Page 18 of Pursuit of Honor

Based on his evasive reply, she knew he’d been relentless about dragging the information out of her older sisters. Everyone in her family seemed determined to treat her like she was still the baby of the family.

Her father cleared his throat during the uncomfortable silence and continued. “Your mother and I have asked your sisters to look out for you—”

“What? Have you been keeping tabs on me?” she asked, cutting him off.

“It’s my duty as a father to watch out for you. I know I’ve failed at that sometimes, but that’s just more incentive to protect you from your own mistakes.”

That stung. “My mistakes? You mean with my art?”

“Your mother and I think you’re talented, but it’s not a real career, is it? You have to admit that it’s more of a hobby.”

“It’s real to me,” she said, fighting to keep her voice steady as the hurt washed over her. They were never going to let it go. Never going to accept that she wanted to walk her own path. Be her own person instead of a carbon copy clone like her sisters. Sisters she loved but was tired of being compared to.

Law hadn’t compared her to anyone. He’d taken her art seriously. Listened to her. Then, he had trusted her enough to share his secret pain. Rather than treat her like she was naïve or foolish, Law had taken a genuine interest in her life without judgement. Which was more than she could say for her family. The people who loved her most might have been concerned about her wellbeing, but they didn’t seem all that concerned with actually understanding her.

“You’re young,” he said dismissively, as if her age could explain everything.

She bristled at the condescension in those two words. “I might be the youngest, but I’m an adult. That means I’m old enough to know what I want.”

“But you’re not old enough to know the consequences,” her father fired back, his impatient voice booming through the apartment.

“Now you’re trying to tell me what to do.” She flinched inwardly at how childish that must have sounded. Which would only lend credibility to him dismissing her for her age.

“Piper, I’m not here to dictate your life. However, we’re all older than you, which indicates we have enough wisdom to want to guide you,” her father countered. “Besides, when a child’s mistakes eventually catch up to them, it’s always on the parents to solve everything.”

“I have never asked you to solve anything,” she said angrily. “All I’ve asked for is a little support. Now I’m being so smothered that I can’t even go out on a date.”

Ignoring her, he went on. “Your sisters led me to believe that it has been two dates already. Two dates in a single weekend. That seems excessive. Hard to imagine you getting serious about a boy so quickly. Typically, you take your time. Are you going to be reckless in this part of your life, too?”

“Because I’m so pathetic, is that it?” she asked. “I’m not pretty like Brooklyn or charming like Sage, so I obviously have such low self-esteem that I’d settle for anybody.”

“That isn’t what I said,” he remarked sternly. Then, his face softened. “Any man would be lucky to have you. But your sisters told me that he’s a sailor.”

Piper could barely contain her inner turmoil, but she was going to need to get a handle on her emotions if she wanted to be heard. So she couldn’t very well throw a tantrum over being asked a basic question. “Yes, he’s in the Navy.”

“He’s not permanently stationed. He’ll be traveling all over the world.”

“The same as you did,” she reminded sharply.

“Your mother and I were very serious about each other,” he said. “We were engaged when I started traveling for work. You hardly know this boy.”

“Well, I’ve been trying to get to know him,” she flung back.

“Over the course of a weekend?” Her father shook his head.

“What does it matter?” she asked, her heart clenching. “He’s leaving anyway.”

“That is what concerns me,” he said flatly. “You spent your weekend entertaining a man who probably won’t even be here tomorrow.”

The reminder left her feeling hollow. As if every part of her had been scraped out, leaving her raw and exposed. In so much pain that she couldn’t describe it. Which was proof that her father had made a point. She’d been so reckless that she had gone and fallen for a guy she hardly knew. Now, she was on the verge of tears, ready to cry her heart out over him.

“Okay, then you have nothing to worry about. Law is leaving tomorrow and none of us will ever see him again,” she said, her chest tightening so painfully that she couldn’t breathe. “Problem solved.”

“So that’s it then? You’re severing ties? No attempt at a long-distant relationship like your sisters feared?”

“We’re going to keep in touch,” she explained. “We’ve decided to be friends.”

“Friends?” Again her father shook his head, more vigorously this time. “That’s even more reckless.”