Adam jostled my shoulder with his. “Look at that. You’re going to be going to the Country Club anyway. Perfect timing, huh?”

I was growing tired of all the knots in my stomach. One of them had to pass at some point, but he was right. As I drove to the Fallen Crest Country Club, my hands hadn’t stopped shaking since I got behind the steering wheel. When I parked behind Lamborghinis and BMWs, I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants and tried to ignore their intimidation. I hadn’t cared before, why now? But I hadn’t gone in to meet Garrett’s wife. I liked to avoid meetings like this, but here I was, heading right into the fire in order to avoid a different firestorm.

I gulped. God help me.

When I walked into the Country Club, one of the guys at the front desk recognized me from the week before. He’d been the one that recognized Mason and nodded as he pushed his co-worker’s clipboard down.

I walked inside but stopped when I got to the foyer.

Garrett had his back to me as he sat at the bar’s counter. Beside him was Adam’s boss, Mrs. Carmella. She had her hand on his arm and her other hand on her chest. Her head tipped back in laughter and my biological father’s shoulders shook with her.

I frowned. That wasn’t normal laughter. That was flirting laughter. I sighed but moved towards the kitchen. When a young girl was about to walk inside, she wore a server’s uniform and she seemed nice so I stepped in front of her. “Hey, hi.” I didn’t want to scare her too much. “I was wondering where Bella was. I know her. She’s in charge of the catering.”

She relaxed and gave me a relieved smile. “Oh, yeah. She’s in the back.” I started forward, but she called after me, “She’s great, you know.”

Ookay. I gave the girl an odd smile, but I wasn’t sure what to do with that testimony so I tucked it inside of me, far far away. I was tucking everything deep inside of me, from where I didn’t have to feel any of it.

Another guy pointed me towards her office, but it was empty. When I rounded a corner, I saw her at a far counter. A small stove top was in front of her and the counter beside was covered in bowls. Two cookbooks were open in front of her and she swept back a lock of hair as she frowned at one of them. A trail of grease lingered on her cheek, but she shook her head and bent forward to the biggest cooking bowl.

“Hi…” I left the statement hanging. I wasn’t sure what to follow that up with.

She looked up and a second later her eyes flared wide. She jerked back and the bowl was knocked down from her hand’s movement. “Oh.” She caught it, flustered, but all the ingredients went on the floor. “Oh, dear.” She bit her lip as she looked at the damage on the ground. Then she scratched the back of her head.

I grinned at her state.

Her blonde highlights had been pulled back into a braid, but the ends were loose. They hung over her face and she kept brushing them back. When everything was picked up from the floor, she dumped it all on another counter and turned with her hands on her hips. She had a polite smile now. “You’re Samantha, right? Garrett’s told me so much about you. You’re all he talks about.”

“Right.” I nodded. “Garrett’s daughter.”

Her head bobbed with me. “Garrett’s daughter. Yes, indeed, you are.”

“Hi.”

“Hi.” Her smile was lopsided.

“Uh.” I wasn’t sure what to say anymore. I tightened my hold on my bookbag and looked away. Why was this so hard?

“Are you here about him? He was hoping you’d come over this week, but I guess he didn’t want to push it.” Then she exhaled a dramatic breath. “Oh, dear. I don’t think I was supposed to say anything. He told me not to and now look at what I’ve done.” Her hands twisted together, but then she shoved them behind her and squared her shoulders.

She looked so prim and proper, I wanted to gag. But I shook my head instead. “No, I’m not here about him. I avoided him, actually, but whatever.” I cleared my throat. “I have these friends who are doing some birthday shindig tomorrow night. Her name is Cass, it’s for her boyfriend. I know she asked you already, but she wanted me to ask you if you’d cater the party for her?”

“Oh.” Her smile dimmed a bit. “I thought your birthday was tomorrow night. Your mom invited Garrett. He was planning on taking me to the dinner so I could meet everyone.”

I shook my head. “That’s not happening. I’m not doing anything for my birthday, but I told my friend I’d ask you so I am. Would you cater Peter’s birthday? He seems like an okay guy, I guess.”

She frowned at me a bit. “You’re not friends with him?”

I shrugged. “I guess I am. I don’t know. He’s a bit stiff.”

“Oh.” She looked around. “Well, um, I…you’re really not doing anything for your birthday? Garrett was so excited. He’s told me so many things about you and Mason. I guess there was an intense basketball game between the two of them. Garrett was sore for a week after.”

I swallowed over a knot. What right did he have to boast about me? He kicked me out for her, but I gave her a polite smile anyway. My face felt like it stretched against cement.

“Are you going to celebrate your birthday some other time? He really wants to be there. You mean the world to him.”

Her smile seemed genuine and my knot shrunk. Then I hardened. She had no right to care. I shook my head. “I don’t know. I don’t care about my birthday. Can you do the party or not?”

“Oh.” She blinked from the sudden aggression. “Um, sure. Anything for you, Sam. I mean that, I really do. I know Garrett loves you so much and I’m really hoping the two of us work things out.” Her voice quieted and she looked down at her hands that were knotted together in front of her. “I’m ashamed of what I did. I really am, but I’m trying. I really am.” When she looked back up, there was a renewed intensity on her face. She seemed so earnest.

I shrugged again and looked away. Then my voice came out strained, “Just triple your normal rate for her.”

“But—”

“She’ll pay, trust me. She’s desperate. Charge her triple. She’s a bitch.”

“Um—”

I didn’t care whatever else she had to say and I swung away. I hurried out of there and my heart seemed like it was about to explode out of my chest by the time I got to my car. My fingers fumbled for the door handle. It took three tries before I could open it and then I sat inside with my heart beating and my breathing erratic. I tried to calm myself. I tried to force my hands to loosen from the balls they had formed, but my head bent down and it took a while.