Page 118 of The Risk Taker
My father clears his throat. “We have it framed.”
I whip my eyes to him in surprise as Slade continues.
“Your daughter deserves better than a man who cheats on her and doesn’t understand how lucky he is that she even looks in his direction. Would you really want her to marry someone like that purely because he’s a surgeon, like yourself?”
My father’s face reddens. “Now, just a minute. Callum?—”
“Is an asshole,” Slade interjects. He turns to my mom. “My apologies for the language, Clara.”
“I think you’re being rather reserved compared to what I’d call him,” Mom says.
Slade looks back at my father. “He’s an asshole who, if your daughter hadn’t taken pity on, would be in hospital, or worse, after the way I caught him mauling her two nights ago.”
“At the medical dinner? Are you okay?” Mom gasps.
“Jude, is that true?” My father’s voice drops low.
“I’m fine. He’d had a few drinks and had a hard time letting me go when I asked him to.”
I flick my eyes to Slade and his gaze hardens, knowing I’m playing it down. But it’s so my parents don’t worry, not to paint Callum in a better light.
“I think he’s accepted that we have no reason to speak to one another again now,” I add.
The table falls silent, and my father looks at Slade, his lips downturned as he studies him.
“I’m going to the restroom.” I pause before rising from my seat. Mom nods at me, indicating she’ll stop the two men from tearing into one another while I’m gone.
Moving as quickly as I can, I head to the bathroom and take a deep breath, fixing my hair afterward. It could be worse. There’s no blood. Yet.
I try to open the door that leads back into the restaurant, but it’s jammed.
“Not again,” I huff.
First the medical dinner, now this restaurant. Bathroom doors seem to have a thing against me. I look around, but all the stalls are empty. I’m in here alone.
“Hey?” I call out, trying the door for a few minutes before banging on it. “Hey, the door’s stuck. Can anyone hear me?”
“Jude?” My mother’s voice calls from the other side. “You were gone a long time. We were getting worried.”
“Mom? Wait? Have you left them alone?” I splutter.
“They’re fine, getting on great.”
I roll my eyes. That could mean anything.
“Can you get one of the staff, please? The door’s stuck. Maybe they know the secret to making it move.” I try the door again but it’s as if it’s bolted shut.
“Okay. Hang tight.”
I lean back against the door and wait for Mom to come back. Less than a minute passes before the door handle rattles forcefully.
“Jude? Are you okay in there, Baby?”
Slade’s voice is so deep and gruff and full of concern that I clench my thighs together.
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
“The staff’s here, Jude,” Mom calls.
