Page 19 of Game of Love
That was what it said and it only just came after I’d been at the Glass Bowl for an hour and had two cocktails. I wasn’t drunk but maybe on the verge of tipsy, and I wouldn’t have had that last drink if I’d known she wasn’t going to show. I didn’t like drinking while out by myself. Things could happen, and things had happened to people who drank too much when they were out by themselves.
Things people wanted and things they didn’t want.
If something happened to me tonight that I didn’t want, chances were no one would know since Pa had sent me home.
He’d called half an hour ago and I didn’t answer.
Usually I checked in with him when I wasn’t at the hotel.Always. It was practically a rule.
After the way he spoke to me and practically fled from me I’d decided I didn’t care about his stupid rules. I was making a stand because I needed a break.
I needed a damn break to review things with fresh eyes.
I needed some fresh air.
Pa had been avoiding me and I’d made the mistake of telling him what it was I’d wanted to talk to him about.
Armand.
Leaving was the first thing on my mind. It was always my Plan A, but I figured talking it out could ease the situation until I could leave.
The minute I mentioned his name Pa was suddenly busy and he’d been avoiding me ever since, just like he’d been doing whenever the subject of Europe came up.
After that oh, so wonderful conversation I’d had with Armand, I’d decided this was absolute shit. I wasn’t a little girl anymore and it was time to take a stand. Stand up for myself and not be afraid of my father. I was his daughter, so what would he really do to me if I left?
How could I be the age I was and so afraid that he’d lock me away?
If I jumped on a plane right now, what would he do?
Nothing…
He couldn’t do anything to me if I left, so that was the plan.
Leave.
Find some way to leave this Godforsaken life and follow my own path.
It was just planning it out. That was the part I had to get my head around. To do that I needed Armand off my back. Hence why I just wanted to speak to Pa.
Leaving would take very careful planning and I’d have to do it in a subtle but effective way. I’d need money and I could imagine Pa being spiteful and cutting me off. Cutting me off so I would have to crawl back to him.
I could see it and knew that what I had to do was prepare for that if I was going to brave it and defy him.
It was all these things I’d wanted to speak to Anya about, and she wasn’t here.
The bartender made his way back to me and offered up a smile.
“Anything else?” he asked.
“Just some fruit punch,” I answered.
“Sure.” He winked at me and sauntered away to get it.
I’d have that, maybe dance a little then leave.
He came back with the drink and set it down on the counter at the same time the music became more lively with one of the popular club mixes.
Up at the bar, the music had been kept low but because that mix was popular the DJ turned it up louder here for a few seconds then lowered the volume, funneling it back to the dance floor. It was very cool the way he did it.
