Page 23 of Yearn

“I’d like that.”

“Good, it’s a date.” He leaned in to kiss me, then pulled back with his hands up. “Sorry. Oh, don’t forget I’m not around Friday night. Scored tickets to the Yankees game.”

“Are all the guys going?”

“Yep. You can always have a girl’s night.”

“Hmm, I’m working. I’ll check.” I glanced at my phone. “Gotta get back.”

He blew me a kiss, and I laughed, heading back to my section.

I closed out my last table and went to greet my newest customers. As I headed toward them, I noticed it was an older gentleman who seemed familiar, with a younger girl. Hopefully, his daughter—because there was a huge age-gap, but Red saw an overabundance of rich men with women decades younger so I wouldn’t be surprised.

“Hi, welcome to Red. I’m Landon and I’ll be your—” I trailed off, staring in shock at the man. Thick blonde hair. Deep blue eyes. Muscular and fit, even in his late fifties. Custom designer suit and an aura that screamed money and status, like the stamp of cologne on his skin.

He stared back, obviously at a loss for words. Shaking his head as if to clear it, he broke into a smile that would charm a woman from twenty to eighty. “Landon. This is a surprise. What are you doing here?”

Still speechless, I studied the girl with him, who looked curious, tilting her head and staring back at me. The shape of the nose, sharply cut cheekbones, and matching blue eyes pegged her as his daughter.

I wanted to run away; to hang my head in shame. I wanted to rage and call him all the things I’d fantasized about. I wanted to cry and beg him to love me. I wanted to ask what I did to make him abandon me at eight years old and start a new family without looking back.

I finally managed to choke out words. “Hi, Dad.”

Chapter Ten

Landon

Listen to Piece by Piece

by Kelly Clarkson

Ihated that my father looked uncomfortable. The humiliation of showing up as his server with his new daughter made my stomach lurch. But I forced a smile, intent on showing him I didn’t give a shit about either of them. “Nice to see you. Have you had time to look at the cocktail menu?”

He cleared his throat, glancing at his daughter. “I didn’t know you worked here. I thought you were modeling or something. Lucy, this is your step-sister, Landon. I don’t think you two have met yet.”

I grit my teeth to trap the angry words from spilling out. Seems my father favored names beginning with L. We’d never met because he never offered to introduce us, or have me over to the house. He’d left Mom and I behind like garbage at the curb, figuring a fat trust fund would shut us up and allow him to moveon. Even now, he looked embarrassed to see me, like I was some type of reminder of his past mistakes instead of his child.

Lucy lit up and gave me a huge smile. “It’s so nice to meet you! This place is so fire—do you like working here?”

“Yeah, it’s great. I work around my modeling and influencer shoots,” I said calmly.

Lucy sighed. “I’d love to be a model.”

My father reached out and patted her hand. “You have a bright future at Princeton, Luce. No way am I letting you throw it away to play dress-up.” He treated me to a stare full of disapproval. “I thought you had a degree from NYU. What happened?”

My voice iced. “I do, but my career in entertainment is my focus now. Besides magazine shoots, I scored a role in a television show.” I lied without apology. “Big things are happening for me.”

“That’s amazing. What show?” Lucy asked with genuine excitement.

I was sad she seemed genuinely nice. Sad I never had the opportunity to bond with a blood relative and maybe have a sister. “Oh, I can’t say right now—I signed an NDA.”

Dad didn’t look impressed. “Good for you. Don’t let your mother’s failings drag you down to her level.”

I trembled with banked up fury. “Mom is doing great. She has one of the best traits in a person that’s always overlooked.” I paused for effect. “Loyalty.”

He didn’t respond. Just dropped his gaze to the menu and ignored my comment. “We’ll have two strawberry lemonades, please. Tuna tartare appetizer. Honey, did you want the filet?”

Lucy shook her head. “Too heavy for lunch. I’ll go with the grilled shrimp Greek salad.”

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