Chance on Love (21 page)

She just knew he’d been secretly laughing at the little display of poverty—when not trying to keep his champagne and caviar down, that is. The fact that he’d actually sat on the couch was enough to bowl her over. He couldn’t just leave well enough alone and drop her off like she’d wanted, could he?

Pacing her small living room, she seethed with anger. Her father embarrassed her. Not his meager earnings, his shoddy house, or his ragged clothing—she was ashamed of
him
. Stinking drunk, his speech slurred, and stumbling around like a fucking idiot.

He’d become a functioning alcoholic after her mom had died. Somehow, he’d managed to hold down a job by sobering up just in time to clock in each day. Unfortunately, once he’d come home, all bets were off. The weekends had been the worst.

Now, it seemed as if he was beginning to function less and less.

Whatever. It wasn’t her problem. That’s what he’d chosen.
That’s
what had been more important than his family. Well, that and the mistress who was God only knew where by now. Apparently, after helping to implode Stephanie’s home life, her job had been done.

Fucking men always thinking with their stupid dicks. Just like Valentine. And she was definitely going to use that weakness against him. There she’d been, getting starry-eyed over his ruthless playboy ass and why? Because he’d been nice to her a few times? Because he’d bought her a necklace? She was an idiot, pure and simple.

Chance was nothing but a high-class version of her dad minus the alcoholism. He cared of nothing and no one except whatever happened to further his agenda at any given time.

It was time to remind herself of one of the reasons why she should be bound and determined to take the son of a bitch
down
.

****

After pulling her sedan into the driveway of the large, brick home, she walked up the pathway as the cold, sharp wind pierced her skin. Before she could knock, the door opened. She smiled up at him. “Hi.”

“Get over here, kid.” Kenny opened his arms to her and they shared a big hug.

Her eyes stung, but she vowed to keep it together. No need to show her mentor she was on the verge of crumbling.

Pulling back, he searched her face. “You all right?”

She nodded and he stepped aside to let her enter.

“Sit down,” he said, closing the door. “I was happy to get a call from you.” He walked over to sit across from her in a large, plush chair.

Stephanie looked around. “Is Gwen here?” Kenny’s wife of thirty-three years was a warm-hearted, petite dynamo. Assertive and not one to mince words, she was definitely Stephanie’s kind of woman. Stephanie frowned as she took her coat off. “Am I interrupting a Sunday family dinner or something? I can come back. Really.”

He waved her comment away. “She’s still making dinner.” He held up a hand when Stephanie opened her mouth. “
But
you’re not interrupting, kid. What’s going on?”

The concern in his eyes warmed her currently frozen, dead heart. The ice melted a little and she gave him a shaky smile. “I missed you.”

He grinned. “I’ve missed you too.” He sat back and narrowed his eyes. “What else?”

She took a deep breath. Kenny knew all about her rocky relationship with her dad. If anything showed the level of respect she had for him, it was that. Even Amber didn’t know all the dirty details of her dysfunctional early family life—and Stephanie had made it a point never to let anyone come over to her house when she was growing up. “I saw my father today.”

He cocked his head. “What brought that on?” he asked quietly.

“My brother called and said Frank needed me.”

Nodding, he gazed down at the floor. “And you went.”

She sighed. He was always trying to come up with ways to salvage that which was broken beyond repair. “I didn’t go in order to chat with the man, Kenny.”

“Then why did you?”

“To tell him to his face to leave me alone. It’s way too late to play daddy, don’t you think? He was drunk, as usual, of course so who the hell knows if what I said even registered.”

Kenny turned a sharp gaze on her and she knew he saw through her bravado.

She averted her eyes. “It’s stupid, all right? You’d think I’d be immune to the crap he pulls, but I’m not. I hadn’t seen or talked to the man in months and suddenly he misses me?”

“He’s still your father, though. And you care about him, whether you like it or not.”

“I don’t like it,” she said without hesitation. “It’s crazy... I thought maybe we could have a real discussion about, well,
anything
. Even that would have been progress. And then I show up to find him drunk. That was the biggest slap in the face he could have given me. I’m done.”

