pictured her father, lines of distress over his silvery eyebrows, his square jaw tensed in disapproval. His dark eyes could alternately intimidate the bravest soul or charm his toughest critic as a situation dictated. Right now, she imagined those eyes bright with intensity, walking a fine line between anger and concern.
"I'm fine. Tell mom not to worry."
"Where the devil are you? And what were you thinking, taking off without word to anyone about where you were going or how long you'd be gone?"
"I was thinking that I was long overdue getting out on my own. I didn't say anything, because I knew you'd have only tried to change my mind. But I've lived under your roof..." She swallowed hard, mustering her nerve. "And your authority...long enough. I'm an adult, and it was high time I took control of my life."
"What the blazes are you talking about? Claire, is this about Blaine? Have you two had a spat? You know, you can't run away whenever you argue over something inconsequential."
"I don't consider his cheating on me inconsequential."
"Cheating? What makes you think—?"
"Please, Daddy, don't pretend you don't know. I overheard your conversation when you told him you'd look the other way as long as Blaine was discreet and as long as he got it out of his system before the wedding. How could you condone unfaithfulness in the man I was going to marry?" She didn't try to mask the pain and disillusionment in her voice.
"Wha— Claire, honey, I—" Her father sighed. "What else did you hear?"
"Enough to learn that my marriage to Blaine was a key term in a merger with ITG Industries, his father's company."
"Wha–! That's not true. You must have misunderstood. Besides, you had no right to eavesdrop on my business discussions!"
Her breath hung in her throat, her lungs paralyzed with dismayed disbelief. His defensiveness, his implication she'd done something wrong, chafed her still raw wounds. And you had no right to barter my happiness, my future to the highest bidder , she longed to shout back, but bit her tongue. She might have mustered the courage to confront her father with the truth, but some old habits of deference were harder to overcome.
Forcing a calm she didn't feel into her voice, she replied, "I didn't intentionally eavesdrop, and I didn't stick around to listen for long. But I heard enough. The point is I saw my life in a new light. And I didn't like what I'd become."
"What's wrong with your life, for heaven's sake? Your mother and I have always given you everything you could need or want."
"What about choice? I want to decide for myself what I need, what will make me happy. And who will make me happy. I don't want to marry Blaine. I don't love him, and I'm not sure I ever really did. I know I can't trust him."
Her father said nothing for a moment then, with his voice couched low, asked, "Are you with a man? Have you gotten tangled up with some shyster—?"
"No!"
He grunted. "Claire, you have to be careful. A beautiful, wealthy girl like you is an easy target for men who'll promise you the moon, win your trust with a lot of sweet talk and lies, then rob you blind before you know what hit you."
"I said ' no ', Dad. There's no one else." But the minute the words left her mouth, Kevin's face flickered through her mind. She quickly shoved the image aside and focused on choosing the right words to make her father understand. "I'm alone, and that's the way I want it. I simply can't let you make my decisions anymore."
"Darling, you're not making any sense. What decisions? What—" He sighed. "This is just pre-wedding jitters. Understandable, but it's time to come home now."
"No, sir. I'm not coming home. I've gotten a job here and a new place to live. I intend to stay put. I'm finally taking charge of my life, and it feels good. I know you mean well, but I can't live my life according to your expectations any longer."
"Claire," he said in the tone he used to send her to her room as a child. "Where are you?
"I'm fine. Tell mom not to worry."
"Where the devil are you? And what were you thinking, taking off without word to anyone about where you were going or how long you'd be gone?"
"I was thinking that I was long overdue getting out on my own. I didn't say anything, because I knew you'd have only tried to change my mind. But I've lived under your roof..." She swallowed hard, mustering her nerve. "And your authority...long enough. I'm an adult, and it was high time I took control of my life."
"What the blazes are you talking about? Claire, is this about Blaine? Have you two had a spat? You know, you can't run away whenever you argue over something inconsequential."
"I don't consider his cheating on me inconsequential."
"Cheating? What makes you think—?"
"Please, Daddy, don't pretend you don't know. I overheard your conversation when you told him you'd look the other way as long as Blaine was discreet and as long as he got it out of his system before the wedding. How could you condone unfaithfulness in the man I was going to marry?" She didn't try to mask the pain and disillusionment in her voice.
"Wha— Claire, honey, I—" Her father sighed. "What else did you hear?"
"Enough to learn that my marriage to Blaine was a key term in a merger with ITG Industries, his father's company."
"Wha–! That's not true. You must have misunderstood. Besides, you had no right to eavesdrop on my business discussions!"
Her breath hung in her throat, her lungs paralyzed with dismayed disbelief. His defensiveness, his implication she'd done something wrong, chafed her still raw wounds. And you had no right to barter my happiness, my future to the highest bidder , she longed to shout back, but bit her tongue. She might have mustered the courage to confront her father with the truth, but some old habits of deference were harder to overcome.
Forcing a calm she didn't feel into her voice, she replied, "I didn't intentionally eavesdrop, and I didn't stick around to listen for long. But I heard enough. The point is I saw my life in a new light. And I didn't like what I'd become."
"What's wrong with your life, for heaven's sake? Your mother and I have always given you everything you could need or want."
"What about choice? I want to decide for myself what I need, what will make me happy. And who will make me happy. I don't want to marry Blaine. I don't love him, and I'm not sure I ever really did. I know I can't trust him."
Her father said nothing for a moment then, with his voice couched low, asked, "Are you with a man? Have you gotten tangled up with some shyster—?"
"No!"
He grunted. "Claire, you have to be careful. A beautiful, wealthy girl like you is an easy target for men who'll promise you the moon, win your trust with a lot of sweet talk and lies, then rob you blind before you know what hit you."
"I said ' no ', Dad. There's no one else." But the minute the words left her mouth, Kevin's face flickered through her mind. She quickly shoved the image aside and focused on choosing the right words to make her father understand. "I'm alone, and that's the way I want it. I simply can't let you make my decisions anymore."
"Darling, you're not making any sense. What decisions? What—" He sighed. "This is just pre-wedding jitters. Understandable, but it's time to come home now."
"No, sir. I'm not coming home. I've gotten a job here and a new place to live. I intend to stay put. I'm finally taking charge of my life, and it feels good. I know you mean well, but I can't live my life according to your expectations any longer."
"Claire," he said in the tone he used to send her to her room as a child. "Where are you?
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