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“If anyone would know why that is, it should be you.”
Mulaney’s words came back like a gut punch. Now that the initial shock of the sale had worn off, everyone’s true feelings were coming to light. They blamed me for the failure. I blamed me too.
“I don’t disagree, but that doesn’t explain why you think I’m the one who made the withdrawals.”
Dad glanced away like he wanted to avoid the rest of this conversation. “Because your name is on them.”
I didn’t say a word. The financial stability of the company was on me, and I’d believed I’d done everything required to keep it solvent. I still couldn’t fathom what went wrong, and that didn’t work with my analytical mind. Add the confusion of Mulaney’s situation and Drew’s claims . . . and now Dad thought I’d been dipping into the company barrel too . . . I was close to losing it.
“If you were in trouble, I wish you would’ve come to me. I’m the first to admit it’s hard to ask for help, but your mother and I are here for you and Drew.”
That was rich. “You expect me to ask for help when you did this deal with SPE completely on your own?” My voice rose as the thin thread holding my temper in check stretched to the breaking point.
“I’ve explained it to you—”
“No. You really haven’t.”
“Why did you need that much money?” Avoidance in its finest form.
I stared at him in disbelief. My brother and father were my best friends. Hard to believe one of them had so little faith in me. No need to defend myself when he’d already tried and convicted me.Unreal.
“Is it too much to ask to see the evidence?” I forced calm into my tone when I was anything but.
Dad moved to his briefcase, the one he’d had for as long as I could remember. It was weathered, but my grandfather had given it to him and he refused to get a new one. He’d also struck a geyser the first week he’d had it, and the briefcase had become his good luck charm.
He’d given Drew and me briefcases when we’d started with Carter Energy, a tradition he’d said. That moment had deepened our connection on another level, one I’d taken for granted that we’d do again when I had kids of my own. If I ever had the opportunity to do the same, it wouldn’t be the day they went to work for our family business, but somebody else’s. Having that choice taken away stung.
“Here.” He didn’t immediately let go of the flash drive. “I’d give up everything I have for you, including Carter Energy if that’s what it took.”
A chill crept up my spine as I palmed the drive. I cleared my throat as it squeezed closed. “Mama and Drew are waiting.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Mulaney
“After you tourthe other school, meet me at the office—what the hell are y’all doing here?”
I halted in the opening to the living room. Holly stopped beside me, and Gabriel clutched her hand, sticking close to her. I didn’t blame him. There were a whole bunch of Jacobs already here.
“That darlin’ boy, Easton, sent us some help so we could spend an extra few days up here.” Ruby got to her feet. Once she was in front of me, she pointed to her cheek, and I kissed it.
Darlin’ boy, my ass. He’d promised Stone he’d take care of getting some help at the ranch if everybody wanted to go to Paris some time. Guess he’d done it behind my back for this trip.
“What a gem,” I finally muttered, hugging my grandmama’s petite frame.
“Baby, you look so pretty,” Daddy said, almost like he’d never seen me before.
I glanced down at my dress and heels and realized he hadn’t seen me like this very often. “Thanks.” I kicked off my shoes, past done with them for the day. “You remember Holly, don’t you?”
At some point or other, everybody had visited me at the office in Houston, but never at one time. She appeared a little shell-shocked too.
“We do, but I don’t remember that big fella,” Granddaddy said.
“I’m Gabriel,” he said, stepping out of his mother’s shadow.
“Nice to meet you, son.” My grandfather stood and held out his hand. It was so much bigger than Gabriel’s when they shook, but the boy didn’t seem intimidated anymore.
Stone pointed at my feet. “Put those shoes back on. We were just about to head upstairs.”
