Page 10 of Once Upon a Lie

“You still nosy?”

Leo laughs, unendingly bolstered by my father’s confidence in our pairing.

My dad chuckles like this is his favorite sitcom. “We’re headed to a meeting with investors, sweetheart,” he tells me. “Thought we’d stop in first.”

“Uh-huh.” I purse my lips and cross my arms. “You came for me or the bagels?”

“Mostly you, sweetheart, but those bagels of yours are a nice added bonus,” he says, a full-tooth grin lifting his face.

“What shall I box up for you?”

Leo and Damon order simple coffees and plain bagels with cream cheese. Bor-ing.

My dad orders an Everything-You-Love bagel with lox and cream cheese, because you can take the guy out of New York, but you can never take New York out of the guy.

Thankfully, Sunnie snaps into gear to make everyone’s coffees, and Cher gets the bagels cut, toasted, and bagged up because I’m as busy as ever turning down Leo.

“You know, your dad keeps telling me I should take you out sometime. Says we’d make a good match.”

Regardless of Leo’s particular qualities, good or bad, I’ll always be skeptical that men who arrive preapproved by my father will come with invisible strings.

“I’ve heard this song and dance before, Leo.” My smile is polite, but my tone isn’t. “And my dad says a lot of things.”

He laughs—deep, amused, unbothered—and pulls out his phone when it starts to buzz. “Excuse me, sweetheart. Business call. But I want a rain check on this conversation.”

I want to say no thanks, but I bite my tongue instead.

As he heads outside, my father watches him like a proud mother goose from the cream-and-sugar station and doesn’t hesitate to walk back over toward me with his freshly doctored coffee in hand.

“Now there’s a man who knows how to handle himself,” Dad says, nodding after Leo. “You should let him take you out sometime.”

“Daddy,” I warn, crossing my arms.

He ignores me, which is his favorite hobby. “What?” He holds up both hands like he’s innocent. He’s not. “I’m just saying. You’re both single. Leonidas really likes you. Plus, he’s trustworthy. He works for me, sweetheart. I don’t hire anyone but the best. Not to mention, I know he’ll be able to protect my baby girl.”

“Dad.” I lower my voice. “We’ve talked about this a thousand times. I’m not looking to date anyone right now, especially not Leo.”

“Teeny, Teeny, Teeny.” He tsks his tongue. “I swear, sweetheart, you’re too stubborn for your own good. I just want you to have someone solid. Someone who can keep up with you. Someone I know I can trust.”

To him, this is about protection. To me, it sounds like a slow surrender to life lived under a thumb.

“But I’m good, Daddy, I promise,” I tell him. “Really good, actually.”

“She is so good,” Sunnie pipes in, eyes wide and falsely innocent. “Like, independent-woman, small-business-owner, Beyoncé-level good.”

Cher nods sagely. “Unstoppable. Intimidating. A goddess.”

My father’s lips twitch. “You’re all fired.”

Instantly, Sunnie and Cher giggle and scatter back behind the counter.

“Valentina, sweetheart.” My dad sighs. “All I’m saying is that you work too much. You should live a little. Let a good man take you out. Eat a dinner that isn’t toasted.”

“You mean, let Leo take me out.”

He shrugs, not denying it. “What’s wrong with him? He’s smart. Polite. Loyal.”

“He also flexes in mirrors when he thinks no one’s looking,” I mutter, handing him the bagged-up bagels Cher left on the counter in her dust.