Tabby not far behind. Sam raked his fingers over the top of his head. Yeah, call him chicken, but he was going to stay out of this one for now.
* * * *
Erin had nearly reached the door when her father’s voice stopped her. “Was it really necessary to make such a scene?”
She spun on him, temper flaring. “Was it necessary to announce to everyone that I ‘dropped out’ in that offended paternal tone?”
Stoner glared at her. “It is offensive, Erin. You could have been anything! You’re beautiful and smart, but you chose—you chose not to concentrate on your education.”
“You’re wrong, Daddy. You are so, so wrong. I was stupid then and I am now. Do you think I want jobs like I’ve had? A nanny, a cook, a lifeguard—a topless bar hostess, for God’s sake! But it’s always been much easier to blame that on laziness than face the reality that I just wasn’t there when intelligence was doled out to the almighty Richardson bloodline.”
Erin slammed the door behind her as she raced across the terrace to the guesthouse. She wanted a drink. She was tired of trying to play nice and fit in. Damn them all, and damn her for thinking she could come back, could make anyone change their opinion of her. There must be something to drink around the guesthouse.
She found the bar in the corner of the great room and quickly splashed two fingers of bourbon into a glass. She tossed it back in silent toast to Evan and Stoner who both enjoyed a shot of fine bourbon. She poured another one and had it halfway to her mouth when she heard the knock on the door.
“Leave me alone!” she snarled, her hand clenched around the glass, certain it had to be her father. Why couldn’t he give it up?
“Open the door, Erin,” Tabby said quietly. “It’s Jenny and me.”
It took Erin only a heartbeat to consider before she snatched the door open and spun back into the room, with the bourbon still in hand. She toasted them with it.
“Are we having a little girl to girl talk? I don’t do too well at those. I always got along with guys much better. What do you want to know? How I graduated at the bottom of my high school class, but thanks to Daddy’s influence managed to get accepted at a small college? How I dropped out of college before I could get kicked out because my grades sucked?”
Jenny gently removed the glass of bourbon from her hand, and led her to the couch. Erin shook with nerves. She didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to stay here. All she wanted was a chance to lie low for a while.
“Honey,” Jenny prompted gently. “What is it? Every time I see you, you look ready to shatter into a million pieces. Don’t lock it inside. Don’t do what Stoner did. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
Everything inside Erin stilled. “Is something wrong with Daddy?” She choked the question out, her guard dropping as she had to ask, “Is he sick?”
Jenny looked at her strangely. “Erin, Stoner is serving two years house arrest on conspiracy charges. He pleaded guilty. You didn’t know?”
Erin stiffened and flushed. How humiliating not to know something that had probably been all over the press, but then she had avoided reading anything about her family as much as she could. “No.”
“Sometimes,” Tabby said softly, “burdens are easier to carry when they’re shared. Jenny and I both want to help. We wouldn’t tell anyone else what we discuss here.”
Erin glared at Tabby. “I’m supposed to open up to two people who are practically strangers?”
Tabby ignored Erin’s rudeness, sitting on the edge of one of the overstuffed chairs. “Only if you want to. We both want to help, Erin. You’re family.”
Erin curled in a chair as far away from Tabby as possible. Her younger sister spooked her. She was as serene as a damn Buddha. “Couldn’t we learn about each other in the regular way?”
Jenny flopped on the couch. “You mean we head to Roanoke for a shopping spree, gorge on fattening food, and
* * * *
Erin had nearly reached the door when her father’s voice stopped her. “Was it really necessary to make such a scene?”
She spun on him, temper flaring. “Was it necessary to announce to everyone that I ‘dropped out’ in that offended paternal tone?”
Stoner glared at her. “It is offensive, Erin. You could have been anything! You’re beautiful and smart, but you chose—you chose not to concentrate on your education.”
“You’re wrong, Daddy. You are so, so wrong. I was stupid then and I am now. Do you think I want jobs like I’ve had? A nanny, a cook, a lifeguard—a topless bar hostess, for God’s sake! But it’s always been much easier to blame that on laziness than face the reality that I just wasn’t there when intelligence was doled out to the almighty Richardson bloodline.”
Erin slammed the door behind her as she raced across the terrace to the guesthouse. She wanted a drink. She was tired of trying to play nice and fit in. Damn them all, and damn her for thinking she could come back, could make anyone change their opinion of her. There must be something to drink around the guesthouse.
She found the bar in the corner of the great room and quickly splashed two fingers of bourbon into a glass. She tossed it back in silent toast to Evan and Stoner who both enjoyed a shot of fine bourbon. She poured another one and had it halfway to her mouth when she heard the knock on the door.
“Leave me alone!” she snarled, her hand clenched around the glass, certain it had to be her father. Why couldn’t he give it up?
“Open the door, Erin,” Tabby said quietly. “It’s Jenny and me.”
It took Erin only a heartbeat to consider before she snatched the door open and spun back into the room, with the bourbon still in hand. She toasted them with it.
“Are we having a little girl to girl talk? I don’t do too well at those. I always got along with guys much better. What do you want to know? How I graduated at the bottom of my high school class, but thanks to Daddy’s influence managed to get accepted at a small college? How I dropped out of college before I could get kicked out because my grades sucked?”
Jenny gently removed the glass of bourbon from her hand, and led her to the couch. Erin shook with nerves. She didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to stay here. All she wanted was a chance to lie low for a while.
“Honey,” Jenny prompted gently. “What is it? Every time I see you, you look ready to shatter into a million pieces. Don’t lock it inside. Don’t do what Stoner did. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
Everything inside Erin stilled. “Is something wrong with Daddy?” She choked the question out, her guard dropping as she had to ask, “Is he sick?”
Jenny looked at her strangely. “Erin, Stoner is serving two years house arrest on conspiracy charges. He pleaded guilty. You didn’t know?”
Erin stiffened and flushed. How humiliating not to know something that had probably been all over the press, but then she had avoided reading anything about her family as much as she could. “No.”
“Sometimes,” Tabby said softly, “burdens are easier to carry when they’re shared. Jenny and I both want to help. We wouldn’t tell anyone else what we discuss here.”
Erin glared at Tabby. “I’m supposed to open up to two people who are practically strangers?”
Tabby ignored Erin’s rudeness, sitting on the edge of one of the overstuffed chairs. “Only if you want to. We both want to help, Erin. You’re family.”
Erin curled in a chair as far away from Tabby as possible. Her younger sister spooked her. She was as serene as a damn Buddha. “Couldn’t we learn about each other in the regular way?”
Jenny flopped on the couch. “You mean we head to Roanoke for a shopping spree, gorge on fattening food, and
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