Page 187 of Double or Nothing

She turns towards him. “What is?”

“The dutiful daughter routine.”

Her smile fades. Her lips purse like they always do when he’s pissed her off.

“I’ll call when I’m on my way back.”

“Call when you’re eating your carrots, I dare you,” Jack says. “Put me on speaker.”

“Ha, as if. You’d tell Dad to fuck off before even saying hello.”

“Someone should.”

She collects her tailored beige coat. I hold it open for her as she slips her arms into it.

The gesture feels painfully formal.

The kind of thing I might do for her at one of her father’s functions. Dependable Bryce, standing helpfully at Alice Parker’s side while knowing she will ultimately leave with someone more suitable.

I want to ask her not to go.

The words are there.

But, yet again, I swallow them.

“Don’t agree to anything,” Jack says across the kitchen.

She rolls her eyes. “I’m going for lunch, not signing a merger.”

“With your father, I’m not sure there’s a difference.”

She shakes her head, lips still pursed.

Then she leaves.

I follow her into the corridor to wave her off.

The lift doors close.

I watch the numbers descend until they disappear.

When I return to the kitchen, Jack is standing exactly where I left him.

His playboy grin is gone. Blue eyes like steel.

“You need to do something about this.”

I take my coffee from the island. “There’s nothing I can do.”

“Bullshit.”

“Insightful, as ever.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

He folds his arms. “You’re going to stand there looking tragic while she gets marched towards some Chicago prick she doesn’t even want? Fine. You do you, but I’m not.”