My father stood and walked to the coffee pot as he ended his call. "That was one of my clients. I might have to fly to Texas tomorrow night, and Parker has a sleep over with some friends. Are you going to be okay alone here?"
"Of course. I'm a grown-ass woman, remember?"
He gave me a smirk and stole a pinch of the shredded cheese from the pile I'd grated. I popped his hand and he chuckled.
"You're so much like your mother." He lifted his mug to his lips and got a faraway look in his eye.
"You still miss her, Dad?"
He looked at me and smiled sadly. "So much. I never imagined a day in my life would be without her. I feel like she took my warmth with her."
Tears filled my eyes and I turned back to the stove, not responding so that he wouldn't hear how deeply I hurt for him. He wouldn't appreciate it.
"I'm going to wake your lazy-ass brother up. I want him to see about getting a job in town. He needs to learn responsibility." He walked down the hall and I pulled a paper-towel from the roll, dabbing at my eyes and promising myself that no matter what, I was going to work on my relationship with my Dad. It would take every bit of patience I possibly had, but my mother would have wanted us closer, and here I was helping to fuel the fire that forced us apart.
I finished my father's breakfast and handed him the plate as he walked back into the kitchen.
"Two eggs over easy and bacon. Toast should pop up any minute." I walked to the table and pushed his papers around. "Dad. Where is the invoice from the snow shoveling company?"
"It's in the den on my desk. I'll pay it today, but I'm going to call Clark and give him a piece of my mind."
"Who's Clark?" I glanced up as my brother walked up, his eyes wide as if warning me to tread lightly.
"He's the bastard that owns the company."
Finn's Dad. Not good.
"Why is he a bastard?" I flipped Parker's omelet onto a plate and sprinkled it with cheese before handling it to him and ruffling his hair.
He moved to the refrigerator and brought out a jug of orange juice, drinking straight from it.
"Parker. Son, that's disgusting. Just mark that one as yours and don't do it again." My Dad grimaced at my brother before turning his attention back to me. "He and I have had issues in the past."
"Why are you upset this time? The driveway looks great and the poor guy that did it had to have frozen his butt off."
"That poor guy was his son. He knows that I don't want that boy over here." He glanced up and pinned me with a hard stare. "He sleeps around, is going nowhere in life, and looks like the angel that he's not. I don't like him or his father."
"Dad..." I moved to sit down at the table as Parker joined us and snorted.
"Don't even try, Sis. I wanted to take snowboard lessons from Finn and Dad had a fit. He's not going to let you reason with him."
"Is that the friend that you wanted to talk to me about lessons for Parker with?" My Dad lifted his eyebrow sharply.
"What? No. I don't even know this guy. All I was going to say is that everyone has a story. I'm not the same person I was before Mom died. Part of my pain and anger bleeds into how I act, but if you didn't know that I lost my mom, you would judge me unfairly."
"I'm not interested in talking about this. I don't want the boy over here. Period. Clark knows that. He probably realized you were home and sent the boy over to steal your heart. He's a vicious bastard like that." My Dad shrugged and went back to his paper.
I turned to Parker and mouthed, 'What the fuck?’
He snorted and laughed as our Dad glanced up and looked between us. "What?"
"Nothing, but there is a story there. Inquiring minds want to know what."
"None of your business," my father barked. "Don't forget to clean up the kitchen when you're done."
"I always do, Dad." I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to my brother as I got up and walking back into the kitchen to finally make my breakfast. "What's your plans today?"
"I'm in a gamer contest." He smiled and wagged his eyebrows. "Wanna take the reins and win a few rounds of Resident Evil for me?"
"Your sister doesn't play video games. She's an adult." My father never looked up from his paper.
Chuckling, I turned back to the stove. "I can't today, buddy. I'm doing some research for this new investor with deep pockets and a stiff personality. I gotta win him over."
I glanced over my shoulder as my father's lip lifted in a subtle smirk, but he tried to hide it.
"How about tomorrow we do something?" Parker finished his breakfast and brought the plate in the kitchen.
"I thought Dad said you had a sleep over tomorrow." I took his plate and wiped it off, willing to use it for my breakfast too. Less to clean.
"I do, but we can spend the day together." He squeezed my shoulders from behind. "I'll teach you to snowboard."
"Yeah. Okay. I'd like that." I pulled from him and worked to finish my breakfast. My father kissed the top of my head before leaving, which was a surprise. The last time we'd hugged or kissed had been the day I left for college - five years ago.
* * * *
I pulled up the address for Warner Removal Services and plugged it in my GPS before changing into a pair of jeans, a cute sweater, and knee-high boots. I fixed my hair and put on a little bit of lip gloss. We were just going to be friends, so I needed to look nice, but not hot.
I checked my appearance one more time before letting out an angry growl and leaving the house. I would always find a million things wrong with me. It was one of the criteria for being a woman in my early twenties. It was required.
I made it to Finn's father's shop within twenty minutes and then sat in the parking lot, trying to decide how to go about getting his number. Maybe one of the other guys that worked with him would just give it to me. I didn't think talking to his Dad was a good idea seeing that my Dad and him had some bad blood between them.
It was already ten, and the day was moving by quickly. If Finn had asked off to spend it with me, like he said he was going to, I wanted to get it started.
Getting out of the SUV, I pulled my scarf tighter and walked up to the large hanger doors that were open. No one was standing outside, so I walked in and looked around. The building was like a mechanic's shop, with various machines and plows all over the place. I wasn't sure where to go and was quickly losing my nerve.
"Hello?" I called out and slid my hands into my pockets.
A stocky older man with a buzz-cut and piercing blue eyes walked out from the back. His flannel shirt and jeans fit him well. He was attractive by anyone standards.
"Morning, ma'am. How can I help you?"
As he moved closer, I realized he was Finn's Dad. How could he and my father have so much in common and yet hate each other? Both of their wives were deceased, they both loved Aspen, and both owned their own companies. Seemed like they would be the best of friends.
Odd.
I extended my hand and smiled. "I'm Chloe. I'm looking for Finn. I assume he works here."
The man smiled warmly and took my hand. "I'm Clark, his father. Nice to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine." I glanced around and turned back to Finn's Dad. "He promised me he would call in sick and spend the day showing me the town, but don't tell his boss."
He chuckled and released my hand. "Did he now?"