Vintage Volume One (12 page)

I knew he still nursed a crush on me, but it was something that would never be returned. We were the only two in the store. Virginia was scheduled to come in at four.

I grabbed a pile of t-shirts because I needed something to focus on while we talked. I hated awkward conversations.

“I’ve got something to talk to you about.”

“Hmm?”

“I think it might help with the staffing issue.” I kept folding the shirts. Anything to keep my hands busy, anything not to have to look him in the eyes.

He stopped underlining things in pencil in his book and looked over at me. “What’s going on, Rox?”

“My dad asked me to go on the last leg of his tour.”

“How long?”

“Four weeks.”

“Starting when?”

“About a week.”

He nodded. “Whatever you want to do. That’s fine. We’ll work it out.”

“Thanks, Tim. You treat me better than I deserve.”

I felt a warm hand on my arm. I looked down and saw Tim’s pasty whiteness. “You deserve the world. You’re so much better than you ever give yourself credit for. I think it’s one of the things I like most about you.”

I glanced up and saw his eyes on mine. Tim was a wonderful person. He just wasn’t the right person for me.

twenty-two

My interminable day finally ended, and as predicted, my dad was waiting for me outside of the store next to my car.

Or, rather, my dad’s driver and head of security, George, was waiting there. I opened the door to the back of the black Tahoe with black windows, SHADOW loudly declaring the owner of the car via the license plate. My dad was sitting in the backseat, cell phone glued to his ear.

“I have to go.” He ended the call and stuck his phone in his pocket. I was pleased he got off the phone for me, but I felt bad for whoever was on the other end of that conversation.

I got in and sat beside him. “Where to?” he asked.

I shrugged and looked out the window. I didn’t care where he took me to dinner. I cared about our conversation.

I cared about the things he had to tell me.

“How was work?”

I shrugged again.

“You gonna talk tonight?”

“Seems to me like you’re the one who has something to say.”

He sighed and shook his head, a smirk forming on his lips. “You know that you’re the only person in the world who gets away with talking to me like that, don’t you?”

“Not even Jadyn Snow?”

“Not even Jadyn Price.”

I pressed my lips together. “Good thing you love me.”

“That I do. I know we have things to talk about, but it has to wait just a little longer.”

“Why?” I asked.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and pointed to it, like I was supposed to discern some meaning from that.

I shot him a look that clearly said I had no idea what the fuck he was talking about.

He mouthed some words at me. “Someone might be listening.”

After a year of wondering, I supposed I could wait a little longer.

Parker flashed through my mind. I still felt unsettled about our fight. I tried to look at the positives. It was good for us to fight, to allow each other to see our emotions. It was bad to take our shit out on each other. And that was exactly what we’d done.

George pulled the Tahoe in front of South Steakhouse.

I thought about telling my dad that I had literally just been there for dinner the night before, that I wasn’t dressed for a steakhouse, but I didn’t want to wait longer for answers to questions I’d pushed to the back of my mind for longer than I should have.

I made a bargain with myself. A dangerous one.

I told myself that no matter what my dad was about to tell me, I had to filter it through my Parker lens. I liked him. I was developing these intense feelings for him that certainly transcended lust. In my quest to protect him by first staying away and later by holding him close, he’d become important to me.

“This okay?” my dad asked. We were waiting for George to get our table situated. My dad never just walked into a restaurant and asked for a table. Too many people would recognize him. Part of George’s duties were to get my dad’s tables. He was an invaluable asset to the Price estate.

“It’s fine.” It wasn’t, really. I didn’t want to eat at the same place again. But I did cherish time with my dad. He was the one person on earth who understood me better than anybody else.

We were more alike than I cared to admit, but I saw it every time we were together.

“Leave your phone,” he said quietly. I pulled it out of my purse and followed his directions. He set his phone next to mine.

My dad never—and I mean
never
—went anywhere without his phone.

George ushered us in, and my dad and I settled into a table in a quiet back corner. My dad took the seat beside me rather than across from me.

