Page 110 of Ruby Mercy

I blink out of the reverie and fold my hands together. “A park. I thought Yuliana might like to get out of the house.”

Dad’s brow creases slightly. “They were playing in the backyard yesterday. And we kept the kids busy last night.”

“Oh, I know. I wasn’t saying—” I sigh. “I just needed some quiet. It was for me, mostly.”

“You didn’t get enough quiet at the hotel last night?”

As a matter of fact, no. The sex god who showed up and rocked my world made it hard to get any rest.

I bite back the truth and chuckle humorlessly. “I guess not. I’m an introvert that way.”

“You didn’t get that from your mother,” he mumbles.

“I always thought I must have gotten it from you, actually. I guess not, huh?”

His lips press together into a flat grimace. “I guess not.”

The conversation lulls back into an uncomfortable silence. We both know we’re here to discuss something important, but neither of us are willing to bring it up. As if the elephant that’s been in this room for the last twenty-seven years might finally step forward and announce itself.

“I’m glad you asked us to visit,” I say suddenly. “It had been too long since I made it up here.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d come. You usually have work and whatnot.”

The way he says it makes me wonder if he hoped I wouldn’t be able to come. Like he asked only as a courtesy.

I push the thought aside.

“Some stuff came up with my boss, so I had some time off. Good timing.” I wince. “Except for the… well, the cancer. That’s bad timing.”

Forget just shoving a foot in my mouth—I’m up to the knee and still going.

He nods and looks to where Pat is waiting at the counter for drinks.

“We don’t have to do this.” I gesture to the table and the drink menu hanging on the wall. “I wanted to talk to you, but we don’t need to make this into a big thing.”

“I think Pat already ordered for you.” He hitches a thumb over his shoulder. “Maybe we could cancel it.”

“I don’t mean—The croissant is fine. But we can talk about what we came here to talk about and then leave. It doesn’t need to be this big thing if you don’t want it to be.”

“I don’t want this to be anything,” he says exasperated. “I don’t understand what we’re even here to talk about. Why couldn’t we have done this at home?”

“I didn’t want to do this in front of everyone.”

“You didn’t want to do what?” he asks, voice getting loud. “Are you okay? Is this about something serious? ”

I didn’t want to do any of this, I want to say.

I didn’t want to cause a big scene and have Lana and Alexis jumping down my throat and Yuliana asking questions. I didn’t want this to turn into a family discussion when it is really between me and my dad.

“What’s so serious?” Pat sets a coffee in front of my dad and hands me a croissant. When I start to reach for my wallet, she says, “Oh, no, dear, don’t worry about paying me back. Our treat.”

I give her a thin smile. “Thanks, Pat.”

“Rayne has something serious to talk about,” Dad says, answering her question. “I guess we’re here to have a big important conversation.”

Pat instantly nods as if she understands completely. “Your father’s will has been drawn up for years. It’s with the lawyer and that will all be sorted. There shouldn’t be any need for fighting amongst you girls when the time comes.”

My face flames. “There won’t be any fighting. I wasn’t even worried about that.”

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