Page 139 of Tell Me When It's Over

Chase doesn’t say a single thing when I peer over my shoulder at him. What do I expect him to do? Defend me?

I swallow. “I am sorry,” I tell him quietly, untying my apron.

Mr. Warren told me he wouldn’t allow for any disruptions from me. Mel has worked with me on days when press gets out of hand, keeping me in the back doing stock and inventory, or helping bake the pastries, but there’s only so much she can do.

It’s right before I walk into the back, following the smirking, beady-eyed, beer-gutted man that I hear Chase say, “Yeah. Me too.”

And maybe I should have read into that then and there, because after I get fired, hand in my apron and nametag, and say goodbye to a wide-eyed, but not surprised, Quinn, and a somber Mel, I walk out into the parking lot to get bombarded.

“How long have you been cheating on Chase with Kyler?”

“Is this why you’re back in California?”

“Leighton, can you explain when the dynamic between you and Kyler Bishop changed?”

“Is Kyler’s new song about you?”

On and on it goes as I speed walk through the crowd. They’re getting thicker, their questions louder, the flashes from their cameras brighter, until I hear a booming voice say, “Get back!” and do a double take when two beefy men that look odd

ly familiar begin parting the crowd.

The reason why becomes clear when I see Harry Bishop coming over to me, his aged face blank and unrelenting as he and one of his bodyguards guide me to the black car waiting.

“I drove here,” I tell him.

“Someone will bring the car back,” he tells me gruffy, opening the back door and skillfully ignoring the questions being called out behind us.

I slide in first, followed by him, and I try to avoid looking out the window when the driver climbs into the front seat and takes off.

“How did you know where I was?”

He simply says, “Kyler.”

I blink, thinking I misheard him.

Harry shifts in his seat, the pressed suit he’s in making him look as intimidating as ever. When he looks at me, I try my hardest not to squirm, but I’ve never done well under his attention. “I suppose this is going to be a long-term thing considering he called me to help.”

“He did?”

There’s a moment of silence, followed by a terse nod. “Can’t remember the last time he’s done that. Shouldn’t be surprised he only does because it involves you.”

I’m not sure how to reply. There’s a lot of questions still lingering in my mind that have to do with him and Mom, but the words get jammed in the back of my throat. But before I can sort through my thoughts, Harry’s baritone voice cuts into the silence that’s slowly suffocating me.

“I have the name of your biological father if you’re interested.”

I stare.

He clears his throat. “It wasn’t listed on any of your paperwork. I double checked. Say the word, and I’ll get you the information.”

“Why?”

His head cocks to the side.

I shake mine slowly. “Why would you do that for me?”

For a moment, I don’t think he’ll respond. “I don’t know the reason Katherine kept the information from you. From what I read, he was a decent person.”

I hear one word. Was. “He’s…?”

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