Chapter 43

Igot up before normal, wanting to get to the office earlier than usual. I knew losing the account had upset Graham. It wasn't the money. It was the idea of failure. He was good at his job and doing anything but succeeding was a personal affront to him.

Sloane was going to school early to catch up on some work she missed when she was out. I dropped her off with her teacher and headed into the office.

Despite being early, Graham was waiting for me with my usual coffee. Did the man have a tracking device on me? Or was it fate?

Either way, his welcoming smile was a great start to the day. It was odd to feel like part of a team after spending so many years at my dad's place and being ignored. The people here made me feel like I was actually valuable. If I said I wanted to quit, they would have something to say about it. Unlike at my dad's company, where they couldn't give a shit that I was gone.

"Holler if you need me," I told Graham before going into my office.

I threw myself into my work. The hours flew by in a whirlwind of meetings and deadlines. Before I knew it, the day was drawing to a close. I had been lost in the flow state, feeling my groove. Productive days like today always made me feel good, like everything was in its proper place.

I walked to Graham's office to see if he needed anything to finish off the day. Just as I walked through the door, his phone rang. "Just a second," he said. "Don't you dare leave."

I took a seat to wait for him. Sloane's voice cut through the air. I frowned, wondering what was going on. I knew my daughter and could tell she was mad about something. Was she mad at me? Was she mad at her father?

I tried to hear what was being said, but it was too muddled. But I did hear the name Todd loud and clear.

I scowled and leaned forward.

"I'm sorry," Graham muttered before putting the phone down. He looked absolutely destroyed.

"What happened?" I asked.

"It was Sloane," he confessed.

"I gathered that. Why is she mad at you? And don't say she isn't because I know her."

"She called to talk to me about Todd." He frowned and fidgeted with the pen on his desk.

"Todd?"

"Last night after dinner, I made it clear to him not to upset Sloane like he did the other day," he said. "I told him it's better to break up with her than to cheat on her."

I closed my eyes and counted to three. "Why would you do that?"

"Because it's good advice?" He shook his head. "Kids don't think. I wanted him to understand hurting Sloane's feelings is a bad idea."

I groaned again. "Why do I get the feeling you implied he would be physically hurt?"

He shrugged, feigning innocence. "Me? I would never. Now, if he just happened to be intimidated by my naturally masculine aura, well that's not my fault, is it?"

I raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. "Your naturally masculine aura, huh? Are you sure you didn't just bully a child?"

"Yeah," Graham admitted, a guilty expression on his face. "I might have slightly bullied a child. I didn't mean to cross any lines, though. In my defense, I would have said the same thing to an adult. Todd just happens to be a kid."

"Being a kid means his brain isn't even fully developed yet. You can't treat him like an adult." I took a deep breath to keep from exploding.

"I just didn't want Sloane to get hurt," he said, sounding genuinely regretful. "I didn't think it would blow up like this."

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but maybe don't interfere in her relationships, Graham," I said gently, hoping he would understand. "She is more than capable of handling herself, even if she makes a few mistakes along the way. I hate it too but it's part of growing up."

"I know." He nodded. "I'm new to this parenting thing. I thought I was protecting her. I don't want her to get hurt in any way. And I don't know if this Todd kid has decent parents. I met his dad for two seconds. What if he doesn't set a good example for his son? Men are pigs."

I had to laugh at that. Graham's concern for Sloane touched a chord within me, despite his misguided attempt to intervene in her personal life. I couldn't fault him for caring, even if his methods were questionable.

"I understand why you did what you did," I started, choosing my words carefully. "But Sloane needs to learn from her own experiences. We can guide her and offer advice, but ultimately, she has to make her own choices and face the consequences."

Graham nodded, seemingly relieved that I wasn't overly angry with him. "What do I do now?" he asked. "Is she going to forgive me?"

"Yes." I smiled. "But she's going to punish you with the silent treatment."

He looked crushed. "Great. And things were going so well."

"I'll talk to her," I said. "I'll smooth it over. She'll forgive you. It's just one of those things that comes with being a parent."

"Thank you." Graham sighed, his shoulders relaxing a bit. "I appreciate you talking me through this. Who knew being a parent could make you feel so helpless?"

I laughed. "Every parent ever. Anyway, I should go." I got to my feet.

He stood and gestured for me to go to what I had dubbed our corner. I happily went and he kissed me. His tongue tangled with mine while he copped a quick feel.

"Damn," he groaned. "I want you more every day. When can we be together again?"

