The Start of Something Good

  She got in his face, dark eyes desperate. "I know you can reach him. Why won't you try?"

  The pain throbbed in his leg and his heart, making him empty. "Because I have nothing left to give," he said simply.

  He walked away, ignoring the disappointed look on his sister's face, reminding himself it was for the best.

  "The entourage has arrived," Chloe said. Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but it was the flare of hurt in her blue eyes that made Mia worry. She peeked out the window. Jonathan unfolded his long legs from the sleek black Mercedes, dressed in a sharp charcoal suit and red tie. His sidekick, Bob, flanked his right side, a towering beast. His shaven head gleamed, and he wore dark sunglasses to hide his eyes. Mia shivered. That man was scary but good.

  A younger man flanked Jonathan's left. He sported the hot-nerd look with thick, wavy hair and thick black-framed glasses. Probably his assistant. Nothing like a cozy family visit accompanied by your pit bulls to make an impression. Mia held back a breath of disappointment but pushed away her judgment. She knew how badly Lake was fumbling lately, but he was in a tight race to be elected mayor, still grieved for his wife, and was trying to juggle a daughter mandated to community service.

  He was probably doing the best he could.

  Chloe, it seemed, disagreed. Screwing her face into a tight expression, she regarded Mia with pure resentment. "Guess we should go down and get the meet and greet over with. I'm sure he brought a photographer to capture the tender moments that will get leaked to the press."

  "Chloe, he's not like that," she said softly, but the girl just humphed, and Mia followed her out. Ethel and her crew were absent, thank goodness, and Lake's sidekicks stepped away when they caught sight of Chloe, giving them privacy. Jonathan's face lit up when he gazed at his daughter, and in moments, he'd closed the distance and wrapped her up in a tight hug. Mia's throat tightened. God, how the girl needed such affection, even though she fought it. Without her mom, her father had now become the most important part of her life and her last safe place to fall.

  "I've missed you so much," he said, allowing the embrace to linger. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. How are you doing here?"

  Chloe shrugged, but she didn't fight the hug. "Not bad. I like working with the horses."

  "Becoming a country girl, huh?" he teased, tugging at her purple hair. "Since when did you decide to go goth? I almost had a heart attack when Mia told me you looked nothing like your pictures. And I told you no piercings. They'll ruin your skin."

  "It's not goth. It's just my new style. And everyone has piercings."

  "I thought the country was supposed to be pigtails and overalls. You look worse than the punks in the city I try to put away."

  Chloe rolled her eyes. "Dad," she half wailed. "Lame."

  "Sorry." Lake pressed a kiss to the top of her head and let her free. "Mia, thank you for taking care of her. Looks like you're blooming here. Must be the country air."

  Was she? Sure, her skin had turned a nice golden brown even with consistently slathering on sunscreen, and she'd gained a few pounds now that Ethan tempted her with homemade treats he insisted she have a few bites of, and she didn't obsess over her phone 24-7 since there was no place to run out to, but were they good changes or not? Hmm, something to ponder later on . . .

  "Thank you, Jonathan. Chloe's doing really well. I'm sure you'll meet Ethan, who's in charge of her work schedule. Ophelia owns the inn, and she's already invited us to have dinner with her family tonight."

  "Sounds good. I need to rest up a bit, do some work, and then I'm looking forward to spending some time with both of you." Already he was gaining that distracted look Mia knew all too well. He patted Chloe on the shoulder and motioned his team over. "You both know Bob, and this is Owen, my new assistant."

  "Umm, Jonathan, why don't you and Chloe take a walk around the property while we get you set up?" Mia suggested.

  He waved an elegant hand in the air, his watch flashing in the sunlight. "Definitely, but later, okay? I want to see everything, but I need your input on some new additions to my schedule, Mia. Did you see the article in the New York Times? It concerns me, and I want an analysis of it immediately. I'll need a work space cleared. Let's move."

  His daughter forgotten, he motioned to his team and marched up the stairs like it was the White House. Computers and phones were whipped out, and Mia watched her most important client bark orders and fall back into the mode she knew intimately.