He ordered a Newcastle, his beer of choice, and I started with a glass of red wine.

Our waitress eyed my dad with unconcealed lust, and I almost threw up on the table.

She stepped away to get our drinks, and my dad started talking. His voice was low and he moved in toward me to ensure I was the only one who could hear the conversation.

“We had to leave our phones in case either of them are bugged. Mine was swept last night, but call it paranoia. I don’t trust anyone anymore.”

My heart rate sped up as I considered the implications of his words. “What’s going on?”

“Look, Damien’s fine. He’s not coming back. He told me about the letter he left you. I’m sorry he left that way. I’m sorry he broke your heart.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Part of it’s my fault for introducing him to them.”

“To who?”

“It’s a long story.”

The waitress dropped off our drinks, and my dad stopped talking. “You two ready to order?” she asked. We both shook our heads. Neither of us had cracked open our menus, and I had a feeling this was going to be a long meal. “I’ll give you a few minutes to decide.”

I waited until she was out of earshot to speak. “I’ve got time, Dad.”

“I know, but I don’t. Not much.”

“I’m confused. Why did you take me here to tell me these things?”

“I can’t talk at home. I never know who might be listening.”

“Your wife included?”

“Anybody. There is only one person I trust in this world after everything I’ve been through.”

“Who?”

“I’m looking at her.”

I felt unfamiliar tears prick my eyes. I’d spent so much of my life resenting the spotlight placed on me because of my dad that I never really considered things from his perspective. It couldn’t be easy being the man everyone wanted a piece of. I placed my hand over my dad’s. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too, CC. Can I give you the short version?”

I nodded.

“Damien got caught up in some debts with Randy.”

Randy
.

His name at our table was like dropping a bomb on a quiet town when the residents were sleeping.

“I paid them off, but it wasn’t enough. Damien needed protection, and I needed him away from you. I had to take care of you, CC. I need you to understand that.”

“He left because of you?”

He sighed heavily. “In part, yes. D met Randy at my house a few years ago. He prospered at first, so his bets increased. And then he started losing. He was fine for a while, but when he kept betting big to win back the losses, he got into a hole he couldn’t get out of.”

“This was all gambling debts?”

“Sports. Mostly football, but D would bet on anything. He lost a bundle on fucking bowling one time.”

My eyes were wide. I was shocked that I’d lived with a man who essentially lived a double life I knew nothing about.

“Why would Randy give a fuck about Damien if you paid off his debts?”

“Randy holds grudges. Against me, specifically.” He paused and took a breath, as if drawing in strength to say what he was going to say next. “And he knew that he’d hurt me most by hurting you. I’m so sorry, CC. I’m sorry that I took D away from you.”

His voice was earnest. I could hear the sincerity. I could hear the grief he’d held back.

“Where is Damien now?”

“I helped him start over.” My dad’s eyes darted around us, and his voice lowered more. “He’s in Connecticut. He’s doing well, CC. He’s not dating anyone. He’s working for a local newspaper, picking up freelance photography work.”

“And I’m not safe anymore? That’s why you want me to come with you?”

“Randy’s a twisted motherfucker. He made some threats, and I’d just feel better having you close.”

“Why is he threatening you?”

“It’s complicated, but the moral of the story is that former porn stars prefer rock stars to bookies.”

“Jadyn?”

He nodded, and then he grinned. He looked young when he grinned. Boyish. I could see why women loved him, even though he was my dad. He was charming, but more than that, he was talented. And he was richer than God.

“Can I be honest with you?” I took a sip of my red wine.

The waitress came back over. “Ready to order yet?”

“We’ll both take the New York Strip medium with a baked potato,” he said to her. “That okay?” he asked me.

I shrugged. It was fine if I wanted to eat the same damn thing from the same damn restaurant two damn nights in a row.

I wasn’t hungry after our conversation, anyway.

She strutted away, and our conversation resumed.