"Soon." I smiled and backed away. "She'll probably want to go out to the movies or something soon."

"Okay." He nodded and slapped my ass as I walked away.

"See you tomorrow," I said with a wave.

I walked out of the office, feeling a little sorry for Graham. It was a delicate balance to be a parent. It was a constant dance between offering guidance and allowing our children to navigate their own paths. Each misstep was a lesson in itself, not just for the child but for us parents as well.

I texted Sloane on the way to my car and let her know I would be picking her up instead of the usual service. She sent me a thumbs-up emoji.

She was waiting out front when I pulled up.

"How was your day?" I asked, my voice casual as I kept my eyes fixed on the road ahead. I didn't want her to know I knew about the Todd crisis. I wanted her to tell me her side of the story.

"It was okay," she replied. "But Todd says he doesn't know if he wants to be with me after what Graham did."

"What Graham did?" I questioned. "Making him wash dishes?"

"No, he threatened to beat Todd up!"

I knew that wasn't even a little bit true. "Why would he do that?"

"Graham told him he didn't want him to date me," Sloane pouted. "He accused him of cheating on me."

Clearly, Todd had made it seem worse than it was. Maybe he actually had been intimidated by Graham's naturally masculine aura. "I think your father's actions came from a place of love and concern."

"He tried to destroy my relationship," she wailed like a heroine in a Shakespeare play, cranking up the drama all the way.

Teenagers.

She was being dramatic, but at her age, the angst was very real. She was experiencing a lot of firsts, which made everything more raw. The wounds cut deeper. She had no idea that, in the grand scheme of life, this was going to be a blip on the radar. Years from now, she wouldn't lose any sleep over Todd.

"Graham was not trying to destroy your relationship," I said. "I'm sure he was just trying to give the traditional dad speech. You know, ‘treat my daughter right and have her home by curfew.' But he probably got it jumbled up. Anyway, you're too good for Todd, and if he's smart, he'll stick around."

"I guess so." Sloane looked out the window. "I just wish Graham would trust me to make my own decisions. I'm not a baby."

"I understand, sweetheart," I said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "But sometimes parents act out of fear because they care about their kids so much. It doesn't excuse their behavior, but it helps to see where they're coming from. Your dad was trying to be nice. He's just bad at it."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "He didn't have to threaten him."

"Sloane, do you really think Graham would threaten to physically hurt a kid?"

"Todd's not a kid."

I waved her comment away. "He is in the eyes of the law."

"Fine, but Todd said he threatened to beat him up."

"Sometimes, you have to listen to that little voice in your head," I said. "I know you've only known Graham for a very short time, but do you really think that's what he would say or do?"

"Maybe." She sighed. "No. I don't know."

"Let's get takeout and watch reruns of the Golden Girls," I suggested.

Sloane brightened up at the mention of our favorite show. "That sounds perfect."

"Good." I headed toward our favorite Chinese place.

"Hey, Mom."

"What?" I asked.

"Thank you for being a friend."

Laughter burst out of me and I knew my little girl was going to be okay.

Once we were back home, with our takeout containers spread out on the coffee table like a buffet and the Golden Girls being sassy as fuck on the TV, Sloane finally seemed ready to open up. "I know Graham means well," she started tentatively. "But I'm not a baby."

"I'll talk to him," I said. "Remember, he's been a dad for like five minutes. It's going to take some time."

As Sloane dug into her sweet and sour chicken, she nodded thoughtfully. "I guess you're right. It's just hard when he acts like he knows what's best for me without even asking."

"I'll talk to him," I reassured her. "But in the meantime, I think you need to talk to Todd. If he's afraid to be with you because your father has something to say about Todd not treating you right, then I don't think he's the guy for you."

Sloane paused, her chopsticks hovering over the food. "I guess I could try," she said slowly. "I just don't want things to be weird between us."

"Communication is key in any relationship," I advised gently. "Even at your age. And if Todd truly cares about you, he will understand where you're coming from."

Sloane nodded. "Thanks, Mom. I'll text Todd."

I smiled, proud of her maturity in handling the situation. "That's my girl. And remember, no matter what happens, your dad and I will always be here for you—even if we mess up sometimes."

As the episode of the Golden Girls came to an end, Sloane got up to text Todd. I watched her walk away, marveling at how she was growing up right before my eyes. She was no longer the little girl who used to ride on my shoulders or fall asleep in my arms. While a wave of nostalgia washed over me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in the woman she was becoming.