Page 15 of Chance of a Lifetime

Cora shook her head in annoyance. “But you could’ve told me later. I’m twenty-five, for God’s sake. It never occurred to you to bring that up?”

“Frankly, no. It wasn’t relevant, but I’m bringing it up now.” Hugh’s voice took on an authoritative edge.

Cora gritted her teeth. Yet another thing that drove her crazy about her dad. He was always trying to shield her from things, even though she was a grown woman who could handle her own emotions. She’d been five when she lost her mother. It had been hard, and Cora secretly believed her father never really recovered from it, but she’d been in kindergarten back then. That was decades ago, and she didn’t need him to shield her anymore.

“Remember how my partner retired after that and moved away to Raleigh?” Hugh continued. “Well, he had a son back in Ireland from a previous marriage. His son moved to the US years ago and ended up becoming a cop like his dad. His name’s Liam O’Connor. He’s been on the force in Raleigh for the past few years, and he’s the one transferring to your station. I promised his father I’d look out for him, so I mentioned you having room at your house—”

“Dad!” Cora flung a hand up in exasperation. Already miffed at him for not telling her about the shooting, this just added to it. “You shouldn’t have said anything without asking me first. I get that you want to do your old partner a favor, but it’s not your call. Choosing a roommate is personal. I’ll take care of it myself.”

“There’s no need for you to go looking when I’ve already found the perfect solution,” he insisted. She could tell he felt strongly about it, which had to be a manifestation of his old sense of loyalty toward his ex-partner, but that didn’t mean she had to fall in line with his plan.

Cora sighed heavily as her dad launched into a detailed explanation of all the reasons she should take his advice. She suddenly felt like a bristling teenager again, and it only made her more determined to do things her own way. Her father tended to roll through life like a bulldozer. He was the type of man who said or did whatever he needed to, without worrying about the aftermath. When it came to giving orders and getting his way, Hugh McLeod took no prisoners. But what made him good at his job didn’t always transfer well to parenting. He used to drive Cora nuts growing up, until she realized his overbearing and protective nature stemmed from a combination of love and fear. He’d already lost his wife, and he couldn’t bear the thought of losing his daughter. But she was a grown woman now, with a career and a life all her own, and she would make her own decisions. Besides, the last thing she needed was a roommate who both lived and worked with her. That was just way too close for comfort. If this was her dad’s mission tonight, then he was going to be sorely disappointed. She lifted her chin and prepared to butt heads with the bulldozer.