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I sip my water. The butter roll sticks in my throat. I swallow hard. “He’s seeing his occupational therapist. I’m glad he’s started drawing again. Thanks for checking up on him all the time. The pep talks you give him do help, even if he doesn’t admit it.”
My voice sounds ridiculous to me. Having a normal conversation is a challenge when a tornado rages inside my head.
Josh doesn’t appear to notice. His eyes stay on the menu and he smiles. “Glad to. Micah will figure things out. You two have a lot to look forward to.”
The waiter brings my tea. Despite raging inner turmoil, my stomach rumbles with hunger. Perhaps it’s better to confront devastation on a full stomach. I order a standard burger and fries.
“How’s the new job?” I ask.
“Challenging. Can’t deny that I’m getting some side eye for being the mayor’s brother. I don’t blame anyone for that. I’m the one that’s got to prove myself.”
I nod along and ask more questions, trying to keep up my end of a normal conversation on a day that now feels anything but normal.
Our food arrives in record time and Josh dives right into his steak and potatoes.
“You’re not hungry?” He asks when he sees me just picking at my plate.
“Plenty hungry. I plan to milk this eating for two concept as much as possible.” I pat my belly for emphasis.
Josh stiffens and his steak knife clatters out of his hand.
“Nobody shared the good news with me.” Stuart Ballerini’s voice hits me like a bucket of ice. “It seems congratulations are in order.”
My father pats my shoulder. I flinch. He drags a chair over from a neighboring table.
Uncle Josh glances at me and his eyes narrow into a glare before landing on his brother once more. “We didn’t have any plans today, Stuart.”
“True.” He takes a seat. “You didn’t answer my text this morning. I called your office, reminded them I was the mayor. Your assistant is a nice girl. Mary, right? Don’t fire her. I demanded to know the whereabouts of my chief of police. I’m sure she thought she was doing you a favor when she added that you were having lunch here with my daughter.”
I push back from the table. Now that he’s here, all I want to do is run away as fast as possible.
My father turns his head and examines me. “So who’s the father, Tess?”
“Stuart.” Josh growls out his brother’s name. “Don’t do this.”
“It’s okay, Uncle Josh. I don’t mind answering the question. Dad, you know it’s Micah’s baby. But you’ll never meet him. Or her.”
My father shakes his head. “No ring on your finger, I see. Careful what you say right now. You’ll come crying to me when that worthless criminal is done having his fill.” He gestures with disgust. “What a disgrace. After everything I’ve invested in you, this is what you turn into.”
His words can’t hurt me anymore.
“I’m not some property that you own. And as of today I’m not your daughter anymore either. You told me once I wasfinished. Guess what? Karma’s a bitch and she’s about to smack you sideways.”
This makes no impression on him. He hails the waiter. “I’ll take a Tom Collins please.”
Josh watches us uneasily, his shoulders hunched with tension.
I should just get up and leave. My uncle would come with me if I asked. He’d make sure I got safely back to my car.
Yes, I should do that. But I can’t.
Not while Stuart Ballerini sits here calmly awaiting his drink and believing he’s untouchable.
“Where’s your entourage?” I look around for any sign of my father’s security guards. “Did you leave them outside? We have to make sure the mayor is safely guarded at all times.”
Slowly, my father turns his gaze back to me. He sits up taller.
The waiter drops off his drink and my father keeps his calculating eyes on me.
