Page 80 of The Wrong Girl

“I’m sure I’ll find someone, Dad. It’s really not your business.”

“But it is my business, that’s what I’m saying.Thisbusiness depends on you to have a sound foundation. Without that, everything could fall apart. And Zach-”

“Zach wants to take us over, completely,” I finally spit it out, and relief washed through my body as I unloaded. “He doesn’t want to be my partner, or my support, Dad. Zach told me his plans over a year ago; that’s why we broke up for the last time.”

“What? I don’t understand.”

“Zach had it all planned out; he wanted to absorb Aspen Ridge under a ‘portfolio’ of resorts, under the Snowshoe Ridge brand. He wanted me to let him take over, become his good little wife who’s at home baking pies while he’s out on the golf course, making deals with his board of investors, just like his dad. He doesn’t want me anywherenearthe CEO office of Aspen Ridge, Dad. He wants to turn us into a subsidiary of them.”

My dad’s eyes grew wide with shock when I started speaking, then narrowed in anger. “You can’t be serious. He should know better than to think we’d just roll over and let him take over. His father-”

“His father helped him craft up this plan, Dad.” I sighed, suddenly bone-weary. Sharing the secret that had been weighing me down for a year should have been a relief, but now I just felt worn out. “They probably started planning it back when we were in high school, if you can believe Tessa. She thinks it’s what they’ve always been after.”

“I can’t believe it.” He whipped out his phone. “I’m going to call Brian right this instant. If he thinks-”

“Dad, it’s not a problem. I’ve already told him no a dozen times. But that’s why I’m never getting back together with him; do you understand now? We want different things, see things a different way. I’m never going to allow Aspen Ridge to fall under his conglomerate, and he’s never going to be satisfied with just allowing me to run it as I see fit. His ambition is as tall as the Rockies, and I can’t imagine being with someone who can’t be happy for one minute with what he has. There’s just no bringing us to the same table.”

Sudden motion brought my gaze from my father’s angry face to the doorway, where Jake appeared. Not in the polo or a button-down, but the full suit like his first week at Aspen Ridge that made my jaw drop. His face was cleanly shaved, not a hair out of place on his head, but his cheeks were flushed, his eyes determined. As soon as they met my gaze, they locked in place, and he stepped right up to my desk. My heart started racing before a single word left his lips.

“Ellie, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. It was fucking stupid of me to say that you couldn’t be the CEO of Aspen Ridge and have us too.”

“Jake-” I tried to interrupt him, since he clearly didn’t see my dad in the corner with the shrubbery.

However, he was determined to get it off his chest. “I know. It was more than stupid. It was misogynist and wrong and idiotic, and I’m really sorry. I knew I owed my kids a father who would be there for them, the way I hadn’t been for their entire lives. I was worried I’d never develop the relationship I wanted with them.

“So I moved them here, thinking a new place, a new job, would help. I wanted to be close to family, really attempt to be the dad who was home for every dinner, who took them to festivals in town, did stuff they were interested in on the weekends.”

My dad was sitting stock still in the corner chair, listening intently to every word. Even though my eyes darted over to him several times, Jake never looked away from my face. I felt torn between wanting to lose myself in this epic apology and end it quickly so I could get my dad out of here before Jake went too far.

“And I need this job—there’s nothing else for me here, and without it we’ll have to move again. So I was determined to keep my hands to myself and do whatever was needed to make this work. Including staying as far as I could from you, despite how I felt after that first night. Despite how I’ve felt every time I’ve kissed you, or how often I think about you in my bed.”

I could see the color creeping up my dad’s neck despite the potted palms, and my entire face had grown painfully hot. Even so, Jake wasn’t ready to stop.

“But it just didn’t work; everything about you is so right for me. And my kids—my god, they love you. You are the single-best thing that has ever happened to me, as far as they’re concerned. I didn’t even tell them what happened yesterday. I was too embarrassed to face their disappointment. I know Olivia would have laid into me and demanded I apologize,” he chuckled, “and then I realized she would have been right.

“Because I do owe you an apology. Because… I love you, Ellie.”

My heart lurched in surprise, moisture prickling at my eyes.

“I know it’s terrible timing. I know there’s a thousand reasons this is a terrible idea. I know your father won’t approve, and I know I don’t fit into your world of golf tournaments and fancy charity dinners. But I love you all the same.

“I love how you live your life fully, how you’re genuinely, unapologetically you. I love how you haven’t ever met a stranger, just a friend you don’t know yet. I love how your head tips back when you laugh at my terrible attempts at humor, like you actually think I’m funny. I love how my kids are practically ready to tattoo your name on their arms; they really think the world of you.

“But most of all, I love how you make me feel. I made my entire life about the military. I didn’t know who I was without duty and sacrifice. I lost myself completely in it. It was my entire identity. But you brought out a side of me that had been asleep for a long time. Because underneath the stuffed shirt was a guy who just wanted to be loved for the dork that he was, and you made me feel like you could love me, ironed polos and all.

“I know I fucked up. I know I’m an idiot who pushed you away right when you were ready to open up to me, who judged you for wanting different things than I thought you should.

“But if you give me the chance, I promise I want to be the partner you need. You may have to teach me—I’m not above admitting I don’t know how to be the supporting spouse—but for you, I’d happily give it a try. I don’t care how many times I get it wrong, as long as you let me try again. Because you’re perfect, just the way you are, and you’re worth it.”

The tears were already running down my cheeks, and I was too entranced to do anything about it. I hadn’t glanced again at my father since Jake said he loved me. I was lost in his gaze completely, in the way sincerity burned in his eyes with every word he spoke, striking me in the heart over and over again.

It was so much to take in, but my heart was full to bursting with the need to respond. I stood on shaky legs. “Jake, I-”

My dad cleared his throat in the corner, and I saw the horror slide down Jake’s face as his jaw went slack. Like a slow motion scene in a movie, he turned to look over his shoulder and finally saw my dad, sitting in the corner chair, his neck and face an alarming shade of crimson.

Immediately, Jake’s posture stiffened, his entire body turning toward my dad with his hands folded over each other behind his back. “Sir, if you allow me to explain-” he began, but Dad cut him off, rising to his feet.

“Do you mean to tell me that this entire time, when you were supposed to be preparing her for leadership, you’ve been having anaffairwith mydaughter?” His voice was dangerously low, threatening in the absolute calm manner with which he delivered his words.

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