Page 303 of Not Over You

“What did I do wrong, Dad?” She picks at the imaginary lint on the quilt. “Wasn’t I what you expected me to be?”

“What are you talking about?” The green monster rears its ugly head as I bark. Stephi’s lips snap together. Nice going, moron!

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath before letting it go. “Sorry Princess, that’s a really dumb thing to say for someone as intelligent as you.”

“But I must have done something, Dad,” she whispers. “I tried to make you happy, but I wasn’t enough, was I? Because you left me.”

“Oh, Stephi.” My heart shatters into a thousand pieces just seeing the shame in her eyes. I’m a really lousy father. How could I make her feel like this? “Princess.” I kneel before my little girl. “I’m so sorry for making you feel that way. I’m a jerk.”

“You’re not a jerk,” she snaps.

“Is that really how I’ve made you feel? That you weren’t good enough, so I left you?” I watch her carefully. She avoids making eye contact. “Stephi?” Her head slowly bobs up and down and the monster sulks in a corner, reminding me its special powers are not only envy, but remorse, too. “Then I’m a selfish jerk,” I hiss. “You’re a kid. This was never your fault. It was mine. I’m supposed to put you first, and I haven’t been. I couldn’t understand why you hated me, but now ... I guess I don’t blame you.”

“I don’t hate you. I hate your wife!” Stephi gaze snaps up to meet mine. Her eyes are a flame of hatred. “I’m not coming to live in LA if I have to live with her.”

“Then I’ll bring her to New York so I can be with you again.” Her angry expression falters. “I mean it Stephi, you come first. But I have a big problem, because I do love her. And I’m miserable without her.”

“I know.” She sighs. “You’ve never been the same since she left you.”

“You can’t help who you fall in love with.” I nod. “I love her. Nearly as much as I love you, and in a few years’ time, Stephi, you’re going to bring home someone who I won’t like. I give you full permission to remind me of this moment, right here, when I’m on my knees and begging you to just give Ashleigh a chance. Please.”

“We’d have to live with her though, wouldn’t we?”

“Her schedule is crazy. She’s away on location a lot, when she’s home she’s always busy, you’ll hardly see her. And even during her downtime, her house is like the size of a hotel, you could go for days without seeing her if you wanted.” I take her hand in mine. “She’s your stepmom, Stephi.” She glares at me. She’s going to need time to get used to that idea. “All right! Ashleigh’s just starred in the number one Christmas movie. You already have what it takes to outshine everyone else at Jordan Academy. Just imagine what having someone like Ashleigh to help you with your homework when you’re stuck will be like.”

“But you said she’s never going to be around.” I did, didn’t I? What can I say to that? It’s a counter argument that calls me a liar either way. “Do you think she would?”

“Do you remember before Jacob was born, your mom went to stay with your gran for a few weeks and you wanted a party.”

“It was the best party ever, so much better than the ones Mom did.” Stephi looks at me and her hand goes to the cheerleader around her neck. “And you bought me this that year.”

“Ashleigh planned it, Stephi. I was in way over my head and I didn’t want to bother your mom. You might call her Ashzilla, but she did anything for you then, and she’d do anything for you now.”

“I did like her then.” Stephi smiles and rests her head against the pillow. “I liked her when she lived in New York. But then she turned into Krystal. She made mom cry, and you were sad when she left without saying goodbye. Everyone hated her, mom, you, even Mimi and she’s her sister.” She yawns. “People change, Dad. I wish you could see that the person she is today isn’t the same person you fell in love with.” I go to argue with her but she adds, “Why can’t you see that just because she does something under the name of Krystal, it doesn’t mean it’s not still Ashleigh, too? She still cheated Dad, and she left you for someone else. I don’t see why I should like her when she hurts you over and over.”

“It’s okay, Stephi, I get that.” I sigh. She’s tired and I’m not getting anywhere with her tonight. I press my lips against her temple. “We’ll figure something out after the wedding tomorrow.”

What? I’ve no idea. But it's a post-wedding problem.

I walk into my bedroom and lower myself to the bed. Even though the early morning sun casts a soft orange glow over the room, I can afford a few hours of shut eye. The wedding isn’t for another ten hours and I’m too mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted for a day that needs all hands on deck dedication.

I wake a couple of hours later to a buzz shooting through my thigh, jolting me from slumber. What the hell?

Again, the shock vibrates down my right leg as my mind slowly makes its way through the sleep induced fog. Where am I again?

Bright blinding sunlight bursts through the window. Yes, now I remember. I’m in a hotel in Las Vegas having the best weekend of my life. Not!

But today isn’t about me. It's about my sister who's getting married. I look at the alarm clock beside the bed, the green digits tell me I should’ve been awake at least an hour ago!

The shock vibrates against my thigh again. This time it registers as my cell phone, which must still be in my pocket. Without getting up, I withdraw the device and look at the screen.

God, not now! I groan. I’m on vacation. I don’t want to have another run in with Candice. She’s not going to be happy when I say I’m not pursuing the Krystal Valentina story anymore. She might have told me not to. She might have sold me out to Ashleigh. But she wanted the story whether she condoned it or not.

I better get this over with! I roll to sit on the edge of the bed and lift my phone to my ear. “JT Preston.”

“Don't you JT Preston me!” Candice snarls into my ear. The husky voice instantly brings a smile to my lips. Sounds like Candice has slept even less than I have since I last saw her. “You were going out partying with KV and TM and you didn't tell me!”

That tells me everything I need to know. I’m off the hook. As long as I get the story then Candice doesn’t care. “You weren't interested.”

---