Matt does to prepare himself for the position, good old boss man never notices."
"Ouch." Riley cringed. "Poor guy."
"That's our father. Pissy old bastard."
"Your mother?"
"She goes to her parties, plays the perfect hostess, lives the good life, and follows along like a sheep. I think she loves us, but has no backbone to speak her own mind, if she even has one."
"I'm sorry. It sounds like a royal mess."
Their brief conversation about their fathers replayed in his mind. "You mentioned your father wasn't a saint either."
She glanced ahead then watched the ground as they moved along. "My father is a long time politician, a big name in the state. My mother passed when he was working hard to achieve a state senate position, leaving him little time to raise a young teenage girl in the midst of traveling all over, giving campaign speeches, and attending debates. He hired a nanny who took care of me until I turned eighteen."
"Abandonment." His heart went out to her. A young girl who just lost her mother shouldn't have lost the remaining parent to something as trivial as an election at the same time.
"Somewhat. I didn't lack for anything, except a father's love and attention." She shrugged. "Anyway, when I turned eighteen, he started pressing me to date certain men, telling me they would make a great match."
"For him?"
"Exactly. He thought he could barter me off like a prize broodmare, in order to seal a strong political alliance. It took me a bit to figure it all out, but when I did, I put my foot down, moved here to attend college, and never looked back."
Anger hit him like a hammer. How dare her selfish father try to arrange a marriage for his own career advancement? What about Riley's wishes? Her happiness? Her own plans?
"Is he still trying to use you like that?"
"Probably. I rarely speak to him anymore and certainly avoid meeting anyone he thinks that I should."
That bastard didn't need children. He needed to be horse whipped instead.
Her revelation made him realize her stubborn independence came at a high price and out of necessity. She could have easily bowed to her willful father and married into some high society wealth, attended fancy parties, and drove expensive cars. Instead, she pinched pennies, worked at a low paying job while spending her free time following her dreams of being a prominent author of books that others enjoyed reading. Talk about paying your dues.
"I guess we both have lousy fathers." She slipped her hand in his and gave a squeeze.
The gesture and sentiment eased his inner pain as did the simple act of sharing his frustrations with another person who could understand completely where he came from. He felt another chain link strengthen in his developing bond with Riley. From a similar background, she proudly blazed her own trail in life and refused to return home and cow to a demanding father's wishes. He respected her all the more. Despite the different circumstances, his eyes opened to her inner strength that mirrored his own. For all her difficulties early on and still today, she turned out to be quite a woman.
One that I want to keep.
The thought popped into his mind, but for once didn't set off warning alarms. Instead, it revealed and secured his present feeling for the little redhead. Enjoy today for you never know what tomorrow will bring. Taking his own words of advice, he wrapped an arm about her shoulders, meandered along the trail behind a lumbering humongous dog, and soaked up the calming atmosphere.
Chapter 10
"What are you going to name him?" Spoon asked as they settled down on the couch together after lunch. He leaned against the sofa's back while she pressed up against his side, his arm wrapped around her waist. Both were contented to stretch out and relax after their morning walk, followed by no less than four trips each to carry supplies from his car to her apartment. Luckily, he parked close and she lived on the second floor.
Riley glanced down at the large tan
"Ouch." Riley cringed. "Poor guy."
"That's our father. Pissy old bastard."
"Your mother?"
"She goes to her parties, plays the perfect hostess, lives the good life, and follows along like a sheep. I think she loves us, but has no backbone to speak her own mind, if she even has one."
"I'm sorry. It sounds like a royal mess."
Their brief conversation about their fathers replayed in his mind. "You mentioned your father wasn't a saint either."
She glanced ahead then watched the ground as they moved along. "My father is a long time politician, a big name in the state. My mother passed when he was working hard to achieve a state senate position, leaving him little time to raise a young teenage girl in the midst of traveling all over, giving campaign speeches, and attending debates. He hired a nanny who took care of me until I turned eighteen."
"Abandonment." His heart went out to her. A young girl who just lost her mother shouldn't have lost the remaining parent to something as trivial as an election at the same time.
"Somewhat. I didn't lack for anything, except a father's love and attention." She shrugged. "Anyway, when I turned eighteen, he started pressing me to date certain men, telling me they would make a great match."
"For him?"
"Exactly. He thought he could barter me off like a prize broodmare, in order to seal a strong political alliance. It took me a bit to figure it all out, but when I did, I put my foot down, moved here to attend college, and never looked back."
Anger hit him like a hammer. How dare her selfish father try to arrange a marriage for his own career advancement? What about Riley's wishes? Her happiness? Her own plans?
"Is he still trying to use you like that?"
"Probably. I rarely speak to him anymore and certainly avoid meeting anyone he thinks that I should."
That bastard didn't need children. He needed to be horse whipped instead.
Her revelation made him realize her stubborn independence came at a high price and out of necessity. She could have easily bowed to her willful father and married into some high society wealth, attended fancy parties, and drove expensive cars. Instead, she pinched pennies, worked at a low paying job while spending her free time following her dreams of being a prominent author of books that others enjoyed reading. Talk about paying your dues.
"I guess we both have lousy fathers." She slipped her hand in his and gave a squeeze.
The gesture and sentiment eased his inner pain as did the simple act of sharing his frustrations with another person who could understand completely where he came from. He felt another chain link strengthen in his developing bond with Riley. From a similar background, she proudly blazed her own trail in life and refused to return home and cow to a demanding father's wishes. He respected her all the more. Despite the different circumstances, his eyes opened to her inner strength that mirrored his own. For all her difficulties early on and still today, she turned out to be quite a woman.
One that I want to keep.
The thought popped into his mind, but for once didn't set off warning alarms. Instead, it revealed and secured his present feeling for the little redhead. Enjoy today for you never know what tomorrow will bring. Taking his own words of advice, he wrapped an arm about her shoulders, meandered along the trail behind a lumbering humongous dog, and soaked up the calming atmosphere.
Chapter 10
"What are you going to name him?" Spoon asked as they settled down on the couch together after lunch. He leaned against the sofa's back while she pressed up against his side, his arm wrapped around her waist. Both were contented to stretch out and relax after their morning walk, followed by no less than four trips each to carry supplies from his car to her apartment. Luckily, he parked close and she lived on the second floor.
Riley glanced down at the large tan
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