Page 71 of Wish Lists and Road Trips

“It’s not foolish. It’s an investment.” Panic eased into indignation. How dare he? He had no idea the planning I’d put into this. He just assumed because it was my idea, it was foolish. “I’ve been waiting years for that money,” I said. “You can’t take it away.” I might have misunderstood some things but I knew that much.

“No, but I can make sure you don’t waste it before we discuss what you’re using it for. I canceled the check request and froze your access to the account.” His voice was calm and smug compared to my rising one. “You can use my credit card for any travel-related expenses, but you’re to come straight home and not spend a dime over what’s required to get here.”

I knew he could see my transactions, but I didn’t know he could stop them. “No. I—youcan’tdo this.”

“This is unbelievable, Bridget. Truly. Come home. Now.”

He hung up and the tiny click of the line disconnecting felt like a bomb exploding in my chest. My mouth hung open, desperately gaping at the phone like it might start laughing and let me in on the joke.

This wasn’t happening. I handled it. A freaking tree had tried to stop me but I handled it. Ducks were put in neat little rows and lists were checked and rechecked and Ihandledit.

And with a flick of his powerful wrist, my father had swiped it all away.

I forced my jaw closed and swallowed against what I assumed was a swelling sob but nothing came. My muscles were slack with defeat. My eyes dry.

All of the time I’d spent dreaming about this house, I was never going to get it. None of the setbacks even mattered because my father had made sure that every single thing I did had to have his approval. He was like the final boss on a video game, the one I was never good enough to beat. And I’d been naive enough about the way the world works that I hadn’t even known the extent of his power. He’d kept me sheltered on purpose.

I’d failed. Game, set, match. He won.

I fumbled with the phone in my hand, pulling up the screen to text Meri. My fingers were barely strong enough to push the keys.

She was already on her way to the bank. I told her to turn around, that I didn’t need her after all. She had a million questions but I couldn’t face them. I thanked her for wasting her night and told her I’d call her soon, then I shut my phone off and sat in the middle of the bed, my arms wrapped around my knees, tired and beaten and numb.

Until I heard the shower turn off and the curtain slide against the rod.

Nick.

Sudden humiliation burned hot across my face. His words flicked through my brain. “You’re badass, Brit.” The way he’d said, “You did it, sweetheart” with such pride in his eyes.

Then, “How’d you end up with a guy like that?”

He’d been quick to say it wasn’t my fault, but wasn’t it? Kind of? Wasn’t all of it?

I couldn’t tell Nick about this. He couldn’t know that I was the mess he thought I was when we first met. I couldn’t stand it.

Just as quickly, my heart tugged in the opposite direction. I wanted to curl into him and break down, tell him how all of my dreams had been shattered and let him hold me and tell me it would be okay. He would. He’d make it better. But then he’d know.

I jumped off the bed and ran to my bag, started pulling out clothes.

The door clicked open and Nick came out, a towel wrapped around his waist while I was pulling on denim shorts over a pair of colorful tights.

“Going somewhere?”

“Can we explore a little?” I asked with a bat of my lashes. I needed to get out of that room. It would be much easier to sell him on myeverything is finesmile if we were out with other people instead of here, alone.

I pulled my hair out of the bun it had been in and combed through pink curls with my fingers. The color suddenly felt childish and ridiculous and I scooped it back up and re-tied it.

“You okay?” he asked, eyebrow raised.

“Of course.”

Nick set his towel down on the armchair in the corner and wrapped his arms around my waist, bending to kiss my neck. “Where do you want to go?”

I reached up to stroke his wet hair, lowering my voice to a sexy whisper while sweat formed on my brow. “I want food.”

Nick laughed. “Okay, sweetheart. Let’s go see what this town has to eat.”

I threw on some jeans and a Henley and Brit and I walked out onto the snow-covered sidewalk. Neither of us had a jacket, so I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her into my side. I had a feeling she was going to want to escape for fresh air before the night was over. She was always restless, it seemed. It made me want to capture her and show her how good I could make her feel if she’d just sit still for me. But it also made me want to follow her just for the moment she got tired and fell into my arms. Christ, I had it bad for this woman.

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