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My heart ached. I missed her so much. Although I didn’t agree with how my father dealt with his grief, I could onlyimagine what he had been going through. He always told my mother that she was his world, and with her gone, so was his reason for his existence.
His voice boomed again. I knew I couldn’t go in with my cheeks tear-stricken. Pulling out a handkerchief, I patted my cheeks dry. My father was happy and tonight I was going to make sure he stayed that way. If this was all we had before Niko came and dropped the bomb and sucked all joy out of our lives, then we needed to make the most of it.
Easier for you, Father. You have no idea what is coming tomorrow.
It was probably better that way. When I got inside and smelled his cooking, I knew I was where I wanted to be. Enjoying a night remembering happier times.
Wish all the good times weren’t in the past. We both could use a little joy in our future.
I walked into the kitchen and my father turned to me. “You’re home early. I thought you said you were spending the day with friends,” he said.
A lie I had told him because he’d never have let me go into the office if he’d known the truth. Should I continue to play along? It felt so wrong. Was it better to rip the bandaid off and tell him everything? Where do I start? Telling him Niko was in Tabiq would set him off, and I might not even get to tell him the rest. Can’t tell him that he’s fired. Although he seems to be so much better than he was before he left, I was still concerned about his mental state. We hadn’t had time to really talk about what happened after my mother died.
This wouldn’t be a quick, or easy, conversation. I needed time to prepare and to explain. Tonight, while he slept, I’d be coming up with the best way to handle all of this.
“Couldn’t stop thinking about what you were cooking. And from the smell, it seems like you’re making some of my favorites,” I smiled.
“When I go back to work, I will be too busy to be doing this. So, I figured I’d better make the most of this time.” He patted the back of a chair and said, “Sit down. Let me take care of you.”
“Father, you should sit because you’ve been the one cooking all day,” I reminded him.
“Don’t worry. You can make it up to me by washing the dishes after dinner.”
I looked at the pile of pots and pans and chuckled. “You’re right. I should sit.”
At least my father wouldn’t wonder why I was up late because he just provided me with the perfect excuse.
CHAPTER 7
Niko
I knew that I shouldn’t have called her out in front of Dean, even though she had done so to me. Ovi was embarrassed, as she should have been. I was slightly miffed. Not sure if it was because she had been listening in on a private conversation or the fact that she lost control and yelled at her boss.
“That was...interesting,” Dean said, with an odd smirk.
“You find that funny?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t say funny. Not what I expected when you told me about her. You had made it seem as though she was...quiet and reserved. Could you have been talking about someone else?” Dean asked, jokingly.
“I may have left out a few things. But not about the quality of her work. I’m telling you, even though my work orders had slipped behind the past month, that was the only thing here. She maintained all the books better than they had been since I opened this place.” It was sad to admit that because it was another thing that fell on my shoulders. I couldn’t blame Tryefor not doing his job when it was evident that I had been slipping on my responsibilities as well. “She is very detailed and precise.”
“And hotheaded,” he added. “Nothing like I remember her.”
Had I heard that correctly? This was not their first meeting? “You know her?” I asked, shocked.
“I wouldn’t say that I knew her, but our paths have crossed on several occasions. She used to work at New Hope Resort.”
Ovi hadn’t mentioned that. Of course, it wasn’t like she had submitted a resume or I had interviewed her for the job. I knew so little about her and was hoping that our working together might change that. Hiring her had been purely based on impulse. Even with what just transpired, I still didn’t regret it. I wanted her here. Maybe not just for business reasons. I couldn’t let Dean pick up on that.
“And you fired her?” He shrugged. That wasn’t an answer. “Why did she leave?” I questioned. Since she was going to be working for me, I needed to know if something major had occurred that New Hope needed to release her from her duties. From what I knew, no one ever stopped working at the resort on their own.
“I’m not usually in the weeds of all the details that happen at the resort. My brothers Alex, Caydan, and Shaun handle most of it.”
“I’m aware of that. But I also know it is highly unlikely that someone willingly leaves a secure well-paying job, like those at New Hope.” It was the same here at the factory. If you got the job, you did everything you could to keep it. Finding something equivalent was nearly impossible.
Was this all a ploy? Had she planned on me asking her to work for me? Was I just blinded by her beauty?
There had been too many women who had tried to get close to me, but I always knew it was my money they were attracted to. Ovi didn’t put out those vibes. Hell, I’m not even sure shecan stand me, never mind like me. That would probably make it easier for her to do something malicious and ruin my business. All she would need to do is gain my trust and then stab me in the back.