Gwen poked her head around the corner. “Stephanie?” She walked into the room with her arms open. “Hey, baby, I thought that was your voice.”

Smiling, she got up to give Gwen a hug. Well, she got up and then she bent
down
. Coming in at around five-three, Gwen made her feel like an Amazon whenever they were together, especially when Stephanie wore heels that increased her five-six height.

After their embrace ended, Stephanie said, “I hope I’m not interrupting your dinner plans.”

Gwen smiled. “Child, please. I hope you know you’re staying to eat with us.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to intrude.”

Gwen looked at her husband. “Is she serious?” Turning back to Stephanie, she pointed a finger at her. “You’re staying.” Then, she disappeared into the kitchen again.

Stephanie sat back down and laughed. “I guess that means I’m staying.”

“Good.” His expression clouded over. “Then you’ll have plenty of time to tell me what’s been happening at the station.”

Her chest tightened. His eyes held a sadness that, try as he might to hide it, was plain to see. “Don’t worry,” she said quietly. “You’ll not only get your job back, you’ll get the one you were supposed to have.”

He lifted his eyebrow. “What’s that mean?”

She shrugged.

Groaning, he ran his hands down his face. “Please tell me you don’t have a plan, kid.”

She crossed her arms. “I may or may not have a plan.”

He groaned again. “God,” he said as he looked up at the ceiling. “She has a plan.”

Stephanie smothered a grin. “I plan to take the GM spot when I’m offered it and then...well,” she looked around, “let’s just say I’ll be putting some immediate changes in place.”

“
When
you’re offered it?” Kenny chuckled. “You’re not insecure when it comes to your job, are you?”

“Hey, I’m good.”

He nodded. “You’re the best. You definitely could have handled my old job. But,” he added, “Executive Assistant is a great opportunity.”

“Yeah, I realize that now. I got to meet with some of corporate this morning and—”

“They were back in town?”

Giving him a sly smile, she shook her head. “
I
was in Beverly Hills, thank you very much.” When his jaw dropped, she laughed. “That’s not even the best part. I got to tell them my ideas about a format change.” Though she’d talked his ears off with her ideas over the years, and it had been fun to dream, she’d never expected to get anywhere when it came to making them a reality.

He leaned forward. “And?”

“They liked them.”

“Yes!” He shook his fist in the air. “Way to go. If anyone can do it, it’s you.”

Bouncing in her seat, she clapped like a giddy little kid who’d just been told they were getting what they wanted most for Christmas. Objectively, she knew she looked ridiculous. But it was nice.

This must have been what it would feel like to have a dad—not a father, but a
dad
. Someone who celebrated your successes as if they were his own, someone who looked out for you, and loved you no matter what, someone you could count on without fail. She was glad to face it: Kenny was her dad.

She didn’t realize she was still smiling at him until he asked, “What are you grinning about over there?”

Stephanie tilted her head. “You’re my dad.”

“Huh?”

She pointed. “
You’re
my dad.”

He chuckled. “I must have slept with an
extremely
white woman for you to have come out so light.”

Stephanie laughed. “No, Gwen’s my mom, of course.” She could have two black parents if she wanted.

He smiled. “Naturally.”

“And that’s why I’m definitely getting you back on at the station. A girl’s gotta have her dad around, after all.”

The smile slowly left his face. “I won’t be coming back to the station,” he said softly.

She waved him off. “I’ll handle Chance. That bastard made the biggest mistake of his life when he fired you, and I’m damn well going to make him live to rue the day.”

“Why are you still being so hard on that man?”

Stephanie widened her eyes. “You’re kidding, right? That asshole fired you.”

He sighed. “Let it go, kid.”

“I’ll never let that go.”

He came over to sit next to her. Clasping his hands between his knees, he stared at the floor. “He didn’t fire me, okay?”

Leaning closer, Stephanie frowned. “I’m sorry. What?”

“I wanted out.”

She straightened up.
More of this ‘I’m fine with it, really,’ bullshit.
“Kenny, drop it. We both know you loved that job. There’s no way you ever would have just quit—”

“I did,” he said quietly.

