Page 16 of Smooth Sailing

“When do we leave?”

Pete grinned. “Pack for hot, son. The heat isn’t off the Valley yet. Soon’s you’re ready, we ride.”

Hugger stood.

Then he walked out to jump on his bike, go home, pack his saddle bags, and get his ass down to Phoenix.

1

NOT A FATHER

Diana

“I’m sorry, Mr. Armitage. She just walked in and wouldn’t leave.”

“That’s all right, Janie. She’s my daughter and I asked to see her. I apologize I didn’t tell you. It’s fine. You can go back to your work.”

I sat behind my father’s big fancy desk, watching this exchange, marveling at the newfound knowledge the man could apologize.

I then watched him close the door behind Janie, who was rather young to be the personal assistant for a man of my father’s stature. That being a named partner in a massive practice, who had a corner office that included a conference area with an eight-seater table and a sitting area that had four armchairs and two couches facing each other.

Oh, and fresh flowers.

Fresh flowers all over the place.

Their weekly flower budget had to equal my monthly mortgage, if not exceed it.

And let us not forget, his art.

I’d finally earned my degree (yep, in art, actually, two of them), which I paid for (thank you very much—it took seven years, but by damn, I earned them). I did restoration, conservation and cleaning, so I knew art, and I hated to admit it, but Dad had a good eye.

But he always did.

He’d picked Mom.

And then he’d picked Nicole.

Enough said right there.

Dad walked to stand in front of his desk, his attention never leaving me, and he said, “I asked to see you, however, you didn’t reply to my voicemail.”

I was lounged back in his cushy chair, my legs crossed, and I threw up both hands. “Consider this my response.”

“This isn’t a good time. I have a busy schedule. I’m due in a meeting in ten minutes. Regardless, I’d like to speak to you in private,” he said through his teeth.

“It’s been a long time, Dad. But with nineteen years’ experience starting from birth, I still think I can translate Dad-ish.” I sat forward and rested both elbows on his desk, putting my chin on top of my linked fingers. “What you mean is, your vile, cruel, practically inhuman client, who also happens to be rich, and that works for you, in fact, that’s all you need, has requested I cut Suzette loose so he can have a clean go at silencing her.”

“Again, I’d like to set some time to speak to you in private.”

I sat back and feigned excitement. “No, wait…he wants to bribe her?”

I watched my father visibly lose patience. “Diana, I’ll repeat, I don’t have time at this moment, and I’d rather not do this here. We haven’t connected since the situation in Tucson, so it would also be nice if I had the chance to get caught up with my only child.”

“Ooo, good one. The guilt card. Well played.”

“Diana—”

“You get discovery. Have you received it yet? Did you see pictures of her?”

---