his hands into his pockets, looking down at the ground.
Heat flushed through Magnolia’s body. “It wasn’t Mom’s guilt that drove y’all apart. It was you!” Her words came out in short bursts, her head spinning so fast that it made her dizzy. “You resented Mom because you gave up the money for her. Grandfather and Grandmother cut you off without a cent. You couldn’t handle living without the money.” When he didn’t respond, her voice shook with wrath. “Isn’t that right? How could you?” Tears brimmed in her eyes. “We could’ve been a family,” she uttered hoarsely.
He lifted his face to hers. The naked pain in his eyes cut her to the core. “I failed Janet.” His voice broke. “I have to live every day with that knowledge. I didn’t want that to happen to you, which is why I told Lucas—” His eyes widened as he clamped his mouth shut. His face was lobster red.
She clenched her hands, getting up in his face. “Told Lucas what?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he mumbled.
She threw her head back. “Of course it matters!”
“Keep your voice down,” he warned in a low tone. “Do you want the wedding planner and her staff to hear you?”
“I’m beyond caring who hears me!” she screamed. “I wanna know what happened. What did you tell Lucas?”
He drew his lips together. “Okay. Lower your voice, and I’ll tell you.”
When he’d finished, a blistering anger raged through Magnolia. “You drove him away!”
“I thought I was doing the right thing. I didn’t want you to end up like me.”
Magnolia’s dress suddenly felt too tight. She could feel perspiration oozing from every pore in her body. “Thanks to what you did, I’m about to end up exactly like you! I’ll have a truckload of money, and I’ll be utterly and wretchedly alone.” She lifted her chin. “Congratulations, your daughter has grown up to be just like you.”
He winced, giving her a wounded look. “I thought I was doing what was best.”
On some level Magnolia knew that what he was saying was true. Her father had always wanted what was best for her. Magnolia knew that he loved her, but he didn’t know how to show it. Right now, however, she was too livid to mince her words.
Sarina, the wedding planner, knocked once before opening the bedroom door and sticking her head in. “Everything is a go. We’re ready when you are.” Her cheery smile fell a notch when she got a good look at Magnolia and Oscar. “Is everything okay?”
Oscar offered a tight smile. “We’re fine. Just give us a few more minutes.”
“Okay,” she replied in a voice too chipper, “just stick your head out the door and let me know when you’re ready.” She popped out, closing the door.
Oscar turned to Magnolia. “Now that you have all the information, what’re you going to do?” Usually, he was in complete control of himself and his surroundings. She’d never before seen him look so distraught or defeated.
A humorless laugh rattled Magnolia’s throat. “You mean all the information that you’ve been keeping from me?” she slung out. She could tell that her words cut. Normally, she tried to be respectful of her father, but right now, she had to get the ire out or she’d explode. She pressed her fingers to her temples and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down enough to think. Lucas had left because he thought he was doing what was best for Magnolia. He hadn’t given up on her … not exactly. Her heart wrenched at the irony. Lucas thought he was being noble by leaving. She was so furious with her father.
What was she going to do? A new thought circled her brain. She didn’t have to get married to Roman. She could break the chain of control that her grandparents had exerted over her and her parents. Did she have the courage to do it? Now that she knew that Lucas still loved her, it changed everything.
“I’m sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you,” her father said, his eyes going glassy. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”
Not wanting to argue any further, she remained silent.
He cleared his throat. “I’ll be outside the door, waiting to walk you down the aisle.”
She lifted an eyebrow in cynical amusement. “You seem awfully sure that I’m going through with this.”
“Money is a powerful persuader,” he said sadly.
She thrust out her chin. “So is love.”
He nodded, but she could tell that he didn’t believe her. “I’ll be right outside.”
She