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“Okay, spill then.”
“Well, the thing is, Ryan. When I had that small amount of trouble—”
“It wasn’t small, Hope. You lost your job, were locked in a cell, and were accused of stealing,” Millicent Lawrence said, clearly deciding it was time to interject. “And let us not forget that man stole your pictures, drugged you, then had you thrown out ofWildlifebecause of it.”
“What?” Ryan said. “And you didn’t tell me any of this?”
“You couldn’t do anything.” Hope shot her mother a glare. “Thanks for that, Mom.”
“I could have given you money. I could have been there for you.” Ryan wasn’t sure how he felt right now, but anger was there. Hurt, too, that the one person he’d vowed to always protect hadn’t turned to him.
He conceded that they hadn’t seen each other much over the years he’d been gone, but he’d called his sister every few weeks, and did the same with his mom.
“You were in England, and I didn’t want to worry you with it,” Hope said defensively.
“You’re my sister,” Ryan ground out. “Worrying is part of that.”
“You hadn’t seen your sister in years, Ryan; why would you expect she’d turn to you? Or me, for that matter. I raised you to be independent. Hope decided to figure things out for herself, but she couldn’t in this case.”
“Yes, I know how you raised us, Mom,” he said through his teeth. “It’s not likely something we’ll ever forget,” he added before he could stop himself.
“Perhaps I wasn’t always right,” she conceded. “But I did the best I could.”
He wasn’t touching that, so refocused on his sister.
“So, I’m guessing this is all leading to what you wanted to tell me?” His smile was brittle. Newman, he noted, was staying quiet, but Ryan knew that would change if anyone upset his girl.
Once, Ryan had been Hope’s main support, but he’d changed that by leaving her and not coming back. Guilt was suddenly heavy on his shoulders.
“The thing was, it got out of hand. The people involved were influential and powerful, so Mom gave me his card, and I called him.”
“Who?” But he knew deep inside who she meant.
“Our father. He’s this hotshot lawyer who Mom said could help me. I called him; he came and helped resolve everything.” Newman placed his hand over the one Hope was using to pleat the napkin on the table.
“Just tell him, love.”
“We have two brothers and a sister, and Dad explained what happened, and now he’s coming here to see me with them.”
“Dad? Since when has that piece of shit been classed as a dad?” Ryan said, feeling the calm he was always known for vanish. He was the stable band member in Talon. Everyone knew that he’d mediate all arguments and be the one to take their issues up with their manager. Since coming back to Lake Howling, he’d lost some of that.
“He’s a good guy, Ryan, and knows he messed up. He’s acknowledged that the entire thing was his fault, as he had an affair.”
“And you’re happy that he’s back in her life?” He looked at his mother.
“I wasn’t,” she conceded. “But he’s trying, and I’ve moved on, and I think it’s important for you to meet your brothers and sister.”
“No, thanks. I won’t be meeting him and will be gone before he arrives.”
“Ryan—”
“I don’t want to discuss this anymore, Hope. Please respect that.”
She fell silent, and he saw her eyes were filled with tears. But he couldn’t help how he felt. His father was a dark, ugly place inside him he never wanted to revisit. He’d spent years wanting to know the father that had walked away from them. Years hoping he’d look to the sidelines of his game and see him standing there.
He’d never appeared, and Ryan didn’t need him to now.
Chapter 10
