AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Looking back, I don’t know why I didn’t try to stop him. Why I thought a month in Las Vegas would clear anyone’s head is as good a question as any.
It’s not like my brother is my only concern. I’m a highly sought-after pediatric surgeon, and I’m raising my seven-year-old daughter alone.
One month turned to two, then six. Then years went by. But Cormac sent me casino account statements. He was making money with his gambling.
So long as he didn’t get into trouble and kept his lifestyle far from my family, I didn’t urge him to come home.
I chose not to be a part of their crime world, but O’Rourke blood swims in my veins, and I have a knack for making strategic connections. Taryn is one of them.
“What time is my brother’s arraignment?” I ask him when he gets back on the line.
I curse, staring at my watch, furious that the daddy–daughter day I took off work for has to be canceled.
“He’s on the docket for four p.m.”
I have to ask Sophie’s nanny to stay over to take care of her, since I don’t know when I’ll be home. Any other time I’d bring her. My daughter loves the city, too.
Vegas has a surprising number of things to do for kids, and she loves the villa. Loves the sunshine and the pool.
In the fall, Seattle’s constant cloud cover and rain is dreary as hell. But this is where my livelihood is. Plus, it’s far away from my family.
“I’ll be down there in a couple of hours.” I cringe, seeing it’s already noon. “Thanks for the call, Taryn.”
“Daddy?” Sophie’s voice springs open my clenched eyes. “Where are you going in a couple of hours?”
Her sad drawl pulls at my gut.
My Sophie was a surprise. Because I was raised right, I married her mother. But Ginnifer left us three years ago when Sophie was only four. Ginny took an eight-week rotation with the Red Cross and never came back to the States.
She calls Sophie once in a while. It’d been easy to lie, saying Mommy will come home soon. My daughter just turned seven and has figured out Mommy isn’t ever coming home.
Christ, those three years went by fast.
Before I answer where I’m going, I eye the nanny, Olivia, who is always here when I’m on call at the hospital. Leaving the house for an emergency is understandable to Sophie.
Getting on a plane to bail my brother out of jail isn’t.
“Do you mind staying over tonight, Olivia?”
She doesn’t live here, and rarely stays over. I’m asking her for a favor I usually don’t need.
“Dr. O’Rourke, tomorrow is Saturday.”
“Daddy, I have Morgan’s birthday party tomorrow. Remember, you said you’d take me?”
“Right.”
Cormac’s situation weighs on me, and I feel like I can’t breathe, being stretched like this.
“Sophie, go get your iPad. We’ll play more of Minion Rush,” Olivia says with the right firmness a child needs.
“Yay!” Sophie flies up the mahogany steps to the second floor.
Ginnifer and I lived in an apartment, but I always believed kids need to grow up in a house. She picked out this renovated Victorian with a view of Puget Sound.
Its $1.3M price tag startled me for a moment, but I have no regrets. Sophie was born here. This is her home.
“Thank you,” I say to Olivia, realizing she bought me time to get a plan together.
