Page 103 of Don't Bet On It
“Maybe,” I hedged uncomfortably. “There may be more. I need to talk to Ronan first. Can you get us a meeting with Zach and Olivia in the lounge? Ronan and I both have shifts, and I need to talk to him before we discuss things with them.”
“I can manage that,” Candy said. “Do you want to give me a hint about what else is coming?”
“There is one other potential player. I can’t say more than that just yet, though.”
“Okay.” She didn’t push me. It wasn’t her way. “I’ll get Zach and Olivia down to the lounge, and we’ll go from there.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” I meant it. “I’ll see you soon.”
“You will. I promise.”
I CHANGED INTO MY UNIFORM ANDheaded straight for Ronan when I got to the lounge.
“I did something, and I need you not to be mad,” I announced.
He looked up from where he was sorting his table items. “Uh-oh. What is it?”
“Just … promise me you won’t be mad.”
“I can’t promise that unless I know what you’re talking about.”
He had a point. Any promise he made would be moot without the information. So I told him about my conversation with Candy. I added that I thought he should volunteer the information about his father to Zach and Olivia but stressed I hadn’t shared that with the therapist. When I was done, he looked as calm as ever.
“So … are you mad?” I asked, bracing myself.
“Why would I be mad?”
“Because your father could potentially be drawn into this.”
“If my father has done something to help Ryder, he deserves to be drawn into this.” He didn’t look mad. He was good at hiding his emotions sometimes, though.
“So, that’s it? You don’t want to yell at me?”
“No, Tallulah, I don’t want to yell at you. I do think, however, that maybe we should bring my father into this meeting.”
That threw me. “You want to tell him that we’re on to him?”
“I want to give my father the opportunity to explain himself. It’s possible he’s just being a friend to Ryder.”
“But you don’t believe that.”
“I’m not sure what to believe. I’m willing to listen to him.”
“And you’re really not mad at me?”
He broke into a wide grin. “Tallulah, you’ve done nothing to make me angry. I’m glad you felt you could go to Candy. Quite frankly, I think that was a smart move.”
“Because you’re a proponent of therapy,” I teased.
“I am. That will never change.”
“Well, I’m not sorry for doing it. I feel as if a weight has been lifted. If Ryder and Sharon are plotting something, I want to cut them off at the knees.”
“That sounds good to me.”
And because I believed him, even more weight lifted from my shoulders. “This is turning into a good deal,” I said before I realized what was going to come out of my mouth.
His eyes were soft when they locked with mine. “It’s turning into the best deal. For sure.”
