“What? No, why?” he asked.
“Because my mom said my dad wants to make amends and to be honest with you, I can’t even tell your sons I love them and I can’t give them all of me until I forgive m
y dad, put the past behind me, and move on. I’m going to give it a try. If he hasn’t changed then at least I tried.”
“And what about Bentley and this whole business with submitting a proposal?”
“I suppose I’ll have to handle that with my dad when I see him. My mom said that Bentley pushed him out of the business and bought out his stocks in the company, but my dad isn’t stupid. I’m not saying that I matter that much, obviously, but if he was going to give up his daughter and sell out for money and a business deal, that deal was going to be successful.”
“I don’t like this idea of you going there alone. Have you told my sons anything?”
She shook her head. “If I tell them about Bentley they’ll flip and won’t let me go. If I tell them about the company they’ll feel badly for me and then look at me as weak and feel sorry for me, but if I go talk to my parents, cut the ties, find closure, and maybe even figure out their interest in this construction job, then I can come back here and explain everything to the guys.”
“Will you tell your parents about the relationship with my sons?” Harold asked.
“I don’t know. I guess it depends on whether or not their request for me to come visit is honestly about forgiveness or just about control and how they think they still have power over me. I don’t know, but I have to end this. I have to put the past behind me in order to move on with Hank, Will, and Leo. I have to.”
* * * *
“Are you certain that she’s sleeping with all three of them?” Bentley asked the snitch he had working in Ferguson construction and keeping an eye on his girl.
“Yes, sir, she’s involved with all three of them. If you ask me, they moved in quickly and seduced her. They have quite the reputations. A lot of other guys are pretty pissed off.”
“She’s a beautiful woman, but I wasn’t expecting this. I’ll deal with it soon enough. Besides, I’ve got the information and the pictures you gathered for me on the three men. Looks like they enjoy screwing around with women.”
“Well those are from a year ago. To be honest, the three men haven’t shown an interest in other women for the better part of a year. I only came here on your request and a month after Adel was hired.”
“Doesn’t matter. She’ll see these pictures and I’ll tell her they’re more recent. She’ll see the men making out, practically having sex against the cars with different women. That should piss off Adel and force her closer to me. I’ve got a plan. You stick to yours and keep me posted on any changes or updates.”
Bentley disconnected the call and looked into the mirror. He straightened out his bow tie on his tux. Adel hadn’t a clue that he was going to be at the small dinner party at her parent’s house tonight. He couldn’t wait. If all went as planned, she would be sleeping in his bed tonight whether she was ready for that or not.
He walked across the room and grabbed the small envelope of pictures. He tucked them into the inside pocket of his jacket and headed out the door. Tonight he’d get his woman back and ensure that she never returned to Chance again.
* * * *
“Mom, this dress is gorgeous but I wish you would have told me about the dinner party. I thought Dad wanted to talk.”
“He does want to talk but you know when he gets a business deal going that it can interfere in personal lives. Just mingle a little, more guests are arriving and then dinner will be served,” her mom told her.
Adel watched Gladys McKinley socializing and making sure that everyone was enjoying themselves. Adel hated these events. Everyone was decked out in designer gowns and tuxedoes and turning their noses up to others around them and even to people they just smiled at and talked cordially to. They were all fake, and she was starting to think that she should just leave. It would be an hour drive but it was better than staying here. She missed Hank, Leo, and Will. She just wanted to head back to Chance to be with them instead of standing here waiting to see her father and to hear what he had to say.
“Adel, your father wants you to meet him in his study downstairs,” her mom told her as she passed by and headed toward another group of people. Her mom flew from group to group trying to impress these phonies. She wished she hadn’t come here.
She made her way down the hallway and toward the complete other end of the house. If her dad was having a dinner party why would he be so far away from his guests? She stopped trying to figure him out years ago.
She got to the hallway his office was in and knocked on the door.
She entered and no one was in there. She hesitated to leave, that old feeling of getting in trouble for not obeying an order jumped into her head. How silly was she?
“Good evening, Adel.”
Her heart pounded inside of her chest at the sound of Bentley’s voice.
She turned to look up at him. She took a retreating step back. He looked her over with hunger in his eyes and stepped closer. He kissed her cheek and she stepped away only for him to snag her around the waist and pull her back.
“Don’t run from me, Adel. There’s so much for us to talk about.”
“No, there isn’t. I’m not here to see you. I’m here to see my father.”