Rick, the other DJ, chuckled into the mic. “Oh yeah, Steve. It seems to be the latest gossip around town. Check this out, man, and I’m reading this straight from the newspaper’s website, mind you. Mayor De Leon’s daughter, not such a goody two shoes?”
“I mean I never really thought she was anyways, but you will you look at this? Apparently, Gabrielle De Leon has been seeing some stripper at one of those sleazy clubs down at the other end of the Boulevard, and there’s even a picture of the two of them holding hands. Damn, man, she grew up fast!”
I nearly stomped my foot on the brake pedal, my blood beginning to boil. What the fuck?
“But I’m telling you, this is hilarious! You know the mayor’s trying to keep his reputation all squeaky clean, living in that swanky mission up in the hills. And then she starts to go out sleeping with strippers? You don’t think she’s stripping on the side somewhere, too, do you? Wouldn’t that be ironic as hell?” The two of them started laughing, discussing the picture of Gabi and I in great length, leaving me seething in my truck as I pulled over to the side of the road.
“Is it just me or is one of those buttons on her dress a little… off?” Steve chuckled. “I mean I’m not trying to start rumors or anything but I’m pretty sure they must have just had a nice romantic stroll to themselves in this picture, if you get what I mean.”
“You two are so ridiculous,” the female DJ finally piped up, her voice condescending. “Just because a girl likes a little fun, doesn’t mean anything. I’m sure Daddy isn’t too happy with her, though, because like you said that reelection campaign is all he’s got going for him. But she looks happy! I’m sure she’s just doing what, sowing her wild oats or something?”
“Yeah, it’s what the rich princesses do in the hills. Try and find some poor sleazebag to kick it with, making them feel like they’re living in the real world or whatever.”
I had to turn the radio off, nearly breaking the knob in my hand.
What the hell was I going to do? What if they were right?
No… I was being stupid. Of course they were just talking shit about us because they didn’t know any better. But the truth remained that it was all over the papers, apparently, and there was no doubt in my mind that Mayor De Leon was going to have a thing or two to say about that.
I groaned, rubbing my temples before putting the truck back into drive. It was probably going to come out sooner or later, but this was not the way I wanted things to go down.
11
Gabi
The moment I got the phone call from my dad’s cell phone, dread filled me up from the bottom to the top. My dad almost never called me, much less on his cell phone. It was always from his work phone in his office. It reminded me too much of the morning he called me from the doctor’s office, when Mom was diagnosed years ago.
I took in a steady breath. “Hey, Dad. Is everything okay?”
It was hard not to feel the tension through the phone.
“Gabrielle. I don’t suppose you’ve checked the paper today, have you?”
It was a really odd thing for him to say. I wasn’t exactly known for reading the ‘papers.’
“…No?”
He made a noise of discontent, and I could hear him shuffling something around in his hand. What the hell was going on?
“I would appreciate it very much if you could swing by the house. There are a few things I’d like to talk to you about. If you’re available.” He sounded so formal, as if I was one of the people he worked with and could only barely stand.
“Okay, yeah. I’ll be over there in about fifteen minutes, I guess. Are you sure everything’s okay?”
Dad cleared his throat. “I will see you then.”
The call ended right after, cutting me off before I could say anything. Okay… Something was definitely going on. And the sooner I looked at the papers, or more likely the news on my phone, the better I would be prepared for whatever kind of shitstorm was brewing over at my dad’s house.
“I better grab a cup of coffee,” I muttered to myself, pouring the dark liquid into my favorite mug, sipping it carefully. He was lucky I was already dressed. I wasn’t usually up this early in the morning.
Reaching for my phone, I flicked through the old headlines until I found exactly what I was looking for: Girl Gone Wild: Mayor’s Daughter Dating a Stripper.
The blood drained from my face
. I guessed I wasn’t going to have a chance to consider whether or not to tell my dad about Jacob and me.
Because he already knew.
I groaned, not even bothering to read the damn article. It wasn’t like it was a lie, or anything. Plus, it probably was only just going to piss me off even more. I could only imagine what my dad was thinking… And I was sure he would let me know as soon as I got there.
I sighed as I finished my coffee, slipping my shoes on and grabbing the keys before heading out the door.
By the time I made it up the steps to the front door of the house I grew up in, I was practically sweating. I hated the idea of my dad being upset with me, but there was just no denying it. I was going to have to grin and bear it, and try to calmly explain the situation to him, that was all.
Too bad it was a hell of a lot easier said than done…
“Miss Gabi,” Sierra, my dad’s housekeeper, greeted me as she let me inside. She was the newest in the line of many, since my dad didn’t have the greatest patience when it came to his staff at home. I couldn’t help but feel bad for everyone who had to work for him.
“Good morning, Sierra. Do you know where he is?”
She nodded, and I could tell by the slight frown on her face that he most definitely was not in the chatting mood. “In his office, Miss Gabi.”
I thanked her and made the long walk upstairs, feeling almost like someone on trial for a crime they didn’t commit.
I knocked softly on his door, and cringed as I heard the stark reply, “Come in and close the door behind you.”
I did as he asked, remembering not to stare at the floor too much. That was always a big pet peeve of his when I was growing up.
My dad was standing in front of the window, having pushed aside the curtains, looking out onto the grounds. “I’ve been mayor of this city for seven years now, Gabrielle. Seven. Years. Two terms. And I’ve been hoping… and determined, in fact, to make that three terms. It seems that you might have other things in mind, however.”