Page 49 of Single Dad Christmas

“What?”

“You tipped off the press, right?”

Her eyes went wide, and her lower lip trembled. She dropped her bag to the floor and crossed her arms over her chest. Okay, she was ready for a fight?

“Why did you do it?”

Silence stretched between them, and he found himself desperately hoping she’d deny it. He needed her not to have been the culprit. Maybe there was some other answer. Someone else could have seen them and tipped off the press.

“For the money, obviously,” she said, with a roll of her eyes.

He braced his palms on the counter, anger and disappointment surging through him. His own daughter was unrecognizable to him. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” he asked, deathly quiet. “Why would you do this to her?”

“To her? To her? Is she all you think about, Dad? Don’t you care?—,”

“Don’t you dare act as though you’ve been wounded here. Yes, I care about Louisa. She is a wonderful, kind, brave woman who just wanted to get away from all that, and you fed her to the lions. Why the hell would you do this?”

She flinched.

“I have never been more ashamed of you in my life.”

She sobbed, and spun away from him.

“Don’t you walk away from me. We’re not done.”

“I’m done,” she screamed. “I am so done.”

“Stop.” His voice was naturally commanding, but he was still surprised when Taylor did freeze.

“What?”

“What’s gotten into you, Tay? Why would you do this?”

She whirled around to face him. “Why do you think?”

“I have no idea. I’m honestly at a complete loss. What did you stand to gain by hurting her?”

Taylor flinched. “Hurting her? Hurting her? What about Mom? What about me? Don’t you think we’re hurting too?”

He stared at her.

“You’re ruining my life.”

He felt as though his insides were shriveling up. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

“I don’t want her.”

He stared at Taylor, finding it hard to breathe suddenly.

“I don’t want her in our lives.”

“Taylor—,” he tried to keep his voice calm.

“I’m serious, Dad. She’s not a part of this family.”

“She’s—,”

“You took me away from Mom. You owe this to me.”

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