Page 26 of Out of Bounds

“I just feel that if we’re going to really make this franchise a household name, we need to make sure we have power behind it. And small, mom and pop establishments aren’t going to have that. Sure, they might be cute, but we don’t need cute. We need oomph.”

“Southland is a major corporation. We have enough oomph all on our own,” Felicity said, biting back at his flawed logic. “We need to support the community that we are a part of. We need to show our fans that we are about them, about this city, and not just money hungry titans who will only partner with those who can pony over the dough.”

She could feel the same fire she’d felt the first time he’d argued against her idea rise up inside her all over again. What was his problem? This was a good solid idea, and they both knew it. Then it hit her—Jonah was jealous that this was her idea and not his. That this was what would make her stand out. The realization made her that much angrier, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it now except continue to argue her case.

“Having the dollars isn’t a bad thing. I think Jonah is on to something here. It sounds to me like you’ve thought up a hell of a program, boy,” Big D said.

“What do you mean Jonah is on to something?” she squeaked. Did her father really just credit Jonah with her idea?

“This was Flick’s idea,” Dalton interjected. At least someone seemed to be on her side.

“You’ll have to be careful who you want to invite in on this idea. Want to make sure your contracts are ironclad so they don’t take your idea and make it national, but we can chat about this more. I like where your head is at, Jonah. Good thinking.”

“I came up with the pub partnership! As something to support Atlanta businesses!”

“Enough shop talk for now,” Big D said, ignoring her completely. Felicity felt her stomach sink, knowing that it didn’t matter how much she tried to fight this, her father was not going to hear a word that came out of her mouth. “I have something important to share.”

Just as he announced this, members of the kitchen staff made their way into the dining room, setting out prepared dishes. The group was silent, waiting for them to finish bringing out all the food. When the last of them returned to the kitchen, they made quick work of serving themselves before returning their attention back to Big D.

“As you all know, the last of my scans show no changes to my condition.”

“Which doesn’t mean that things have gotten worse!” BobbiJo said, her voice sounding singsongy as she tried to remain upbeat.

“Yes, but it also means they haven’t gotten better,” Big D replied. Felicity could see her father’s logical and realistic side coming out. He’d always done his best to teach his children to maintain realistic expectations, no matter how hard that made a situation. As much as she hated watching it play out now, wanting him to remain positive and tell them everyone was going to be okay, just as their mother had done, she knew better than to expect it. “After talking with my doctors, and thinking long and hard about it, I have decided to take part in an experimental treatment.”

“Experimental? Isn’t that dangerous?” she asked. Experimental? Who was this man? He’d never done anything in his life he couldn’t calculate the return on investment for.

“Flick is right, that seems risky,” Dalton said.

“It’s his best chance for survival,” BobbiJo chimed in.

“I don’t like the idea,” Dalton muttered.

“What happens if it doesn’t work?” Jonah asked.

“How can you ask that?” Felicity demanded. First he steamrolled her idea, and now he’s asking about her father’s death? She hadn’t realized it was possible to dislike Jonah any more than she already did, but he had suddenly found new ways to surprise her.

“If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. We start next month. Are there risks? Yes, but I’m dying anyway. Might as well take the risk,” Big D told them. Felicity felt his words like a punch to her gut. How could he do this? Had he really resigned himself to dying? “My affairs are in order. Tripp knows my wishes and will see they are carried out. I am content with this decision, and so should y’all be.”

“I’m with Tripp, I don’t like this idea. Dad, this is crazy. There has to be another way!” Felicity exclaimed. All the feelings from when she was fifteen came rushing back to her. How helpless she felt as her mother lay dying in her bed, wishing there was something, anything, she could do to stop the spread of the cancer. Looking down at her plate, she was no longer hungry for any of the wonderful looking food that was on it.

“These are your father’s wishes, Felicity. It’s his life—”

“Stop right there,” she said, cutting her stepmother off midsentence. The last thing she needed right now was for this woman to try and insert herself into this. She may have married their father, but she was not a Sutherland. “I don’t really care what the fuck you think. Tripp and I have already been through this once with one parent, and that was more than enough for a lifetime. If we’re going to have to do it again then we get to express our opinion about it.”

“You seem to forget I was there for the death of your mother.”

“No, you weren’t. Tripp and I were. You,” Felicity yelled, standing up from the table, knocking her chair over backward. “You were bent over a desk.”

“Felicity!” Big D scolded.

“You were the one who had her there!”

The whole group sat in silence, letting her words ring through the dining room. Part of her regretted saying them, at least to her father, but a bigger part knew that if she didn’t make her feelings known now, then she may never get the chance.

“Do what you want—you always have,” she continued, fighting back the tears. “But we don’t have to like it. And I’m not going to sit back and act like you potentially accelerating this process is acceptable to me. Because it’s not. It’s just not. And I won’t pretend otherwise. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m done here.”

Tossing her napkin onto the table, she swiftly made her way to the front door, not even bothering to look back at the rest of the group. She didn’t care what they had to say right about now. She wasn’t going to let anyone else dictate her feelings on this. Her emotions were too all over the place as it was without anyone else’s opinion thrown in.