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“Nah, you’re not. Sit tight,” he scolds.
I’m not sure what pisses me off more, his sarcasm or that he’s parenting me.
“No, really,” I reiterate, movingagainto leave the car.
He turns in his seat, his eyes leveling mine with a look that pins me in place and cuts through my layer of bullshit.
“I’ll just order for all of us. Morgan, seven for you too?” Lily knows my order.
I swallow and mutter, “Sure.”
Lily escapes the tension-filled car, and the moment her door closes, the space inside gets tighter. I flop back into my seat with a heavy sigh and match Theo’s expression, one of defeat and embarrassment and resentment.
“I’m sorry about your dad,” he says.
I laugh out once and fold my arms over my chest, glancing out the window to my right. When I look back at him, he’s still staring at me with the same pitiful, straight-lined mouth and sad eyes. I shift in my seat, uncomfortable in my own skin, and a tear pricks the corner of my eye. I wipe it away with the back of my palm.
“It’s fine,” I say.
“It’s not fine, and I get all the reasons it’s not.” Damn him for understanding.
I meet his gaze again and allow myself to break for a breath. Sniffling, I nod, keeping my chin up to guard against letting too much of the messy feelings slip in.
“The last time I saw him, he was using me to set up one of his targets for a media hit,” I say, knowing Theo won’t need the details. He probably saw the blitz that hit the tabloids and websites. Fewer people saw the retractions that came out a day or two ago. Nobody cares when people get shit wrong. They like the scintillating lies.
“Did you say some things to him?” Theo asks. I get what he’s asking—whether I left my father that day on bad terms. But I didn’t really. I left him the way we’ve always been.
I shrug.
“It was the same as any other day with Christopher Bentley. He bought some mimosas, I drank half. I mentally swore I’d never talk to him again, but who knows.”
Theo nods, probably having sworn the same thing about his mother more than once.
“You should probably see him, ya know? For yourself. You don’t have to linger around the hospital and visit. I mean, he’d probably try to get you to help him take over a hospital system.”
I bust out a loud laugh and we both smile at the truth to his joke.
“I know I should,” I admit. “Maybe I’ll go with Braden. Not sure I can take my mother’s drama over it right now. I’m sure the sky is falling.”
“Her husband did have a stroke,” Theo counters.
I wobble my head.
“And I’m sure she is telling all of the ladies in her club about it. While not visiting often,” I add.
Theo’s mouth tugs in on one side with a short laugh in understanding.
“Wanna talk about James?” His brows rise.
I meet his stare for a breath, then look away.
“Not really,” I lie.
Theo lets me wallow quietly for a long minute before finally tossing his keys in my lap. I look down then flash my gaze back up to him.
“In case you want to go pick him up off the side of the road,” he says, finishing with a tight-mouthed grin, the kind that blends anI told you sowith ayou know you want to.
He exits the car, leaving the driver’s door open and waiting for me. I spin in my seat and scan the parking lot for Brooklyn’s SUV, but we’re the only new car to arrive. They could have made a stop somewhere or gotten behind us.
