Chapter 10 – Father and Son Talk–1

When Kent walks into his office, he’s surprised to see Daniel standing there, staring out the window, watching a car pull

away.

“Who is in that car?” Daniel asks.

Kent crosses to his desk and sits down in his chair, folding his hands. He takes a moment to study his son. Daniel is tall, handsome, clever; but he doesn’t yet have the grit that he needs to lead this family.

“If you already know,” Kent says softly. “Why don’t you just tell me what you’re thinking?”

“Fine,” Daniel says, and Kent is happy to hear some anger in his voice. Daniel turns to look Kent in the eye. “That’s my girlfriend’s family, riding away in that car. What did you do to them?”

“I did nothing to them,” Kent says, “except a favor to Fay Thompson, this girlfriend you never told me about. Tell me, how long have you been seeing her?”

“Cut the crap, dad,” Daniel says, angrily crossing to confront him. Kent smiles, pleased to see a little fire in this studious boy. “You know I’ve only been seeing her for a few months – you know –”

“I know,” Kent interrupts, “that she is not who you thought she was. And I know that you’ve already heard all about this from

“You have been engaged to Fay Alden since your childhood,”

Kent says quietly. “It would be an advantageous match. She’s got the connections, the family, the money you’d need to keep this family afloat. The question is…do you want her?”

Daniel looks away from him, embarrassed. “She’s fine. She’s very nice. And funny.”

“What,” Kent says, his voice deliberately mocking. “Is that all? She doesn’t do it for you, Daniel? Doesn’t raise your… heartrate?”

Daniel blushes and scowls. “No, it’s nothing like that – it’s just

“It’s just what, Daniel,” his father says, banging his hand on the desk, trying to shock the truth out of him. “You’ve got other girls on the line?”

“No,” Daniel says quickly, glaring. “I have…I have lots of girlfriends, you know. Girls for different…occasions…” he mumbles this, and his father subtly shakes his head.

Frankly, he doesn’t care, as long as Daniel does his

take a wife,” Kent says, his voice

hanging a little, acknowledging his obligation. “I just want

to put his hand on Daniel’s shoulder, glad to see him acknowledge his responsibilities. “So, what are the

not knowing what to say, except the unthinkable: she knows I’m gay and she hates me for

giving him a little shake. “Is she…impure? Does she fool around

at his

to get angry sometimes, son. Let it feed

father’s hand once again. “You know Fay is…pure. I’m the only guy she’s ever dated, her first love. And

not, but Daniel frowns and

son’s shoulder out the window. “She’s loyal, kind, innocent. But

Fay. Her wide–eyed innocence, her creamy ivory skin, that long red hair. He was impressed with her performance today, too.

he would go back to Italy with his mother as a boy – delicate by one

of her

B

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Gifts

Father and

the room, and finds Daniel looking at him strangely.

it’s good you met outside of the arrangement –

not meeting

it?” Kent

just kind of…mad at me,” Daniel confesses. “We kind of had a fight. A big one.” He looks up at the ceiling. “And now she’s upstairs. And we’re engaged.” He shrugs and shudders a

cold. “One day you’ll have control of this family, and the least difficult thing you’ll have to control is that girl. Toughen

still doesn’t meet Kent’s s eye. “What should I do? How do I do

part of this world, and if she’s going to survive in it, you’ve got to teach her how to be a

the challenge. Perhaps this is what it will take to make

woman.

pats Daniel roughly on the shoulder again and gives him a shove,

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