Page 37 of A Lone Star Love Affair
“I’m sure she’s still getting that. I’ll tell her,” Tony said. “Take it easy.” He entered the restaurant as Gabe went striding away.
Tony’s thoughts shifted fully to Sydney. Something bad had happened. He could tell from her terse text message. He wondered what his father had done now. Or had Dylan given her a final goodbye and severed all ties? He knew there was no point in worrying or guessing. In minutes, he would know, because he would hear as soon as she arrived.
He was a few minutes early as he had planned. He wanted a table ready when Sydney appeared. He didn’t want her to have to wait for him.
He tipped the maître d’, whom he knew well, to seat him in a quiet place away from others. The table, in a corner beside a window overlooking downtown, was perfect. He was on the twenty-seventh floor and the view was spectacular, but Tony barely glanced at it as he saw his sister following the maître d’ toward him.
With her black curls in a tangle and her clothing rumpled, Sydney looked as if a catastrophe had befallen her. A few feet from the table he saw her tears shimmer and he wondered what new threat his father had given Sydney. He couldn’t think of anything else to bring her to the disheveled state she was in. He braced to hear the worst.
Seven
Sydney’s sad expression made his insides tighten. Evidently, her news was worse than he had expected. “Dammit,” he whispered under his breath, clenching his fists and trying to curb his anger. Not to mention reminding himself again that his father must never interfere with his own life again.
“Hi, Sydney,” Tony said, holding her chair, his gaze racing over her. It was a mild shock to see her. In the past days, she had lost weight. Her curls were tangled and she was pale. His worry deepened, and he braced for some really grim news.
“Thanks, Tony, for meeting me when you had such short notice.” He sat across from her, waiting in silence for her to tell him her troubles in her own time. The waiter appeared to take their drink orders, returning in minutes with water and a small pot of hot tea for Sydney.
As soon as the waiter took their orders for salads and left them alone Sydney rummaged in her purse. She withdrew a folded envelope and gave it to him. “Here’s your money back, Tony. I appreciate that money more than you’ll ever know.”
“What’s bringing this on?”
Her eyes filled with tears and she looked away. He waited in silence, certain she would answer his question when she regained her composure. Finally she faced him as she wiped her eyes.
“I’m sorry. I really loved Dylan. I guess I made a poor choice. I was wrong about him. I’m giving you back your money because everything is rosy between Mom, Dad and me now. I won’t be disinherited and Dad will pay for medical school. Dylan is gone for good.”
“What happened with Dylan?” Tony asked, feeling a rising tide of anger if Dylan had hurt Sydney, yet still puzzled how he could have hurt her this badly.
She looked away again. The waiter came with salads for both of them and they sat in silence while they were served. As soon as the waiter left, Sydney pushed her plate aside and leaned closer over the table.
“Dylan broke off with me because Dad paid him a lot of money to do so.”
Tony clenched his fist, which was in his lap and out of Sydney’s sight. Fury suffused him, making him hot. “Damn, Sydney, I’m sorry,” he said, as angry with his father as he was with Dylan. “Sydney, if Dylan is that kind of man, you’re better off to find it out now.”
“Common sense tells me that. I loved him. I thought he loved me,” she said, looking away and biting her lip.
“That happens, Syd. It’s hard to really know someone else. When did this happen?”
“Last Friday. Dad called me and told me he wanted to see me. When I went by the house, he told me that he would continue to support me in med school and he was not changing his will since Dylan was out of my life.”
“We talked a little and then he told me just what you said now, that it was better to find out about Dylan now than later. I told him that Dylan left me because he didn’t want me hurt. Dad just smiled as if dealing with a five-year-old. When he did that, I knew something was wrong.”
“Dammit, I’m so sorry,” Tony repeated, knowing full well the look Sydney had received. His father was always smug when he had the upper hand and had manipulated matters to get what he wanted.
“He told me that wasn’t why Dylan left. That it was in his best interests to do so. That’s when he told me he paid Dylan twenty-five thousand dollars to get out of my life and stay out.” She looked stricken as she gazed at Tony, and his sympathy for her deepened.
“By Dad’s standards, it wasn’t much money. That’s the irony of it. Dad would have paid a lot more.” She turned away and put her handkerchief on her eyes, crying silently. “I’m sorry I’m getting so emotional. I’ve been able to hold it together with Mom and Dad, but I can’t with you.”
“Don’t worry about tears. Dammit, Sydney, where does Dylan work?”
Her head jerked around. “Don’t go talking to Dylan. Or worse, don’t go punching him.”
“I’m not going to hit him,” Tony stated, although he didn’t add that he would like to. “What did Dylan say when you confronted him about it?”
“I haven’t. I don’t want to ever see him again. We haven’t been seeing each other, anyway. He’s cut all ties and won’t take my calls. Now I know why. A deal he made with Dad,” she added bitterly. “I can’t even feel angry with Dad. It’s Dylan who tears me up with what he did.”
Tony wanted to leave the restaurant and find Dylan and tell him what he thought of him. He knew it was a knee-jerk reaction, but he was furious that his sister had been so badly treated. “I have to agree, Sydney. I can’t get as angry with Dad as I do with Dylan for being insincere and cheap. You’re so much better off without him. The man you fell in love with obviously wasn’t the real Dylan. He pulled the wool over my eyes, too, Syd. I thought he was really a great guy. He seemed as sincere as possible and I’m accustomed to dealing with men trying to fool me.”
“I know,” she said in a hollow voice. She gripped Tony’s hand. “Promise me you won’t go see Dylan.”
