Fated to be Mine Read Free Page B

fitting cause for a person like me.”
    That last little jab was unintentional. Maybe I’ll be lucky and he won’t know what the Foundation does. At least I hope he won’t. I’m not a mean person. Deep down, I do love my father, but it’s hard not to hold on to some sort of resentment for the condition of my childhood and his direct part in it.
    “Ah yes, I’ve heard of them. They do fantastic work and are most definitely a great cause. Aren’t they based in London though?”
    Shit. He has heard of them. If he was affected by my off the cuff comment, he sure doesn’t show it. I blink rapidly and swallow hard. “Yes, they are. That’s where we met the board last week. They gave us several tours of different centers to show us what they offer to the children.”
    “I see. You never mentioned you were going abroad. You should have told me. I’m still your father and would like to know when my daughter is leaving the country, even if she is a grown adult.”
    I bite my lip and look down at my lap. “I didn’t want to make a big deal about it. I went as Kara’s assistant so my role was pretty small. But I was grateful for the opportunity to see firsthand what the Foundation does and who we are going to represent.”
    Andrew’s face quickly flashes into my head and I shake it off, not wanting to dwell on him while sitting in front of my dad. But then he stands, draining the liquid from the tumbler and setting it on the bar behind his desk.
    “Of course, as her assistant. It was very nice of Ms. Thomas to take you with her.”
    And with that statement my mood plummets even further to the ground. That simple statement says so much more than what is on the surface. He was less than thrilled when I went to a two-year community college, only to graduate with my associates degree and a certificate for Administration Assistant. It’s not exactly something he can brag about to his high and mighty friends, whose sons and daughters all followed in the family business, being doctors and lawyers and such. His absence from my life was a determining factor to not follow in his career path. That was not a life I wanted. If I should ever get the chance for a family, I wanted to be there and spend time with them, show them they are the most important thing in my life, not my career.
    I follow him out of the room, making some idle small talk on our way to the living room. Sharon is perched on her stark white designer couch, casually flipping through the latest fashion magazine. My dad walks up behind her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders before dipping down and lightly kissing her cheek. Sharon beams brightly at him, leaning into the kiss yet never once stops turning the pages. I can never tell if she really loves my dad or if she’s only interested in him for what he can give her. A scowl forms on her face when her eyes finally land on me, standing in the doorway to the great room.
    “Hello, Tessa. You look … nice.” Her nose crinkles as she glances over my appearance. Apparently jeans and a nice sweater aren’t proper Sunday dinner attire, as she lounges in her Chanel suit, which I find as slightly overkill. It’s the weekend and she doesn’t work. Why on earth would she need to wear something like that? Oh yes, to rub it in my face how much of my dad’s money she has and how little of it I have.
    “Um, thanks, Sharon.” My toe twists nervously against the cherry wood floors, thankful that I picked a pair of socks without a hole or worn out soles in them. I stand there for a few seconds in awkward silence before Miriam arrives to announce that dinner is ready.
    Sharon gracefully rises from the couch and takes the offered arm from my dad as he leads her to the formal dining room. I silently follow, mindful not to bump into any tables or trip over the rugs lining the hallway. I don’t need an embarrassing display right now. Dinner will be enough as it is.
    My dad pulls out Sharon’s chair for her, placing a