Trust in Me (22 page)

Her father's eyes narrowed and surveyed her rumpled appearance. Kevin winced. He'd have to be blind and stupid to not figure out exactly what they'd been doing. Claire's lips were still swollen from his assault, and she had whisker burns on her neck. Even after riding over here with his helmet on, her hair showed evidence of his pillaging fingers, and the faint circles under her eyes told exactly how little sleep she'd had. Mr. Albritton's blazing scrutiny shifted to Kevin, and the man's desire to rip Kevin's lungs out through his nostrils couldn't have been clearer.

He couldn't blame her father for his violent ideas toward him. If Kevin thought some small town shmuck had done half the things to a daughter of his that he'd enjoyed last night with Claire, Kevin figured he'd be murderously inclined as well.

Mr. Albritton turned back to Claire, and his heated expression cooled a few degrees. He drew a deep breath and blew it out harshly. "You're sure you're all right? There's no problem..." He glanced back at Kevin then took his daughter's arm and pulled her forward a few steps. "If you'd feel more comfortable talking about this inside...alone..."

Claire shook off her father's hand. "No, thank you. I'm quite comfortable speaking in front of Kevin. And I suggest you become used to his presence as well. I intend to spend a great deal of time with him in the future."

While her pronouncement made Kevin want to shout for joy, her father seemed disturbed by the notion. The muscle in her father's jaw ticked again, and his hands flexed and fisted restlessly at his sides.

"In that case, let's go in and sit down. We'll see what we can't work out."

"Work out? There's nothing to
work out
, Daddy."

"On the contrary, honey. You obviously have grievances we need to discuss before you come home, and the sooner we handle your concerns, the sooner we can get back to Asheville."

Claire ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "As I explained on the phone, I have a job here, commitments I won't ignore. I'm not leaving."

"What about your commitments at home? To Blaine and to your family? There's already talk about where you disappeared and why. And plenty of wild speculation. Your coming home will put an end to those rumors. It's not too late to pull the wedding off as planned."

Kevin's heart seized at the thought of Claire marrying another man, of that man making love to her, sharing her life 'til death they do part. A chill of dread filled his veins. He wanted to be that man for her.

"The wedding is
off,
" she said through clenched teeth. She crossed her arms over her chest, and the knot of jealousy in Kevin's gut loosened. "I feel no obligation to Blaine. He's the one who betrayed my trust with another woman. And I really don't care what other people are saying about why I left."

Mr. Albritton scowled. "You should."

"Why?"

"We have the family name to think of. What affects the family affects Albritton Industries as well."

Claire gave a bitter laugh and shook her head. "Of course. Your business. Heaven forbid my happiness get in the way of your business!"

Anger flashed in her father's eyes, and his back stiffened. "That's not...I've never put my business before your happiness! I've always given you everything your heart desired."

"No, Daddy. Not everything."

Mr. Albritton stared at Claire with a perplexed wrinkle in his brow. "I— Well, then we'll fix that. Just tell me what you want, and I'll see that it's yours. You know I'd do anything for you, darling."

"What I want is to stay here, in Grayson." Claire leveled a challenging glare on her father, cocked her head and added,  "With Kevin."

Her post-script shot straight to his heart, filling him with hope. Had he really become a reason for her to stay in Grayson or had she mentioned him for her father's benefit?

The man's gaze shifted to Kevin, sizing him up.

Despite his awkwardness with the situation, Kevin stood his ground.

Claire slipped her hand in Kevin's, and he squeezed her fingers, silently lending her his support. The gesture didn't go unnoticed.

"And just what is it you think you'll find here? What do you think this man has that you can't get from a man of our acquaintance in Asheville?"

Her father's argument twisted inside Kevin with a sharp edge. Therein lay the very heart of why his involvement with Claire pinched him like too-small shoes. He could never give her all that her father had, all that a man from her privileged class could. Didn't it stand to reason that eventually she'd resent the sacrifices she'd have to make to be with him? He didn't want Claire to ever regret a minute with him. He wanted to give Claire the world, but, in truth, only her father or someone like Blaine could do that.

