Where the hell is this coming from? It shouldn’t matter that she was a cheerleader if she was smart, hard working, and motivated to succeed. That was what she had always told herself at least. And anyway, what the hell does Gates have to do with anything?
“And the unfortunate situation with your parents…” Felicity continued.
“Is all of that in my file?” Bryna asked dryly.
She couldn’t fucking believe Felicity was airing out everything in her life, all because of a charity benefit application. So, Bryna’s life wasn’t actually picture-perfect. Well, she already fucking knew that.
All she wanted to do was tell this woman to fuck off, but she was pretty sure she would lose her position. And she wasn’t going to lose her hard earned spot because a has-been was trying to knock her down a few notches.
“I did a little research of my own,” Felicity said cheekily.
“By all means, be sure to run a background check on a seventeen-year-old high school student.”
Felicity stared back at her, all prim and proper. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Wonderful. Can I be clear with you as to why I applied for this position in the first place?” Bryna didn’t wait for her to answer. She didn’t care what the bitch had to say. She had the wrong impression about her, and Bryna wouldn’t let it stand. “This is my senior year at Harmony. I’m currently ranked fifth in my class. I run the National Distinguished Students Association, all while acting as captain of the cheerleading squad. I work for the things in my life, something I think you can understand. The Pink Charity Benefit is the most extensive event for Harmony every year, and I want to be a part of something that contributes so much to the community. Please allow me to work just as hard to give back.”
“Hmm.”
Apparently, that was all the response Bryna was going to get. The waiter walked over, and Felicity glanced down at her menu.
“I’ll have the raspberry spinach salad. No dressing.”
As Bryna read the menu, her phone started ringing. She silently cursed its bad timing. She turned the ringer off and saw that her dad was calling. “I’m sorry. I have to take this.”
Felicity pursed her lips.
“It’s my dad calling from New Zealand. It must be important. I’ll have the same salad,” she said before hopping up and answering her phone.
“Dad!”
“Hey, sweetheart! How’s daddy’s little girl?”
“Not too little anymore. I’m at a meeting with this year’s Pink Charity coordinator. I’m heading the event.”
“Very grown-up indeed. Congratulations!”
“Thank you! How is New Zealand?” she gushed.
“New Zealand is beautiful. I wish you could come out here and visit,” he said thoughtfully.
“Well, I’d love to, but I won’t have to,” she told him cheerfully. “You’ll be coming home soon. I cannot wait to have you back in the house.”
There was a long pause on the line before her dad sighed. “That’s why I called, sweetheart. The film has been pushed back and delayed. We’ve just increased the budget by another twenty million dollars, and we’re shooting through Christmas.”
Bryna’s stomach dropped. No. No, he couldn’t do this. He couldn’t leave her alone with these people any longer. He was supposed to be back for Christmas. They were supposed to spend the holidays together. It was tradition. He couldn’t do this to her.
“Dad,” she whispered. Her voice sounded desperate. She was desperate. “Please.”
“Bryna, I know. I want to come home, but I have to work.”
“Work comes first,” she said bitterly.
“You know how the business is.” He sounded so blasé she felt sick.
“I do.” She sagged at the words. She did understand the business.
She had long lived with an absentee father and a distant mother. As much as she had wanted it to work with them, they hadn’t been around enough for either of them to try in their relationship. But that hadn’t made it okay for him to marry someone else and leave her with Celia and her disgusting spawn while he was away. Things had only gotten they were worse since Celia arrived.
“Once I’m finished with this film, we’ll fly out to Paris, and you can get lost in your favorite boutiques.”
“Just the two of us?” she pleaded.
“You and me, kiddo. Just like old times.”
Somehow, she just didn’t believe him.
“Okay, Dad, sounds good.” She knew it would never happen.
“Love you, baby girl. I’ll let you know when we’re wrapping up.”
“Bye,” she said wistfully.
She hung up the phone and tightly held it in her hand. The entire holiday, she was going to be trapped with Celia, Pace, and the twins. No father to intervene with the madness. No father to reconcile the huge gap that had divided the house in his absence. No father to be…a father. Just a faraway director. No father at all.
Bryna squared her shoulders and walked back to the table. “My apologies. My father had to inform me of his last-minute change in plans. He’ll be staying in New Zealand for the holiday season. Sorry about the interruption. It won’t happen again.”
“Good,” Felicity said. She didn’t even react to Bryna’s statement about her father. “So, let’s get started.”
“Just like that?” Bryna asked.
After the third degree Felicity put me through, she’s going to hand over the position?
“Do you no longer want to lead the committee?”
“Of course I do,” Bryna said emphatically.
“I thought so. You seem to work hard and clearly don’t back down from a challenge,” Felicity said with a quirked eyebrow. So, it all was a test. “I think we can make this partnership succeed, if you’re up for it.”
“I’m up for anything.”
WITH BRYNA’S FATHER OUT OF TOWN FOR CHRISTMAS, she found the excuse she needed to disappear for a week.
“You’re sure that you’re going to be gone the entire Christmas?” Celia asked. “We won’t even see you on Christmas day?”
Bryna sighed. She didn’t want to look too sympathetic or Celia wouldn’t buy it. “Look I just don’t get to spend any quality time with my mother, and since dad is going to be gone the whole time, it seemed like a perfect opportunity. No reason to split time between the house if he isn’t going to be here”
Celia pursed her lips. “Well, of course I want you to have quality time with your mother, but I will miss you dearly, honey. The whole house will miss you.”
“I’m sure.”
Bryna resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She certainly wouldn’t miss her overbearing stepmother or Pace. Especially Pace.
He hadn’t spoken to her since the incident with Jemma’s party, which was fine by her. She didn’t ever want to talk to him again if she could help it. She knew that the silent treatment was probably too good to be true. She was sure he was plotting something behind his silence. He wasn’t giving up yet.
It would be nice to get away from the cold shoulder and constant seething.
So, once her Louis Vuitton luggage was packed, she hightailed it out of the house.
About an hour later, after sitting through hellish traffic, she parked her car at Jude’s apartment. Jude let her inside when she showed up at his front door. He took her bags from her, set them down by the coffee table, and then scooped her up in his arms.
“I missed you,” he said into her hair.
She closed her eyes and tightened her grip around his neck. “I missed you, too.”
“Are you all ready to go?”
“Go where?” she asked, looking around the apartment.