Page 121 of The Broker

He put down his iPad and his expression was plain, announcing,let’s get this over with.

“Mom asked me to talk to you.” I crossed my arms over my chest, although I hadn’t meant for it to look confrontational. Ifelt awkward and didn’t know what to do with my hands. “I’ve got to admit, at first, I didn’t want to. But now I think it’s good because there’s something I need to ask you.”

He looked worried, like he had no idea what might come out of my mouth. “What is it?”

“You need to know my happiness these last few months wasn’t just from being with Noah. Sure, he was a big part of it, but I also... I don’t know.” But Ididknow. “I feel like I’ve finally found my purpose.”

“Your purpose.” He repeated it almost like a question.

“Yeah. I started my cleaning channel as a side thing. It was just supposed to be fun, but it’s grown, Dad. It’s like a full-blown business now, and for the first time ever, it feels right. Like this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

His eyebrows pinched together. Maybe he was thinking he’d heard a version of this spiel before, when I’d asked to go to college, but couldn’t he see how different this was? How different I was?

Before, I’d been coasting through life, and I’d known that college was the answer he’d wanted to hear. So I’d offered it up, hoping it would work out, even when I doubted it was what I really wanted.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to figure things out.” I swallowed a breath so I could put everything I had into it. “And I really appreciate how patient you and Mom have been. I haven’t done a good job of showing it, but I’m grateful for all the chances you’ve given me.”

He was stunned and pleased to hear it, but unease moved through his expression. “Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming?”

“Nope, no ‘but.’ I’m just saying thanks.”

He peered at me, perhaps wondering what had happened to his daughter and who this imposter was, before his cautious eyes seemed to sharpen. “What did you want to ask?”

“You need to give Noah his job back.”

“Ah, there it is,” he said. “Did he put you up to this?”

I shook my head. “No, we haven’t talked since he ended things.” I steeled my voice, keeping it controlled. “My relationship with him had nothing to do with his work, so don’t punish him for being with me. I’m the one who lied.”

“Charlotte,” he started.

But I wasn’t finished. “Neither of us wanted this, but then you volunteered me to work for him, and it was—”

“You’re blaming me?”

“No.” I made a face. “Well, maybe a little. What I’m trying to say is Noah really tried not to get involved with me. He warned me about how important his job is to him. He even said his identity is, like, tied up in his career, so I know right now he’s lost. He’s hurting.”

Confusion splashed across my father’s face. “That may be true, but he hurtyou,too. So I’m not sure I understand why you care how he’s feeling, or why you would want him to get his job back.”

I gave a sad shrug. “Because I love him, even when he doesn’t love me back. Plus, he’s helped me so much with my business, I owe him this.” I folded my fingers together and dropped my hands into my lap. “Also, Noah getting his job back wasn’t the thing I wanted to ask you about.”

“What?”

“What I want to ask is, why do you care that I was with him? Why was that so wrong?”

He stiffened. “You both work at Warbler, and that makes me uncomfortable.”

I’d never realized before that my father was not good at lying. The way his gaze ran from mine confirmed my suspicion. This wasn’t his real reason.

“That’s a bit of a stretch, isn’t it? I’m there twice a week after hours, and barely anyone knows I work there.” I lifted my chin. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not going to be an issue soon anyway.”

He frowned. “Why’s that?”

“Because tomorrow I’m paying off the last of my debt.”

He made a face, and I could see the thoughts in his eyes. He was scrambling to come up with another way to get me to stay. Not necessarily because he wanted to control me, but because he was convinced it was too soon. That I’d fail if I tried to do things on my own.

“You and I both know,” I said, “you don’t really need me cleaning Warbler. And certainly not twice a week.”

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