Claire took a deep breath. "It's not a question of what he can give me. I'm here because of
me
. I appreciate what you've done for me through the years, Daddy, but I need to be on my own now. I want to be here, earning my own money, attending the college of my choice." She glanced at Kevin. "And spending the night with the man I choose. Not the one who'll best serve your business needs."

Kevin tensed. Claire sounded just a bit too smug about flaunting their night together like a red cape for her father to charge.

His jaw tight, Mr. Albritton addressed Kevin now. "I think you should go now. I'd like a word alone with my daughter."

"I'll go. If it's what Claire wants." He looked to her for a response. He didn't want to leave her but knew how much fighting her own battles meant to her.

Her gold eyes glittered with determination and fire. She nodded. "Please, Kevin? I have to do this alone."

Sighing his resignation, Kevin stepped back. He pulled the helmet on and stepped over to his motorcycle. "I'm just a call away if you need anything," he said for her ears only.

"Thanks."

"I'll be at the store. I have to open up for the day. Cranky farmers, you know." He glanced over her shoulder at her father. "Why don't you take the day off? Spend some time with your dad?"

"But I—"

"I'm sure Lydia wouldn't mind filling in."

She reached for him and stroked a hand down his arm as he fastened the helmet strap. "Will I see you later tonight?"

The wistfulness in her tone made his chest ache. God he wanted to believe she really cared about him, really wanted to be with him because he made her happy and not because it irked her father.

"Yeah, maybe. I'll call you."

She grabbed his shoulders and stood on her toes to give him a kiss goodbye. Her kiss was deep enough, long enough to raise his body temperature. And make him wonder how much of her ardor was show for her father.

Not that she hadn't kissed him just as fervently last night, all night, but the seed of doubt still niggled.

"Do me a favor?" he asked, pitching his voice low for only her ears.

"Anything," she whispered.

He glanced over at the man watching their goodbye with a wary scowl on his face. "Hear him out."

He pulled away from her puzzled frown and swung his leg over the bike. Without looking back, he gunned the engine and sped off down the tree-lined street.

C
HAPTER
T
HIRTEEN

Claire followed her father into Mrs. Proctor’s living room, missing Kevin already. Somehow having him at her side, knowing she had his support gave her more strength and conviction to stand firm in the face of her father's arguments.

She braced herself for another round of defending her actions and convincing her father she knew what she was doing.

When he stopped pacing long enough to face her, he opened his arms and sighed. "Do I at least get a hug? I've missed you, sweetheart."

The loving gesture shattered the justifications and protests poised on her tongue. Launching herself into her father's arms, she wrapped him in a tight neck hug the way she had as a little girl. The scent of her father's imported cologne surrounded her like a favorite old blanket. "I've missed you, too."

He kissed her cheek. "Your mother and I have been so worried about you."

"You didn't need to be. I told you when I called that I was fine."

"I know, but you're my little girl. It's a father's job to worry."

Claire backed out of his arms, frowning. "Take another look at me, Dad. I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm all grown up, and I can take care of myself."

Something dark and sad passed over her father's face. "All I've ever wanted was what was best for you."

"I know that. But your idea of what was best and mine were different. I couldn't go on letting you make my decisions anymore."

He huffed in a manner that reflected frustration and disagreement, and Claire raised a hand to forestall the argument she knew was coming.

"Like Blaine for example. I convinced myself I was happy with him for your sake, because he was what you wanted for me. But I didn't love him. And he obviously didn't love me or he wouldn't have cheated on me the way he did." She paused and found her father's gaze with a hard look. "What really hurt was knowing you were turning your back on his unfaithfulness. How could you condone that kind of behavior in the man I was supposed to marry?"

