were more than friends and bring out the big guns.
“I trusted you,” Silver said.
“And I told your dad when we got back that you didn’t do anything on the whole trip to make me think you were still doing drugs,” Ben countered.
“That’s not the point and you know it.” She glared at him. “We promised to be honest with each other.”
Phil cleared his throat and looked from Silver to Ben. “Are you trying to tell me that you two are involved?”
“No!” Silver flung out her hand and spoke over Ben. “We’re supposed to be friends!”
Ben almost wished she’d said yes because the thought that she didn’t want to admit to her father that they were seeing each other stung. It was his turn to look at her.
“Honesty?”
She had the grace to blush. “You know why I’m doing this. What I don’t understand is why you lied to me. I feel like I was spied on the whole time. I thought Dad was finally starting to believe I could take care of myself, but instead he’d just set me up with an alternative nanny.”
“It wasn’t like that.” Ben desperately tried to regroup. “Maybe you should have more faith in me.”
“Like you do in me?” She shook her head.
“I’m trying.” He held her gaze, ignoring her father as best he could. “This isn’t a big deal, okay? There are way worse things—”
She turned to her father, tied the sash of her robe more tightly around her waist, and headed for the door.
“I’m really disappointed in you, Dad, but I suppose I should’ve expected this.”
“Silver...” Phil reached out his hand but she ignored him and looked at Ben.
“I’m going to work out with my trainer. Let me know when you’re leaving, so that I can come and say good-bye.”
She stormed out and Ben took one step toward the door. “Silver . . .”
“Hold on there, son.” Phil came around the desk and blocked his path. “Let’s just think this through before you go rushing off upsetting her again.”
“You upset her. You refuse to allow her to be a fully functioning adult.” Ben was beyond being polite now. “I need to explain before she reads all this stuff about me—”
“Why?” Phil spread his hands wide. “Why not leave it as it is? Go home, have a good life, let Silver have hers, and I won’t say a single thing about what you did when you were a teen.”
Ben felt like someone had sucked all the air out of his lungs.
“Excuse me?”
“You know what I’m saying, Ben. Ayla and I will make sure Silver doesn’t see any of the gossip about you that’s out there, and in return, you will go back home and leave her be.” Phil smiled at him. “If you really are her friend, wouldn’t that be for the best?”
“How can she not see stuff?” Ben protested. “If it really is out there, someone will eventually tell her.”
“But by that time, you’ll be home and, Ben, I hate to say this, but when she reads about what you did, I doubt she’s going to want to call you.” Phil sounded almost sympathetic, but Ben wasn’t buying it. “If you leave now, she might be in a snit with you, but if she gets over it you might hear from her again.” Phil returned to sit behind his desk. “Although, if you’re the kind of man I think you are, you won’t respond to her.”
Ben swallowed hard. “You’ve got this all planned out, then?”
“I love my daughter very much, and I just want the best for her.” Phil held his gaze; the sincerity in his voice was undeniable.
“And you think you know what she needs better than she does?”
“In this case, yes.” He sighed. “Ben, I’ve got to be honest here, I don’t want her hanging around with anyone who enables drug use.”
“I never did that,” Ben repeated. He’d been put through hell once by the Walkers’ lawyers and survived with his reputation intact. He wasn’t going to let Phil Meadows undermine him. “Despite all the Walker family’s power and money, I was not prosecuted because no judge found any evidence that I aided or abetted Cassie’s drug use.”
Phil nodded. “As I said, I’m not here to argue about that. All I care about is Silver, and I’ll do what I have to do to keep her safe, happy, and well.” His gaze hardened. “Please, take my advice, and leave, and Silver will never need to know anything.”