Page 86 of In Love and War

“Figures. It was always a pretty big pain in the ass to try and keep things from you growing up.” I smiled.

“Yes, well, I’m sure it would have been… when I was around.” His smile carried a hint of regret.

“Dad…” I started, but he waved a hand at me.

“I’ve made many mistakes with you, Milly. It’s left me with more regrets than you could possibly imagine. And although there isn’t much I can do about the past, I can at least try to make it up to you now and… well, you’re probably not going to like the method I chose for this one, but I really hope that you’ll forgive me for it eventually.”

Huh?

“What are you…?”

He pressed a button on his desk phone, which turned off a small flashing red light that I hadn’t noticed until just then.

“Zac, my boy, are you still with us?”

I blinked at him like he was crazy. But then, out of the speaker came the words: “Yes, Greg. I am.”

27

Iwas sitting there, staring at my father with my mouth hung open. My heart was pounding into my throat, and my head was spinning.

Did I… was that… Zac’s voice on the speaker?

“I’m assuming you’re well on your way by now?” my father said, looking at his wristwatch.

“Three minutes.”

“I’m afraid I can’t guarantee she won’t make a run for it, Zac. She does seem quite startled.”

“Two minutes.” A car honked in the background.

“Has he… the whole time? Did he hear?” I asked, pointing flimsily at the device on my father’s desk.

“I was on the phone with him when you showed up. He seemed to think there was nothing else left between the two of you to discuss… but I had a feeling that wasn’t the case. I convinced him to at least stay on the line while you and I talked, knowing that there was only one reason you’d be coming up here.”

“Holy shit. YoutoldJasmine to call me, didn’t you?”

“The details aren’t all that important at this point.” He could barely contain his smile.

“Dad… that was aprivate conversation.How could you… is he… still? Oh my God, hangup!” I reached for the receiver and hung it up when I saw that it was still connected.

“Well, that was rather rude, Milly. I didn’t raise you to hang up on people without a proper goodbye, now, did I?”

I was absolutely flabbergasted.

“Dad.What the fuck were youthinking?” I was shaking and my voice was starting to rise. I was ready to rage. He had crossed every single line imaginable with this one.

“I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be. But never in my life have Ievermet two people asrelentlessly stubborna—”

He was cut off by footsteps and voices coming from outside of his office.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t go in right now. He’s in a meetin—”

The door was opened with such force that it made me bolt up from my chair. I was surprised the wood was still attached to its hinges and wasn’t ripped right off by the muscled death grip handling it.

Thundering sapphire-blue eyes pierced through me from across the room, needling little holes in my lungs.

He was in a light blue T-shirt and dark jeans, his hair semi-tousled, and a light scruff shadowed the lower half of his face. I’d never seen him not clean-shaven. It was sexy as all hell.