  Work.

  Chloe watched her father's retreat. "Nice chatting with you, Dad."

  Mia clenched her fists. "He just needs to settle. I know he's looking forward to getting time with you."

  "Don't lie for him, Mia," she said furiously, turning on her combat-boot heel. "I'm outta here."

  "Where are you going?"

  "To the stables to help Ethan. You can tell my father I'll see him at dinner."

  "But--"

  The girl stalked off, shoulders back, and Mia groaned. Ah, crap. This hadn't gone as she'd hoped, and now Jonathan would need to work harder to break down the girl's barriers. She had to get him to listen before Chloe slipped further away.

  She glanced around at the empty porch. In a few minutes, she'd be elbow deep in computer reports, phone calls, and all-important poll stats. Social media charts would be pulled up and analyzed. She'd be lucky to make dinner on time.

  She waited for the hit of adrenaline to buzz through her body, but she felt oddly flat. She never cared before what sacrifices had to be made to win an election. Chloe had been a distant figure in her mind, another piece of the puzzle to be moved accordingly to get Jonathan the votes he needed. Now, she wished the girl's father had just pushed work aside for once and given his daughter the time she craved. And why did her job suddenly seem shallow, like Ethan always accused it of being?

  Irritated with her spinning thoughts, Mia tried to refocus. But she began to wonder when Chloe's feelings had become just as important as winning an election.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ethan watched dinner unfold and tried to smother his anger.

  He'd decided to join his sisters tonight in order to see Mia. Since his proposition, she'd been cautious and kept her distance the past two days. He appreciated the fine art of patience, but he figured tonight was a perfect opportunity to remind her he was ready if she changed his mind. He was also curious about Chloe's dad and Mia's special client.

  Lake was everything he should be as a politician. Smooth, charming, and a gifted speaker. He seemed to care about people and not be an asshole. Ethan watched him help Ophelia set things on the table and chat with Harper about the horses. He had a laugh that actually seemed genuine and not fake. Even more important, the man seemed intelligent, especially when he engaged in a thoughtful discussion about the disappearance of the middle class and actual ideas to change the future of a city he seemed to passionately love.

  Ethan liked him. He could see why Mia had focused her energies into getting him elected over the selfish pricks currently involved in politics now.

  But what pissed him off was the way he treated Chloe.

  Hadn't he come up specifically to see his daughter? Sure, everyone believed Mia was the girl's aunt, but Ethan knew the truth. The past few weeks had shown him something important that had switched up the game plan for him.

  Chloe was a good kid.

  He couldn't picture her vandalizing a damn car. Even cheating on a test was a reach for her, but he figured she'd been acting out for attention or panicking over her grade. Ethan realized running for mayor was a big fucking deal, but Chloe needed the politician's focus, not an affectionate, distracted pat on the head like a pet he noticed now and then. Ethan also had a gut instinct she was nearing trouble again. He figured her father would be the one to pull her out, but it didn't seem like it was going to happen.

  By the end of the meal, Chloe had dropped her head to stare at her plate, completely disengaged with the discussion at the table. Ethan raised his voice and
interrupted Lake's speech on trying to deal with the city's homeless problem. "Your daughter seems to have a gift with the horses. Since you're staying till Sunday, maybe you'd like to go horseback riding together. We can show you the trails."

  "That sounds like fun. Seems Chloe has taken to being away from the city." He studied his daughter with a slight frown. "Still, I've been thinking about it, honey. You really don't have any family up here, and there aren't as many opportunities for a psychology degree. I've contacted NYU to see if you can transfer."

  Chloe dropped her fork. Her blue eyes widened in shock. "No! No, Dad, I never wanted to go to NYU. I like it here."

  Lake gave a sympathetic nod. "I understand, but I think it would be best. If I get elected in November, my workload will double. It will be easier for you to stay in the city so we can work out our schedules together."

  "I don't care about your schedule," she said through gritted teeth. "I care about being at a school that fits me. I have friends here."

