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Gwen stares between us with a wince. “No…yes…I mean, have you run into her? I’m pretty sure I saw her during and after the ceremony, but she wasn’t at the reception, right?”
“No, because running away is what that woman does best,” I say coolly, flipping my Zippo shut.
“That’s not true,” Nate counters with calm. “King kicked her out.”
That’s it. This fucker will die in his sleep tonight.
“Dad…?” Gwen looks at me with that pout that’s able to smash through my black stone heart.
“I did not kick her out. I just reminded her that my hospitality isn’t infinite and I was approaching my limit. But I didn’t think she’d need to snitch to Nate to drive a point home.”
So yes, I did kick her out, but I didn’t think she’d comply. She never has in the past, and she even walked away with that infuriating snobby confidence, as if the world’s her battlefield and I’m a mere vessel in it.
I was so sure she’d do as she promised, but she disappeared without a trace.
Or maybe she did leave a trace since she tattled to Nate, who’s watching me with a slow smile.
“She didn’t snitch to me. I saw you trying to throw your weight around with her after the ceremony.”
“I was onlytalkingto her.”
“By trying to intimidate her.”
“Hey, fucker, whose side are you on?”
“Gwyneth’s. She wanted her mother here today and you had no business trying to kick her out.”
My daughter gives me that kicked puppy look again that makes me feel lower than fucking dirt.
She’s never gone against me, except for when it comes to the bastard standing next to her. And I’m starting to think Aspen will soon belong on the list of “People Gwen stands up to her father for.”
Even though she was hurt by her absence, she still watches Aspen from afar and often asks Nate about her.
She never asks me, because she knows there’s no love lost between me and the redhead.
Gwen’s phone lights up in her hand and she smiles, then clears her throat and answers, “Hello? Aspen?”
Speak of the fucking devil.
I mean witch.
My angel listens for some time, kicking an imaginary rock and tightening her hold on Nate’s arm, then says, “It’s okay.”
She bites her lower lip and whispers a shy, “Thanks.”
As soon as she hangs up, she looks at Nate and blurts, “She congratulated us on the wedding and apologized for leaving abruptly. She said something unexpected came up and she had to go.”
“Something unexpected?” Nate frowns. “She wouldn’t have left your wedding for anything…unless…”
“What?” Gwen asks.
“Nothing.” He smiles at her, then stares at me.
He doesn’t have to say the words for me to understand the meaning.
Something far more important than Gwen’s wedding happened. And considering that woman’s infuriating intent to be part of her daughter’s life, my guess is it’s something dangerous.
Maybe it’s my chance to hold something over her head.
