Page 34 of The Right Woman

“Sorry to interrupt. Piper, your car is done and at the shop whenever you need it.”

My eyes grow wide at his presence here with my family. “Oh, um. Thanks.”

“Adon Griffin, right? From Griffin Motors? I’m Greg Hendricks.” Dad’s hand juts out to greet Adon, who shakes it once, then stands back. “You here alone?”

Adon nods. “Yeah, just getting seated and enjoying a good meal before the weekend.”

“Please, join us. I’m with Northview Community Bank. We’ve been vying for your business for a while now.” My dad makes this weird laugh that makes me cringe, but shockingly, Adon sits down next to me while giving me a leery glance. Like he’s afraid I’ll bite him if he gets too comfortable. Oddly, he leaves his arm around the back of my seat, like he’s protecting me.

“Thanks. I think I will.”

The waiter presents our dinner options, and everyone places their orders while I secretly hope this dinner is over faster than normal. Although, having Adon here, sitting across from my two enemies, is comforting in a way. I just hope he doesn’t say something to make my life worse. And he definitely could.

After a sip of his wine, my father taps the table with his thumb to gain Adon’s attention. “You helped Meghan when she had her accident that day. A true hero.”

Adon’s lips form a tight line, and his eyes reflect the memory of what he tried to do. I can tell it’s the last thing he wanted to think about. “I tried.”

My father adjusts his glasses on his nose and leans closer, lowering his voice. “You don’t have any female employees, do you, Mr. Griffin?”

Startled, Adon sits back in his chair and shakes his head slightly. My tummy twists in a knot, watching the chaos about to unfold. “Uh, just our front desk staff.”

A slight, knowing nod comes from my dad. “Be careful. You know how the workforce is nowadays. Women sue for literally anything. You break it off with them, and here comes the lawsuits claiming sexual harassment.”

Maeve pats my father’s hand on the table. “She was a slut anyway, Dad.”

It’s difficult to swallow, my mouth is so dry. If I thought that Adon wouldn’t want me before, given how broken I am, surely, he’ll flee now after seeing what I come from.

“Um, I’ll take that into consideration.” Adon takes a large drink of his water and eyes me while he does so, like he’s checking with me to see if this is normal. Unfortunately, it is.

“Wait,” I interrupt the loving father-daughter moment between my sister and dad. “Are you talking about the woman thatdied? You two weretogether?”

As if he’s bored, my father brushes some unseen crumbs off his suit jacket. “The woman hit onme. And it was brief. I rejected her, and then here she comes with threats from lawyers once I ended things.”

Endedthings…which means there was something there to begin with.

“This is why it’s so important to keep families together. Divorce does no one any good.” Maeve glances around the table, like she’s giving a speech at a beauty pageant. “Mr. Griffin, you aren’t divorced, are you?”

Adon’s broad chest expands, almost popping the buttons off his black button-down shirt as he strokes his bottom lip with his tongue before responding. “Uh, yeah. Yes, I am.”

“Oh. Well, that’s a shame. My boyfriend always says divorce ruins children, especially daughters. Do you have a daughter? Do you hate your ex-wife?”

My body shrinks into my chair, wanting to disappear completely. It’s like I’m watching a horror movie and can’t stop the outcome. The worst part, though, is that Iwantto hear his answers, too.

“I do have a daughter. And I get along with my ex very well. We’re good friends and parents to our kids.”

Maeve’s eyes flash to my face, as if she’s speaking to me, but her words are directed at the man next to me. “You should work on reconciling with her, then.”

My lips part with a gasp as I glance at Adon, who steals a look at me. He swallows and replies, “I?—”

“Here’re your dishes!” With spectacular flourish, the waiter sets our plates in front of us and the rest of the meal is eaten in uncomfortable silence. Other than my father awkwardly pitching to Adon ways to garner his business for the bank. But he won’t look at me. Not that I want him to see the utter mortification painting my face. The lack of eye contact makes it clear. Adon is finished with me after this. As he should be.

When the misery ends, I don’t even wait for Adon to stand before I scurry outside, tears heating my eyes.

It’s notjustthe way my family is that makes my cheeks flame with embarrassment. They’re a reflection of howwrongI am for anyone. I’ll never be normal. I can’t be like Adon’s ex-wife and why I even feel the need to try to fit myself into that role is beyond me.

I’m halfway to my apartment, the cold wind striking like daggers on my bare ears. As I reach the building before it, large arms grab my body and hoist me back.

Chapter

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