Still The One - Carrie Elks Page 0,82

inside Tanner. He was so damn sick of them all. “You don’t deserve her to be your daughter,” he spat at him. “None of you do. She’s worth ten of you. You see this place? It wouldn’t be here without her. Tonight wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t taken charge. She’s amazing and none of you realize it.” He shook his head. “And it’s your damn loss, not hers. Now get out of here, and don’t come back. Both of you.”

He turned his back on them, striding fast across the grass toward the stage, where the orchestra was still playing. The conducter held up two fingers.

Two minutes until he could make his speech and start the movie. Two minutes until he could find Van and check that she was okay.

As the music slowly came to an end, he had no doubt at all that they had been the longest two minutes of his life.

The opening credits started to roll. Tanner let out a huge mouthful of air. Okay, so nobody was actually watching the screen, but right now he’d take it. And maybe turn the volume up a little more to drown out the gossip. From the corner of his eye he could see Nora and Johnny Fairfax striding to their car, Nora wrenching it open, her face full of thunder.

He wouldn’t want to be a fly on the wall of their house tonight. Johnny would be lucky to come out with his balls in tact.

With a final glance at the guests who had been drinking champagne and were completely oblivious to Van’s real beginnings only moments ago, he walked out of the projector room and toward the refreshment stand, and office that was above it.

When he climbed up the outdoor stairs and opened the office door, he saw Van inside, tidying up the papers that had been strewn across the desk.

“Hey.” He swallowed hard. “I made the Fairfaxes leave. And Logan is taking your mom home.” He gave her a half smile. “And not that either of us give a damn, but the movie is rolling, so there’s that.”

She looked up. Her eyes were rimmed red. And they wouldn’t meet his. It was as though she was staring through him.

A shiver snaked down his spine.

He’d seen that expression once before. Years ago. He froze on the spot, as though some invisible hand was stopping him from stepping forward.

“I’m sorry,” she croaked, wrapping her arms around her chest as though she was cold. “For ruining your opening.”

“None of this is your fault.” Finally, he stepped forward, around the desk that felt like a barrier between them. He reached for her and she shrank away, and it felt like a foot slamming into his gut. “Van?”

“Of course it’s my fault,” she whispered, a sob catching her words. “All of this is. I don’t know why I thought it would be different. Why she would be different. I was a fool to think it would work out this time. That the Butlers wouldn’t come in and ruin everything the way they always do.”

“To be fair, you could blame the Fairfaxes, too,” Tanner said, but the joke fell flat. Van inhaled a ragged breath and turned her head to the side, but he could still see the tears running down her cheeks.

“I can’t believe it.” She shook her head. “Johnny Fairfax? Why him, of all people…” Her eyes closed. “Though it makes some kind of horrible sense.” She looked up at Tanner. “Do you think he knew all along?”

“He’d been having an affair with your mom when you were conceived. I’m guessing he thought there was a fair chance he was the father.”

“And Nora. She must have known something was wrong.” Realization washed over Van’s face. “That’s why she’s always hated us.”

“Either that, or she’s just a bitch.”

Van’s eyes opened wide. “What about Chrissie?” She put her hand over her mouth. “Oh god, that makes us sisters. Or half ones. Did she know?”

“I’ve no idea…”

Van shook her head. “She couldn’t have. She would have used it to hurt me. She couldn’t have hidden a secret like that from me. At very least she would’ve hinted at it.” Her brows pulled together as she followed the thought through. “I guess she just learned how to be a bitch from her mom.”

Tanner’s lips twitched. “Do you want me to take you home?”

Van shook her head. “I don’t know. I have no idea what to do next.” Her lips trembled. “What do you do when you