Page 36 of Dash

“We have a problem,” he says, and his dark brown eyes stare into mine.

Does he already know about Tabatha and me? How could he, though?

“What’s the problem?” I ask starting to break out in a sweat.

“You threw a party. The same exact night that I had you arrested.” He speaks slowly letting it sink in.

I swallow nervously. The party that I slept with his daughter at. Hours after he told me no parties, alcohol, or drugs. “Yes, sir.” I try to say it without sounding like I actually did something wrong.

He looks down to his table shaking his head. “I told you no parties. No alcohol. And no trouble with the cops.”

I sit up straight. “Cops? Sir, I know you said no parties, but I had not signed yet. The party was tame and there were no cops…”

He slams his hand down on the table. “And you think that’s okay?”

“I swear I had no idea who she was,” I blurt out. “She…”

“She?” he interrupts me

“Yes. That night was my first night to meet her. I swear I had no idea who she was.” God, I just broke like a little kid who stole a cookie out of his mother’s cookie jar. But Mr. Knight is intimidating.

“I don’t care who the hell you met that night or what you two did.” Then he looks at me with narrowed eyes. “What does concern me is the parents who are threatening to sue you.”

“What?” I ask as I jump from my seat. Ouch! A pain shoots up my back from my wreck. “Who in the hell is trying to sue me?” I demand. “And for what?”

He places his hand up and gestures for me to sit back down as if he is now the calm one. “An underage male attended your party and got drunk. He then drove and was involved in a car wreck.”

“Shit. Is he okay?”

He nods. “The sorry idiot will be fine. But since he was over the legal limit, he was arrested. The parents are now threatening to sue you for all damages. The cost of the DUI, and the cost to repair the car and the property that his car destroyed.”

“Can they do that?” I ask. “I haven’t been notified of anything.”

“I was just notified after you left here this morning. I told you that I had pull in this town, and I have very well paid attorneys who make sure everything involving my company or me lands on their desk. It has not gone public yet, but I have no doubt that they will try.”

“So, what do I do?” How is this happening?

“Absolutely nothing! I’m gonna take care of it.” Just as he says that, his fax machine alerts him of a new fax. “Just in time,” he says reaching over to grab it. He speaks as he hands it over to me. “Do you remember this boy?”

It’s his mug shot. He looks like he has been drinking for days. “I don’t remember seeing him,” I say looking over his messy hair and green, bloodshot eyes.

“So you’re saying you didn’t personally serve him alcohol?” he asks placing his forearms on his desk. “’Cause the parents said that you did.”

“Not personally.” I shrug before laying the picture back on his desk. “I didn’t know every person who was there. And about three hours into it, I went to my parents’ room…”

He lifts his hands. “With the girl you were speaking of earlier?” he asks and I give him a nod as I kick myself for saying that. I used to be great under pressure, but now, not so much. Guess when you have a lot at stake things are different.

“We should contact her. She may have seen him. Let me have her name and number. The attorney will also want to speak with her.”

Fuck me! “Well…uh, she…”

My head shifts quickly and I flinch from the discomfort to look at the door when it swings open. “Dad. Let me explain.” She was listening?

“Sweet pea.” He stands from his desk. “I told you that we would discuss your schooling later. I am in an important meeting.”

She takes a deep breath as she closes her eyes. When she opens them, she pushes her shoulders back and takes the three steps that have her standing right in front of his desk. She leans over and picks up the mug shot. She looks it over for a few seconds as her father and I stare at her silently. He has a look of pure confusion and annoyance on his aged face. My wide eyes go back and forth between them.

“I saw him,” she announces before placing the paper down by her side.

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