“You were going to be honest with me,” my dad reminded me.

“I’ve blamed myself this entire time. I thought something was wrong with me. First Katie died, then Damien left. I’ve been scared to get close to somebody.”

“It’s not you. Life happens. You can’t blame yourself.”

“I’ve met someone. Someone I really like.”

“When can I meet him?”

I laughed. That was my dad. I could sit there all night and talk up Parker. He wouldn’t like him until he met him for himself.

“I’m not sure.”

“Why? You embarrassed of your old man?”

“Hardly. He’s a musician.”

“Ah.” He nodded in understanding. “And you’re afraid of what that might mean?”

I nodded. “I’ve been terrified this whole time that he only wants to be with me because of you.”

It was hard to admit that to my dad, but given the honesty of our night together, he deserved the truth. He deserved to know that I didn’t blame him for what happened with Damien. I would need some time to process everything my dad had confessed to me that night, but the only person I blamed was Damien. I was suddenly furious with him that our entire relationship had been a lie. That’s how it felt, anyway.

“Oh, CC. I wish I would have spent more time when you were growing up telling you what a precious star you are. You have never given yourself the credit you deserve. You’re a beautiful woman. You care too much. You’re kind and selfless. You deserve someone who will treat you the way you deserve. And that’s why I need to meet this kid. What’s his name?” My dad’s eyes moved to something on the other side of the restaurant. He was quietly scanning during our conversation, probably checking to see if anyone around us could possibly be listening.

“Parker.”

His eyes moved smoothly back to mine, but they were unreadable. “What’s the name of his band?”

“It’s called Flashing Light. They just moved to LA from Chicago.”

My dad was quiet for a minute, as if contemplating that information. Our food arrived, interrupting our moment. While we ate, I filled my dad in on the latest events of my life.

I’d already told him about the feeling of being followed home, of the strange items misplaced in my condo, of the fire at Vintage. We reviewed each occurrence, and he listened quietly as I spoke, as if he was taking it all in and committing it to memory while calculating the possibilities in his mind.

“Could it all be Randy?” I asked suddenly.

“You’re going to be opposed to this, but I’m going to get George to put someone on you.” He hadn’t respond to my question, yet he answered it anyway.

“Like to watch me?”

“More like to protect you. Just until we leave.”

“You’re right. I’m opposed to that idea.”

“Too damn bad.”

I sighed. Part of me wished I hadn’t told him, but the other part of me felt a little relieved that I’d have someone with me.

“When do we leave?”

“A week from tomorrow. Have you talked to the people at Vintage?”

I nodded. “I did it tonight.”

Our waitress brought our bill over, and my dad paid with a wad of cash. “Ready?”

I nodded, and just like that, our meal was over.

I had the answers I’d been looking for, I supposed, but it didn’t really make me feel any better. If anything, it left me feeling like the relationship I’d shared with Damien had been a complete and utter lie.

But it was in the past. It didn’t matter anymore. I’d moved on, and now I was trying to move forward. Parker was my present, and I wanted to focus on that.

But I was going away for the next month. We’d already been away from each other for six weeks when he’d gone on tour. Then we were essentially apart from each other while he worked on his album for another month.

And now we’d be apart again.

If we were ever going to grow closer, to get past this “getting to know you” stage, we needed to actually find time to spend together.

When we got back in the Tahoe and started on the road back toward the store, I checked my phone. My dad checked his, too. He sighed at the same time I did when we each saw the number of messages we’d missed.

I had a few texts from Parker.

The most important one had apologized for our fight and requested that I let him know when I was available to talk. He’d told me to name the time and place, and he’d be there.

I tapped out a quick text.
My place. One hour. I’m ready to talk.

I set my phone down and looked over at my dad. His brows were knit together as he concentrated on whatever was on his phone. My dad had always been busy, but I missed those days before cell phones took everyone’s attention away from the present. Parker had a good point about eyes being glued to screens, and ever since he’d said it, I’d started to notice it more and more.