Page 41 of Resisting Temptation

Two bowls of shrimp chowder are placed in front of us, and I’m not completely disappointed. Maybe he knows something about me. I dip my bread in the broth and wait for him to tell me off for having terrible table manners, but nothing. When I glance up, he’s watching me with interest. I raise a brow, wondering what’s going on with him. Is he sick or something? I pop the bread in my mouth, enjoying the aromatic herbs and spices that warm my insides instantly. They certainly know how to make a good chowder, perfect for the cool day we’re having.

“I’m proud of you for taking a political stand. You’re finally doing something worthwhile with your life. Noah Harringtonhas no right running for anything in this town,” he says with a hint of a smile that rubs me the wrong way. “Your brother needs to watch himself, spending so much time with that Harrington boy.”

I eye him suspiciously. For one, when has he ever been proud of me in his life, and secondly, why does he care if Noah is running or not? “What do you have against Noah?”

There’s a flash of something there—annoyance? “His father made a mess of this town, and he will be no different if he’s elected. He wouldn’t know the first thing about what this town needs. One Harrington in power was enough. I hardly think it’s appropriate they even entertain the idea of him running. Beckett is a much cleverer choice. And I will make sure all my patients know how I feel on the topic.”

Harsh. And strange, but Daddy has always had a strong political conscience. He also loves this town and its people, so it’s not all that surprising he wants the right person in power. “That’s something we can agree on. Beckett is a strong candidate. We’re hopeful for the win.”

His expression grows stern. “The only option is to win,” he says with more determination. The dark edge to his voice sounds like more of a threat.

My brow rises as I glare at him. “What does that mean?” I ask, confused by his tone.

His eyes narrow in on me, making me feel like a five-year-old, small and insignificant. “For once in your life, Paisley, just do as you’re told. Make sure Beckett wins.”

I sit up a little straighter in my chair, feeling suddenly on edge. “You want me to do what you say? Why don’t you tell me what the hell is going on then? My whole life you have been hiding stuff from me, and I want to know why this campaign could be so important to you that you felt the need to have this bullshit lunch with me. To what? Threaten me? Your own daughter.”

“Don’t be sassy with me, Paisley, you need to watch your mouth. This isn’t some childish game,” he growls, losing his temper with me.

“Why don’t you enlighten me then? What is this? Because where I’m sitting, I thought our town was looking for a new mayor. We have two excellent candidates, and whoever wins will do so based on their credentials and capability, not manipulation.”

Despite his intimidating stare, I won’t back down. He knows something more than he’s sharing with me, and I want to know what it is. He moves closer to me, lowering his head. “You shouldn’t be messing about with things you don’t understand. For as long as this town has had a mayor, there has been puppets controlling the one in charge. It’s how we all get what we want. And right now, we need Beckett in charge. He will get the job done,” he says, his voice low and menacing.

I scrunch up my face in disgust. Is he saying that every mayor this town has had has been corrupt? Manipulated by whom? Him and other people in power around here? Unease fills me. What the hell have I got myself involved in if he thinks Beckett would be willing to comply so easily? “What’s it to you?” I ask, needing to know more.

His face reddens, getting really annoyed with me now.

But he’s not the only one. I’m fuming, my body so tight with tension I feel like I could snap a tooth. For years I’ve had questions for him, more than I can count on one hand. What happened to Mom, did she really leave him for another man and a job in Paris? If she did, why haven’t her kids heard from her since she left? Why did he stop caring about me? Or did he ever care in the first place? I search his enraged face, knowing there is so much more going on here.

“What happened the night Parker moved out?” I throw at him. It’s as good a start as any.

His eyes narrow in on me, and I know I’ve hit a nerve. “Your brother got into another fight, so I kicked him out. You know he had a violent streak.”

I remember the night clearly. It was the night the Bay Raiders won against the Bluewater Beach Eels for the first time. I watched the team arrive, and Parker was already sporting a black eye and Noah a busted lip. “Who was the fight with?” I ask, knowing the bullshit story he gave me the next day didn’t add up. Back then he told me they must have been hit in the game. But I saw them both before the game, and now he says it was some fight. It wasn’t the first time my brother was nursing a battered face. I’d seen him countless times over the years with a busted-up face. My father used to blame him, said he was getting into fights at school, that he needed discipline. But I knew better. I’d seen what our father was capable of, been at the other end of his fists myself. And now I was ready to confront him about it.

He rolls his lips, looking me over with fury. “You never did learn when to stop talking, did you. I hope Beckett has better control over you.”

What the fuck kind of comment was that? Beckett has no control over me at all and he never will. “Answer my question.” Now it’s my voice rising to a threatening level. I don’t appreciate him inviting me here to bully me into doing something else the way he wants me to do it, when he’s been lying to me my whole life. I know it was him who beat up Parker. Noah admitted it to me. I just want to hear him for once tell me the fucking truth.

“We will not have this discussion here in this nice establishment. I’m not making a scene because you feel like being dramatic.”

Dramatic. That word crushes me, takes me back to a fragile teenager just wanting somebody to give a shit about her. “What, like the night I came to you covered in bruises, distraught? You knew what happened to me, didn’t you? And you did nothing.Told me not to be sodramatic. To clean myself up and get on with it.” Tears prickle at my eyes, but I won’t show him how broken I am by letting them fall. “I was your little girl. Hurt and scared, and you dismissed me. How can you sit here and pretend to be the proud parent now because, according to you, I’m finally doing something with my life? You don’t care about me. You care about your reputation and that’s it. And I’m sure your new political stance is all just that, something to make you look more appealing to the good people of this town. What did the Prescotts offer you, free advertising space if you jumped on board with them?” I shove my chair back. I’ve had enough of this shit. My whole life he’s made me feel like I’m not enough, not worthy of his love, but it’s him who’s not worthy of mine. And I’m done.

He grabs my wrist, stopping me from leaving. “That’s enough, young lady. Sit down and finish your meal.” His fingertips press into my wrist so hard I know there will be bruises. His eyes tell me not to fuck with him, he’s on the verge of losing it completely. I’ve seen him like this before too many times to count. But I’m not scared of him anymore.

“You were supposed to protect me. I was seventeen. And no, I’m not being dramatic, what happened to me was awful and vulgar, and when I came to you, you should have helped me. You are a disgrace of a father. This town should know just how pathetic their doctor is, inflicting more harm than healing.”

“Paisley. You don’t know what you’re saying,” he calls back to me, a desperation creeping into his tone. But I’m done with him.

“Yeah, I’m just a silly girl. I know what you think about me. And you know what? I don’t care, because you might think I’m vapid and dramatic, but I will never be the manipulative bully you are. Goodbye, Daddy, don’t bother contacting me again.” I don’t wait for his response; I turn and storm from the room, feeling proud of myself for finally standing up to him. I don’tknow what he thought he would gain from this lunch. I don’t have the kind of control over the election he thinks I do. But I feel like I took back a little piece of myself today. I don’t need his approval anymore. Only my own.

Chapter 24

Noah

Holding her in my arms, I kiss her forehead. She’s an angel, a sweet temptress put on this earth to pull me out of the darkness and grief. Way too precious for me. But she’s not the same girl I remember from high school, something’s changed her. There is a shadow hanging over her now, one I don’t like. I should have kept a closer eye on her when I left, but I was focused on my football career.

She stands, walking to the bathroom, her long legs all I see under the Bay Raiders football jersey she insisted on wearing when we started cleaning out my mother’s house this morning. I never expected us to end up tangled in my sheets.

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