Her father's face tensed. "He swore to me he'd be faithful after the wedding. I didn't like it, but...well, his father and I were in delicate negotiations at the time and—"

Her face must have reflected the depth of her hurt and anger, because he stopped abruptly and shook his head. "Now don't go reading things into that. My business dealings are just that. Business. I'd never sacrifice your happiness for business considerations."

"I don't see how I can read that situation any other way! You excused Blaine's cheating to appease his father because you were negotiating with him."

Her father started pacing again. "All right. So your anger is justified. I'm sorry. Is that what you want to hear? Is that what this little jaunt to Smallsville is about?"

She pulled her shoulders back. "No. I'm in Grayson because it's where Harrison University is. I've enrolled here for the fall semester to start my Master’s degree. I want to teach English Lit. like Nana did. It's what I love."

"You're here to get your Master's degree?" The note of surprise in his voice cut her. He really
hadn't
been paying attention to her all those years.

"Yes. I fell in love with literature when I was a kid, spending vacations here. And I love Harrison. Grayson, too. There's a feeling of community here. This is where I belong, Daddy."

"Fine. Fine. I'll make arrangements Monday to set up a spending account for you with enough to cover your tuition and expenses."

Claire groaned. "No, I want to pay my own way. That's why I got the job at the hardware store."

He gave her an indulgent grin. "What do you know about hardware?"

Her returned smile boasted her progress. "A lot more now than I did a few weeks ago. I didn't say it was easy. But I'm doing it on my own. And I finally feel good about myself. I'm paying my own way." She stepped toward her father and held his gaze. "Do you have any idea what that means to me? Because
that
is what this about. I'm here for
me
." She clapped a hand over her heart and watched her father's internal struggle play out on his face. He may have had a poker face in business dealings, but in personal matters, he wore his heart on his sleeve.

"I can accept all of this except—"

Claire's hopes soared. Had she really gotten through to her father at last? "Except what?"

She took a seat on the Queen Anne sofa while her father paced. "You lied to me," her father said in a low tone that reflected both hurt and anger.

"Pardon?"

He turned sharply and faced her, aiming a finger at her. "When you called to tell us you were all right, I asked you specifically if you were with a man. You said '
no
'."  Now he pointed his finger toward the front curb where Kevin had just driven away. "So explain why you were out with that man all night."

She straightened her spine and lifted her chin regally. "I didn't lie. When I called you, when I told you there wasn't any man, I wasn’t involved with Kevin yet."

Her father’s gaze narrowed. "Define
involved
."

She steeled her nerves against the uneasy flutter in her gut. "My relationship with Kevin is none of your business. But since you asked, I will tell you this much—I’m falling in love him."  She surprised herself as much as her father when she admitted what her heart had been telling her for days. She heard a soft sigh and glanced behind her.

Mrs. Proctor stood in the doorway with her hand pressed to her chest. The older woman sent her a smile, and the unexpected and unprecedented approval from her landlady brought a quick smile to her own lips. When Mrs. Proctor nodded to her and shuffled off to the kitchen, Claire faced her father again. Mrs. Proctor’s support buoyed the joy that swelled in her heart when she acknowledged the sweet bond she’d formed with Kevin.

Or had she? He’d never said anything of his feelings for her.

Shaking off her doubts, she watched her father stalk back and forth across the narrow room. She braced for the battle to come, determined to exert the independence and self-confidence she’d found while in Grayson.

"Sweetheart, I’m sure that this...that
Kevin
seems exciting and different to you, what with his motorcycle and small town lifestyle. But once the novelty of a flirtation with someone who is...well, rough around the edges wears off, what’s left?"

Even couched as it was, she resented the slam against Kevin. Gritting her teeth to bite back a scathing retort, Claire rubbed the tension that shot pain from her temple.

Her father spread his hands in appeal. "Your future is with someone whose class, breeding and education are more befitting a woman of your stature."

"Someone like Blaine?"

"Well...yes."

Claire scoffed. She'd never realized what an elitist snob her father could be. His attitude rankled. And stirred an uneasy memory skirting the edge of her thoughts.