exchanges a quick look with the other man. Then he crouches slightly so we’re eye level.

“That’s Carson’s job.”

“My brother?” But all he does is skate. He doesn’t know anything about charts or diagrams or lists. Any time Dad drags him to a meeting, he complains about how bored he is. He doesn't care about the team, not the same way I do. “Why?”

“That’s just the way it is.”

That answer doesn’t make any sense.

My lower lip begins to wobble. “But… What about me?”

Dad smiles again. Patient. Distracted. Already halfway back to whatever he was doing before I interrupted him.

“You’ll be busy helping your husband and looking after your own little ones.”

I stare at him, unsure why my chest suddenly hurts.

“But what if I don’t want to do that?”

His expression softens. For a second, I think he might actually listen.

Instead, he reaches over and taps the end of my nose.