“What?” Her frustration turned to confusion. “Seriously? Why?”

“I have my reasons, all right? Anyway, all you need to know is that Mr. Valentine didn’t fire me. I’d called corporate the week before and asked who would be stepping in as interim GM. They gave me his name and contact information. I emailed him and asked him to give me a call. He did.”

She shook her head slowly. “Chance never said anything, though. All the times I told him what an asshole he was for firing you...”

“I told him I had reasons for leaving. I asked him to leave it at that. He, unlike you, knows how to listen.”

Stephanie rolled her eyes.

“I didn’t want anyone to know my business so I kept my mouth shut, knowing everyone would assume I’d just been laid off. Mr. Valentine, bless him, went along with it, even though he caught a lot of slack from,” he gave her a pointed look, “certain staff.” He frowned. “Wait...you call him Chance?”

Stephanie stared into space while she digested what she’d just been told. The primary reason she’d hated Chance’s guts in the first place no longer existed. Her righteous anger dissipated all at once. She felt as deflated as a popped balloon—but relieved and grateful.

Kenny leaned over to bump her with his shoulder. “You call him
Chance
?” he repeated.

She purposely ignored the implication. “That
is
the man’s name.”

“He’s your direct superior.”

“So were you. I never called you Mr. Thomas, did I?”

“No, but I’m your dad.”

She smiled.

“You’re not answering me, kid.”

“Other than hating him for firing you and—”
Plotting my revenge,
she finished mentally. Kenny didn’t need to know how she’d decided to make Chance look inept by underhandedly working against him at the station. She cleared her throat.  “—or so I thought, he’s been...okay.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Oh my God,” he said slowly. “You like him.”

She shook her head.

After staring at her a few moments, he narrowed his eyes. “You more than like him, don’t you?” He turned and looked straight ahead. “Your dad didn’t see
that
coming,” he muttered to himself.

“I’m not even going to justify that with a response.”

“Because there’s nothing you can say,” he said, grinning. “The kid’s falling in—”

Stephanie held up her hand. “Don’t
even
go there.” Dropping her hand, she tilted her head. “Why did you leave, Kenny?” she asked softly.

He rolled his shoulders. “It’s personal.”

Looking into his eyes, she suddenly feared the worst. Her voice shook with emotion when she said, “But you’re my dad.”

They stared at each other for several seconds. Finally, he looked away. “I need to have surgery, kid.”

A trickle of unease made its way from her mind to her stomach, where it immediately transformed into a full-blown wave. She forced herself to keep breathing normally. “What kind of surgery?”

He expelled a long breath. “Heart bypass.”

Her own heart rate skyrocketed. “What?” she cried.

“I have a few blocked arteries and—well, let’s just say I need to go under the knife.”

She tried to stay calm. “Okay, so you have surgery, you take time to recover, and then you come back to KMLP.”

Kenny shook his head. “I’m not having the surgery.”

“Shit, man, this is no time for the stubborn routine. This is your life we’re talking about.”

He gave her a sad smile. “I know, kid. I know. It’s not that I don’t want the surgery. I just...I can’t afford it.”

Stephanie sat there, numb, only half listening as Kenny explained that even with insurance, the cost of surgery would be too much for him to take on while he was still sending one of his children through college. That’s how amazing, and stubborn,
her
dad was—he’d risk his life to make sure his child had a better chance at one.

Her biological one couldn’t have even been bothered to put down the bottle long enough to give her a goddamned hug. Stephanie’s chin began to quiver a tiny bit and she pressed her lips together to stop it. She stared ahead at the chair he’d been sitting in earlier. Finally, she asked, “So what do we do?” She glanced at him. “There’s
something
...there has to be.”

“I’m on medication and...well,” he shrugged.

“That’s it?” she asked in disbelief.

“There’s nothing else,” he said wearily.

“So what happens?”

“Eventually, the blockages will cause me to have a heart attack. How many, who knows? The only certain thing is, one of them—I won’t come back from.”

Stephanie crossed her arms and tapped her foot furiously, her eyes stinging like mad. “So you’re just waiting around to die?”