Page 32 of Wrong Number

“You’re not in my life. You’re not doing any work in this clinic. If you ever contact me or this office again I’ll have you charged with harassment or something.”

“C’mon, honey,” he said, trying to step closer.

“Tana asked you to leave,” Tony said sternly, coming up to stand beside me. “We won’t be requiring your services. Get out now.”

My dad stared at me for a moment, then shrugged and left without another word, standing down the second I had backup.

“I’m so sorry, Tana,” Tony said gently. “I had no idea.”

‘Of course you didn’t,” I said, trying to wipe my eyes. He reached over the desk to grab me a tissue.

“Thanks.” I

sniffled for a moment, then collapsed into a chair as he sat down beside me.

“Jim called and said that was your father, and that he’d heard we needed some cabinetry. I assumed you’d already spoken with him.”

He smiled as I snorted, rolling my eyes. “He does that all the time. Worms his way in where he knows he’s not wanted. When he came back into my life, it was only for work, not for me.”

“Obviously I won’t let him in here again,” he said.

“The other guy is my boyfriend, Tyler,” I explained. “He’s actually a great carpenter, not a drunk ass. If you’d like him to quote on the job, I’ll give you his uncle’s number.”

“Why don’t you give me Tyler’s number, so that I can contact him directly?”

Swallowing hard, I could feel my bottom lip quivering. “Because I don’t know if we’re speaking at the moment,” I whispered. “I … I can’t get into it right now.”

“Okay,” he said, patting me on the shoulder. “Come on, let me drive you home.”

“I’m sorry – I’m fine, I can just take transit.”

“Please,” he smiled. “I’ve put you in an awkward spot and let your estranged father in without checking with you first. The least I can do is get you home faster.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

It was a relief getting home in half the time, and I headed straight for the shower as if I could scrub the horrible day off my skin. Then I wrapped myself in blankets on the couch, staring out the window at the darkening sky.

Maybe I should have called Megan for reassurance, but I couldn’t be sure that I’d make any sense at all.

I would never forgive my father for leaving me completely. But I’d stopped being angry about it. He just wasn’t worth the energy.

If he messed up the healthiest relationship I’d ever had in my life, I would never forgive him, and I would never stop being angry. Ever.

Of course, the person I was most angry at was myself. How could I have been so stupid? How could I have kept that from Tyler when he’d been amazing with me from the very start?

He deserved better.

That thought sunk through my body and soul like a rock through a lake, plunging to the very bottom.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

* Tyler *

I couldn’t stand anyone who lies, but somehow it was even worse if it was a woman. I clearly understood that’s not fair, but it’s how I felt. Men are shady and aggressive, and it’s almost expected for them to lie to get ahead. I hate it, but it’s sort of par for the course sometimes.

In my vision of a perfect world, women don’t lie. Especially such a sweet girl like Tana.

After I went home and stood under a scalding hot shower for a while, I sat on the couch with some leftovers and tried to make sense of it.

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