Page 21 of Tell Me Again
“You need to end it.”
“Is that a request or a command?”
His big shoulders lifted. “Call it whatever you want. It’s my decision.”
“And not Grace’s?”
“You know what that world can do.” His tone had gone steely. “You saw what it did to Bryce and what it almost did to you.”
“Bryce had other issues,” she argued. “Don’t blame everything that happened to her on modeling.”
“Are you saying you think it’s a good idea for Grace?”
“I’m saying you can’t order me around like you own me.”
“You wonder why I didn’t want her to know you?”
She poked a finger at his hard chest. “Because it would prevent you from having your perfect baby way on every decision?”
“I don’t want myperfect baby way. I want to keep my daughter safe.”
“I’d never do anything to hurt her.”
“I believe you mean that, but modeling will hurt her.”
It was like arguing with a brick wall, but Sam couldn’t stop challenging him. She had plenty of misgivings about her former career, but anger at Trevor’s reaction trumped her doubts. “You don’t know that.”
He leveled a quelling glare at her. “I know I’m her father and you arenother mother. Before this week you were nothing to her.”
Well, that ended the argument with a total knockout. Sam felt blindsided by the truth of that statement. Grace belonged to him, and Sam was on the outside.
“You made sure of that,” she whispered. “Grace is a beautiful girl and...” She took a breath. The girl had found her, and Sam wouldn’t let anyone take that away. “I won’t encourage her, but I’m not going to lie to her about her chances in the industry. She’s not Bryce, Trevor. She’s not me. You must see how much of you she has in her.”
His mouth thinned and he shook his head. “It’s not going to happen.”
She threw up her hands. “Smart move, Dad. Give a teenage girl an ultimatum. Forbid her to do the one thing she wants. See how that turns out for both of you.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
“That’s not taking chances, Trevor. That’s letting fear run your life.”
Before he could respond, she turned and stomped up the trail toward the caretaker’s house. Despite what he made her feel—the way his kiss brought her to life—Trevor wasn’t her priority. She had to keep calm and stay focused on her camp and Grace. It was the only way to ensure none of them got hurt.