  "Not proper ones, from what I've heard," he clipped out. "But now's not a good time for this discussion. Why don't we have a chat after dinner?" He shot an apologetic glance around the table. "Ophelia, the meatloaf is incredible. I've never had anything like it."

  "I'm so happy you enjoyed it."

  Chloe jumped up from the table, her form bristling with raw emotion. "You don't get to come here and put on your act and pretend you know what's best for me," she burst out. "You don't get to care about who I see or what I do on an occasional weekend when it fits into your schedule. And I'm not getting trapped in the city while you follow your own dreams!"

  "Chloe--"

  "No, I can't take this anymore. I'm outta here."

  "Chloe!"

  With a low sob, she tore out of the room, slamming the front door and leaving a stunned silence behind.

  Yeah. Ethan had seen that coming a mile away.

  Lake rubbed his temples and placed his utensils carefully down on the plate. "I apologize," he said. "Chloe and I have some issues to work out. Will you excuse me?"

  Ophelia and Harper traded sympathetic glances. "Of course. It's so hard growing up," Ophelia said. "I still remember screaming at my mother that I hated her, and I can't even remember why."

  "We lost her mother a while ago," Lake said quietly. "I think we're both relearning how to live."

  He scraped his chair back and left the room.

  Mia sighed. "I better go try to find Chloe."

  "No, let me. She probably went to the stables. That's where all of us used to run when we needed some time," Ethan said. "Why don't you go talk to Lake?"

  She hesitated. "Are you sure? I'm not sure if she'll talk to you."

  Her beautiful features were twisted with worry and a care that made him stare deeper into her gleaming amber eyes. It was hard to feel things in a world of PR, where demands for surface perfection dominated. He was beginning to learn her heart was a lot softer than he'd originally given her credit for. He also sensed she wasn't thinking about the election or Lake's image or worried about Chloe causing a public outburst. She was invested on a deeper scale.

  That was the part of Mia Thrush that intrigued him.

  He leaned over and ran a finger down her soft cheek. "I doubt she's talking to anyone lately. I'll bring her back. She needs her father."

  Mia nodded, reaching up to grasp his hand. They stared at one another for a few minutes before a loud cough interrupted.

  "I'll help clean up," Harper announced. "Just let us know she's okay."

  "We'll bring out some coffee to you and Jonathan on the front porch," Ophelia added.

  Ethan thanked them, dropping Mia's hand with reluctance. He headed out the back door to take the shortcut to the barn. The woods closed around him, twilight squeezing the last drop of sunlight and letting the night rush in. The clouds thickened, warning of rain. Though he'd refused to work with Phoenix, he'd been stopping in daily to check on him, trying to get the horse used to his presence. Yesterday, Phoenix had even allowed him to approach briefly, but the animal would be skittish around thunder or lightning. Ethan would need to check on him again tonight.

  His feet followed the familiar path, but Chloe wasn't in the stalls. He took a while to check the other barns, then finally spotted the girl perched on a rock with Wheezy at her feet. She stroked the old Lab's head, staring at the jagged rocks of mountain frozen in the glorious dying sun.

  "Permission to approach."

  She glanced back. He'd expected sharp jabs and defensiveness, but she surprised him by sliding over on the rock, making room for him. Not one to waste a gift, he plopped down next to her and stretched out his jean-clad legs.

  They sat in silence. Watching the sky. Absorbing the calm presence of Wheezy's canine energy. Letting their thoughts wander without forcing words. He wasn't sure how long he waited before she finally spoke, but he knew he would've waited easily another hour to hear her voice.

  "I hate my dad sometimes." He didn't answer, and eventually she continued. "I don't want to. I get all twisted up and feel guilty for it, but I still do. I hate the way he cares about his job more than anything else. I hate feeling like I'm a thing to help him get elected. I hate that he doesn't listen to me and that he doesn't seem to miss my mother like I do. And sometimes, I just want to close my eyes and not wake up in the morning. Sometimes, I'm just so fucking tired of it all, and I wonder if this is it. If this is the best it's gonna get." She gave a frustrated sigh. "But it's okay. I don't need the suicide hotline or anything. I'm just . . . pissed."

