No Love Allowed(48)

Caleb did as he was asked, to save anyone else from the words about to be spoken in this room he had grown to hate. He kept his gaze away from his mother’s portrait. If only to spare her from having to see his rising impatience at being pulled away from Didi.

“Father, can whatever you have to tell me wait until morning?” he asked. “We have a ballroom full of guests that I must attend to. In case you’ve forgotten, it is my birthday.” He emphasized the last word, but barely got a flinch of remorse from the man behind the desk. What else could he have expected?

The smack of a thick folder against wood drew his attention. JJ flipped open the file and scanned the pages.

“Diana Alexander. Seventeen. Father left when she was eight. Mother works multiple jobs to support their family. Grades are deplorable. Barely managed to graduate high school due to a poor attendance record. She’s not—”

Caleb’s indignation rose with each piece of information about Didi that reached him. “You had her investigated!”

His father pinned him with a cold stare. “It was for your own good.”

Caleb ran his fingers through his hair in disbelief, not caring that he messed up the styling for the evening’s twenties theme.

“The way you looked at that girl . . .” His father’s shoulders slumped when he exhaled. “That’s the same way I used to look at your mother. And she’s not good for you. . . .”

His father’s words snapped him out of his speechlessness. “Don’t you dare say that about Didi!”

It took all of his willpower to keep from walking across the room and punching JJ in the face. To actually say . . . No, Caleb wasn’t surprised. Of course his father would have resorted to this kind of tactic. Caleb squared his shoulders and faced the bastard head-on so his intentions wouldn’t be misunderstood. He modulated his voice, intending for his father to hear each and every word clearly.

“Ever since Mom died, you have buried yourself in your work. You didn’t raise me. I had to fend for myself. I dated everything in a skirt so I wouldn’t become someone like you. