Chapter 79

Tiffany was in the middle of the backseat and began to scramble over top of Molly to get out.

“I’ll open the door and let you out,” Molly said. “Let Katelyn stop the car first.”

James Grayling looked toward the sedan that had pulled in behind his rental car. He didn’t recognize the driver or the passenger. He didn’t recognize anyone until he saw his little girl try to get out of the back. A smile came to him as he watched her.

The gate was blocked so Molly and Tiffany got out to punch in the gate code. James shook his head as his daughter opened the gate and then turned to him with a questioning look.

“This is where you live?” he asked.

“I’m part owner of the house,” Tiffany told him. James shook his head again, almost as in denial. “Go ahead and pull up to the house but don’t park in front of the garage. OK?”

“Sure,” James said. “Uh, it’s good to see you. I’ve missed you.”

Tiffany gave her father a hug that was meant to be brief but the man didn’t seem interested in releasing her. He clutched her to him tightly and kissed her on top the head.

“I don’t want to break up a family reunion but if he doesn’t hurry, I’m going to pee myself,” Katelyn muttered. Molly climbed back into the car when Tiffany got in with her father and they drove up to the house.

Katelyn shot into the house as soon as she shut off the car.

“That’ll teach her to drink two sports drinks,” Hailey laughed. The rest of the group got out to be introduced to Tiffany’s father.

James had put his arm around Tiffany as soon as she got out his car, as though he was afraid she was going to bolt. Tiffany seemed just as happy to hold on to her father.

“Dad, I’d like to introduce you to some people who are very important to me,” Tiffany said. She smiled as Katelyn came back out. Phil couldn’t figure out why they didn’t go inside but he decided it wasn’t worth asking about.

“The guy there in the middle is Phil Warner and this is his girlfriend, Hailey Warren,” she said.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Grayling,” Phil said, extending a hand.

“James, please,” Tiffany’s dad said with a smile. “I’m even thinking about trying ‘Jim’ on for size.”

“It’s a pleasure, James,” Hailey offered. “I think that sounds better than Jim.”

“James it is,” he laughed.

“This is Katelyn Gorman,” Tiffany told him.

“Hello, James,” Katelyn said.

Tiffany bit her lip for only a moment before turning to Molly.

“And this is my girlfriend, Molly Kelly,” she said in a firm voice. “She’s the most important person in my life.”

James blinked hard and visibly gulped. The news had clearly caught him off guard but he rebounded.

“How very wonderful to meet you, Molly,” James said. “If you’re important to my daughter, then you’re important to me. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Thank you,” Molly replied. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

“Oh, I love your voice!” James said. “I think you have a future reading audiobooks if you ever lack for work.”

Molly actually blushed. Tiffany extended her arm to Molly and the redhead took it. James looked briefly at them holding hands and smiled.

“Have you been playing in a softball tournament or something?” he asked, taking in the jerseys the girls still wore. Phil had returned his to the coaches for laundering. He just wore his undershirt.

“Phil is on the school’s baseball team,” Tiffany said brightly. “They had a game today. We’re his cheering section.”

“If I had you cheering for me, I think I’d be compelled to perform as well as I could,” James said with a laugh. As the day had gotten warmer, the girls had taken a break to return to the bathroom to put their T-shirts back on. Then they unbuttoned their jerseys. Phil thought they looked adorable and, apparently, so did Tiffany’s father.

“Why don’t we get in out of the heat,” Phil offered. “I want to get a shower and we need to get things set up for this afternoon.”

“I should have called ahead,” James lamented. “I wanted to surprise Tiffany. I wasn’t sure I had the right place when I saw the gated entrance. I thought you might be still be sleeping so I rang the buzzer a few times. I’m sorry you have plans today.”

“It’s just some friends coming out for burgers and swimming,” Hailey said. “You’re more than welcome. Come on inside.”

Molly gave Tiffany’s hand a squeeze as they followed the group.

“That meant a lot to me,” Molly told her, “to be introduced that way.”

“It’s what you are,” Tiffany said. “I’m not going to hide how I feel. I love you and I want to be with you. You love me and want to be with me. I don’t care if anyone likes it.”

She leaned in for a soft kiss and they continued into the house. James had reacted the same way as everyone else who had entered the house.

He had stopped to peer at the beauty of the interior – its high ceilings and vaulted doorways.

“How is it that you own this?” he asked his daughter.

“I only own a portion it,” Tiffany explained. “Phil fronted the money for the purchase and the four of us provide the day-to-day living expenses. We formed a property holding group called K2G2W. That’s Kelly, Gorman, Grayling, Warren and Warner. We also hold the title to a penthouse apartment in Calder City and we’re going to lease our vehicles through the corporation.”

“I should have brought you in to run our company,” James said. “You might not have been able to stop it but at least we’d have known it was coming.”

“Phil and Hailey might have been able to but not me,” Tiffany said. “I’ll take care of publicity and marketing. Katelyn is studying accounting. Hailey worked as Elizabeth Barton’s private assistant this summer and Phil is the mastermind that pulled off the resurrection of Waterford & Waterford.”

“And you, Dear?” Jack asked Molly, clearly impressed.

“I’m the entertainment,” Molly answered with a laugh.

“She is the normal one,” Hailey said. “She’s the one who lets us know when we’re too serious. She’s the one with the most talent. She’s a concert cellist and she is excellent.”

James’ smile widened.

“The arts are too often ignored in the age of greed and immediate gratification,” he said in a serious voice. “I am very happy that my daughter has found someone passionate to love. Money cannot be the sole driving force in the universe. I often wish I had followed my first love and become an engineer. My life would have been far more fulfilling. I’m 52 years old and I have nothing to love except for my daughter. I see that you love her just as much – maybe more.”

“I really do, Mr. Grayling,” Molly said. “I really didn’t mean to fall in love with her but I have. We’re ... we’re good together.”

“I can see that,” James said smiling. “Uh, the reason I’m here...”

“Would you like for us to give you some privacy?” Phil asked. “This seems like a family matter.”

“You’re her family,” James said. “I understand that. I know I can’t repair the relationship I’ve destroyed. I can’t address the way I permitted my wife and daughters to treat Tiffany. What I would like to do is to build a new relationship with a child I’ve always loved more than the rest of my children. It’s a shame to admit that but I always felt Tiffany was my child. Her sisters were her mother’s children and my son is no one’s child. I know that any relationship I have with Tiffany will include you and I’m in no way unhappy about that.

“Look at her! She’s happy; she’s confident; she’s proven her competence. I know she gained that through the relationships she’s developed with you. I think you should stay if you would like.”

Phil was prepared to leave but Katelyn and Hailey took a seat.

“I’m going to shower,” Phil said. “I will support whatever decision Tiffany reaches – as I’ve always tried to do. See you in a while.”

“I’m just nosy,” Katelyn admitted, causing James to laugh.

“She’s my best friend,” Hailey said. “I’ll support her decision, too, but I’m here if she needs me.”

“Good enough for me,” James said. “Tiffany, I’ve been offered a job as sales manager in West Littlefield. That’s about 25 miles from here. I’d like to look for a place in town here or at least nearby where I can see you often. I will walk away if you think that is what’s best. I’ve abrogated my right to make decisions for you. They’re putting me up in a hotel here for the next couple of weeks while I look around for lodgings. I was ... I was thinking I could take you to dinner tonight but I can see that you have other plans. Perhaps we can meet for lunch tomorrow? Molly, of course, you’re invited – as are the rest of you.”

“Why don’t we host you for lunch tomorrow, Dad?” Tiffany asked. “And I’m sure you’re welcome to stay this afternoon. It’s low-key. We’re not going to drink or get rowdy. We’re just going to hang out by the pool.”

“No, that’s OK,” James said. “I don’t think my heart could handle that.”

He handed her a card with a phone number on it.

“That’s my new cell phone number,” he said. “Call me and let me know what time would be good for lunch tomorrow. I’d enjoy coming back out. I’m really proud of you, Tiffany. I know I should have told you that more often. I was too stubborn to admit I was unprepared to run the business your great-grandfather founded and your grandfather grew. It consumed all of my time and I neglected my wonderful child. You’ve turned out well despite your family.”

Hailey, Molly and Katelyn drifted into other areas of the house to give Tiffany and her father some privacy. There wasn’t much for them to do. The house was clean; the food was defrosting; the pool was in good shape. Hailey puttered back to the apartment and heard the shower still running. She had just slipped her jersey off her shoulders in preparation for joining her boyfriend beneath the water when she saw Phil’s phone flashing on the table.

She didn’t recognize the number but answered anyway.

“Phil’s phone,” she said brightly.

“Oh, uh, I...” a voice said. “I was looking for Phil Warner. This is Ted. We play baseball together.”

“You called the right phone,” Hailey said. “It’s Hailey. Phil’s showering off still.”

“Oh,” Ted answered. “Sorry. I thought you might have been his mom or something. I know she’s some honcho in the business world.”

“Honcho?” Hailey giggled. “You wait until I tell her you called her that. She prefers the term ‘mogul’ by the way.”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Ted said, still a little unsure of himself.

“I’m kidding,” Hailey assured him. “Beth is just about the sweetest woman you will ever meet. She said she’s never seen a stranger, just friends she hadn’t met yet. She’ll love you and Stacy when she meets you. His dad is absolutely the best. David has this dry sense of humor. He’s brilliant and you sometimes have to think to get his jokes. But when you do, you practically pee yourself. Phil acts just like them if you want a comparison.”

“I’ll look forward to meeting them,” Ted said, smiling to himself. After almost seven years with his girlfriend he still thought her father expected to be called “Mr. Thomas.”

“The reason I called, I wasn’t sure if Phil’s parents would be there today.”

“His parents?” Hailey asked. “No, Beth is on her way to Houston Monday so she and David are probably a little too busy for a visit – if you know what I mean.”

“I might be a little confused,” Ted admitted. “Phil invited us out to a pool party today.”