Chapter Fourteen

Penny

I woke up excited, ready to see my team, give them the awesome updates, and really get back to work on this project. It was nice knowing I was going to walk into the meeting with good news, since we had faced so many bumps in the road along the way. I grabbed a coffee at the café before heading out of the building and grabbing a cab. I had rented a small space in Brooklyn for us to have a home base for the project. Some of the staff worked there, but most everyone worked remotely, not wanting to move their entire stash of equipment to the office. I understood, especially since most days I worked out of the Avalon myself.

Once I arrived and greeted everyone, we dove right into the updates. Everything was right on track, we had been able to move through all the issues seamlessly, and were on schedule to launch the demo of the software in two weeks. Everyone was ecstatic, and we talked about all the things this would mean for us. My mind was on track at that moment, but I knew Gabriel was going to eventually creep his way back in. But for the moment, I was focused on the people I worked with, and the great meeting we just had. Everything seemed like it was starting to line up for me and honestly, it was blowing my mind.

Excited didn’t even begin to cover what I was feeling. I had created a software that had the ability to outshine every other product in the field. I had put together a team of the best in the business to trail me, fix my mistakes, and make this program completely fool proof. We already had interest from buyers across the world and my anxiety level was at a peak. I had rented this building, but I didn’t expect to be there for very long. I suspected we would be in a better place, with an actual setup by the end of the month. Then everyone would have a place to go and work, and while I focused on the marketing aspects of the product, my developers could start on the next phase of projects. Everything was perfect.

After the meeting, I went back to the Avalon, ready to get down to work. I smiled at the security guard and waved at Gabby, who was working a shift at the café. As I turned the corner, I stopped, scooting over behind a pillar. Gabriel and my father were standing by the elevators talking. I tilted my head, wondering what they could be talking about. They definitely didn’t look like they were two strangers meeting for the first time. I inched closer, not wanting to be seen. Everything about that situation seemed strange and I wanted to get to the bottom of it.

The conversation looked heated. Every time someone would walk past, they would lower their voices and look around. My father had a furrowed brow, and though irritation was on his face, he also looked to be pleased with Gabriel in some ways. Gabriel’s body language was angry but contemplative and his hands were clutched behind his back as he spoke to my father. I looked around, making sure no one was watching me, and scooted across the floor to the wall that was just around the corner from them. I wanted to know what the hell was going on, and I knew if they saw me they would quickly change their demeanor. I was tired of these games, of this uncertainty, and I wanted to know what was going on right then and there.

I scooted closer to them, but their voices were muffled by the sound of the television in the lobby. I gritted my teeth and stepped closer, now right on the other side of the wall. I leaned my head against the marble and listened, wanting to understand why both Gabriel and my father were meeting like this, yet had told me they didn’t know each other. It was all so confusing, and I needed to get to the bottom of it.

“It’s not the time,” my father said, angrily. “She is my daughter and I will decide the timeframe.”

“And I care way too much about her to keep lying to her,” Gabriel replied. “You need to tell her.”

“Tell me what?” I walked around the corner and stood there, staring at both of them.

They both froze at the sound of my voice, turning toward me with completely startled faces. They stood there staring at me, neither one knowing what to say. I had caught them both completely off guard and I wanted some damn answers. “I said, tell me what?” I put my hands on my hips and stared at them angrily. “Someone better start talking.”

“You really need to sit down with your dad,” Gabriel said, shaking his head. “This needs to be between the two of you.”

“No, obviously you are involved,” I said.

“Still, this is your father’s place,” he said, shaking his head.

I stood there absolutely livid, knowing whatever my father told me was going to be a sugarcoated and washed down version of the story. That was exactly what I didn’t want. I wanted the God damn truth, and I wanted these two to stop treating me like a child. I was a grown woman and I deserved answers as to why they were both obviously lying to me.

“If you really care for me, like you said you did in that speech last night, you need to tell me what is going on,” I said staring at Gabriel. “This is not okay in the least. I thought that we were partners in this. I thought that I could trust you.”

“Penny you can trust me,” he said pleadingly. “Look, I know your father. I’ve known your father for about a decade.”

“I knew it,” I said, shaking my head and wrapping my arms around myself.

I stood there angrily clenching my teeth and trying to keep my hands from shaking. This whole time Gabriel knew exactly who my father was, and he purposely lied to me. I didn’t know why he was lying, but I felt completely and utterly betrayed. Everything about this situation was shady and I couldn’t figure out why my father was standing there like a dog with his tail between his legs. I wanted to scream at them both, and tell them how horrible they were for lying to the one person that supported both of them. Instead, I just stood there staring at them, waiting for someone to give me more information than what I had so far. They knew each other, fine, but if it was a good relationship they would have told me from the beginning. There was something bad going on between them, I could feel it.

“You don’t understand,” Gabriel said. “I’m not trying to keep things from you.”

“Then explain it to me, I’m not stupid,” I said angrily. “I am pretty sure I’ll catch on quickly.”

“Many years ago, I was going to do a deal with your dad,” Gabriel said, quietly.

“Gabriel,” my father snapped. “Don’t. Please don’t do this, not like this.”

My head snapped toward my father and I looked at him suspiciously. Why would my father not want Gabriel to tell me what happened? What was so insanely difficult about telling me what happened between them?

“Dad,” I said, with a controlled, but angry voice. “What is going on? Please explain all of this to me, because it looks terrible.”

He stood there staring at me. He opened his mouth to say something, but sighed and shook his head. He didn’t want to tell me whatever this was, but I didn’t care. If either of them wanted me in their lives, then they needed to start talking. I was not going to stand by and allow myself to be caught up in something that didn’t feel right at all.

“Randall,” Gabriel snapped. “You need to figure this out. You owe her an explanation. This isn’t just your life you’re affecting anymore.”

I looked back and forth between my father and Gabriel, realizing they weren’t going to talk. I shook my head at them both, sick to my stomach over the whole thing. I turned and walked away toward the doors, ignoring as Gabriel called after me. If they wanted to be silent, I could be silent too.