After All - Romancing Manhattan

“Dad—”

“No.” The word cuts through anything she was about to say. “There is absolutely no excuse for any of this. You know right from wrong, Gabby, and every bit of this is wrong.”

“I know.” It’s a whisper.

“I’ll be calling this man you’ve been texting with.”

“Dad—”

“And I’ll explain, plainly so he can understand, that if he ever contacts you again, I’ll ruin his life.”

I feel my own eyes go wide at that statement. I’ve never been afraid of Carter.

The tone of his voice right now would terrify me if it were aimed at me.

“At this point, you may never get this phone back.”

She swallows hard, realizing that he means business, and that she’s screwed up bad.

“You can spend the rest of the day in your room.”

“Fine. I’ll watch TV.”

Carter laughs now. “No. You’ve lost all privileges for the foreseeable future. I’m sure you have plenty of homework to keep you busy, since you were suspended for telling your teacher to fuck off.”

She swallows hard again.

“I’m going to put this in the safe where you can’t sneak it.”

He stands and leaves the room, headed for the bedroom, and Gabby turns pleading eyes to me.

“I need your help. I don’t know what to do. Please, help me.”

“Sorry, kiddo, you’ve done this to yourself.”

“Right. Why would you help me? You’re just mad at me.”

I tilt my head and watch her. “So we’re back to this?”

She looks down, shame washing over her face.

“You know, your dad brags about you to anyone who will listen. He talks about what a good kid you are. You’re hardworking, and honest, and happy. Funny. So stinkin’ smart. He boasts about how trustworthy you are, and how he can depend on you to always do the right thing. That you had a bump in the road last year, but since then things have been so good.”

She starts to cry in earnest now, and I want to pull her into my arms and rock her.

So I do.

“He loves you so much. You have to earn that trust back, Gabs, and only you can do that. Are you sure you won’t just talk to him? Tell him what’s bothering you?”

She shakes her head, but grips onto my shirt tightly, hugging me hard.

“I can’t.”

“Well, then, you need to think about things. And you need to start to make it right with your dad.”

“And you,” she whispers, putting hope back in my heart.

Maybe all is not lost after all.

Chapter Sixteen

~Carter~

It’s been a day.

Between yesterday and today, I’m convinced the gods have it out for me.

Thankfully, Gabby’s been in her room all day. It’s been quiet. Nora and I have alternated taking her snacks or drinks. Not because she’s grounded to her room, although she should be, but because we don’t want her to go hungry.

I’ll punish her with lots of things, but withholding food isn’t one of them.

Nora and I have also been working from the penthouse today, both deep in thought, our noses in our computers. Leaving Sacramento so abruptly lost our firm a profitable account, but I’m not sorry.

If they don’t understand family emergencies, I don’t want to work with them.

Thank God Quinn and Finn agreed.

“Dinner’s ready,” Nora says softly. “I just made an easy salad with some grilled chicken.”

“That sounds great.” But rather than get up to walk into the kitchen, I take her hand in mine and pull her into my lap. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She brushes her fingers into my hair. “Are you okay?”

“Better than this morning.”

She kisses my cheek. “Eating will help, too.”

“I’ll go get Gabby.”

But first, I kiss the palm of her hand and press it to my heart, watching when her eyes go soft at the gesture.

The fact that Gabby hasn’t sent her running for the hills speaks volumes.

I set Nora back on her feet and walk to Gabby’s room. Without knocking, I open the door and find her on the bed, reading a magazine.

“It’s time for dinner.”

“I’ll eat it here.”

“No, you’ll eat it at the table. Now.”

She knows better than to roll her eyes, and she trudges behind me, as if she’s being led to the guillotine.

Dramatic doesn’t even begin to describe my daughter.

“Salad?” she asks with a frown, then catching herself, says, “Awesome.”

“Be nice,” I warn her.

We eat in silence for a few moments, then Gabby says, “This chicken is actually really good. Thanks, Nora.”

“You’re welcome.” Nora winks at her and pops a cherry tomato in her mouth. “What have you been up to today?”

“Reading, mostly.”

“I haven’t had a reading day in a long time,” Nora says. “That sounds really good, actually.”

Gabby’s quiet, frowning at her plate, and then she takes a deep breath. “I need to talk to you.”

“I’ll go in the bedroom—” Nora offers, but Gabby shakes her head.

“No, I need to talk to both of you.”

“All right.” We both turn our attention to my daughter.