  Her words punched through and shattered over him with the truth. Damn, he liked her. "Yeah. That's about as real as you can get, right there. I know you feel alone right now, but you're not. We've all been there."

  "When?"

  "When I was twenty-five, I lost my mom to cancer, too."

  She narrowed her gaze, studying his face intently, searching for lies. "Really?"

  "Yeah. I had joined the military, so I wasn't around when she got sick. My sisters took care of her, but I missed most of it until the end. Afterward, I was messed up for a while. I missed her more than anything. My mother was the best."

  A faint smile curved her face. Her nose and brow piercings winked. "Mine too. She had a cold that wouldn't go away. No one could figure it out. When they diagnosed her, she died in three months. I thought I'd have a lot more time."

  "We always do."

  "What about your dad?" she asked.

  "He had a heart attack when I was young, so I lost him, too."

  "I'm sorry."

  "Me too." She pet Wheezy. Her profile was sharp in the shadow, giving him a glimpse of her strength. The question popped out of his mouth before he could stop it. "Why'd you cheat on the test, Chloe?"

  She stiffened. It took her a while before she seemed to decide to answer. "I was afraid of failing. I panicked and made a mistake."

  "Makes sense. I did a lot more screwed-up things when I was your age. Did you vandalize the car to get attention from your dad?"

  "No." Her denial rang with truth. "I don't want to talk about that now."

  "Fair enough."

  They sat for a while in more silence. She picked at her thumbnail. He shifted his weight on the rock. "I just want him to listen to me, you know? I'm not going to NYU, and I'm sick of him treating me like a baby."

  "But you did screw up," he pointed out. "Community service is no joke. He has a right to not trust you for a while."

  That seemed to throw her off course, but she gave a grudging nod. "I guess. But none of it matters. He'll get elected, and he won't need me anymore, except to play the part of his perfect daughter. It's all bullshit."

  He chose his words carefully, knowing what came next was important. "Chloe, you know what adults do when they're missing someone they love? They throw themselves into work. They concentrate on things they can control--things that don't hurt. Your dad probably realizes you're starting your own life, and he's going to be alone. Want to know my opin
ion? If your dad wins this election, he's going to need you more than ever. You will be his only soft place. His only truth. You, Chloe Lake, are probably his whole world. And though he acts like an ass sometimes, I can pretty much guarantee that man knows no election or work will ever be worth losing you."

  Slowly, he got off the rock, absently rubbing his aching knee. "I think you should head back and try to talk to him. I think you both deserve a break. But if you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here. So is Mia--I know she cares about you."

  "Ethan?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Why didn't you want to help that horse?"

  He stiffened. The pit in his gut lay like a stone, weighing him down. "Some stuff happened in my past. I don't want everyone to depend on me to help him when I can't."

  "Because it'll make you feel bad if you fail?"

  A half laugh strangled from his lips. Damn, she was observant. "Yeah."

  "But didn't your mom say every soul deserves a chance--both animal and human?"

  He closed his eyes and wondered when the conversation had tipped. When she began to help him see more clearly. "Yeah, she did."

  "Okay. Just wondered."

  He began walking away again when her faint voice hit his ears and lingered on the evening summer breeze. "Thank you, Ethan."

  "Welcome."

  Mia sat down in the white wicker rocker while Jonathan paced like a caged animal. "What the hell is going on up here?" he growled in demand, hands stuffed in pockets. "First, you tell me she's parading around with a bunch of hooligans; now she's talking back to me at dinner and running off? I thought I was past this stage! Fifteen was a nightmare. She's supposed to be okay now!"

  "And she will be. But she's a young nineteen, and the first year at college is rough. She still misses her mother."

  Jonathan stopped, turning his head away from her. "So do I," he muttered, a touch of anguish threading through his voice. "But we can't live in the past. She needs to concentrate on her future, and I cannot have another of her screwups. It's not good for her here. I need to keep a closer watch."

  "Well, you can tell her not to hang out with them anymore, but with a rebellious teen, that may backfire."

  "Then I'll yank her out of here as soon as she finishes her community service."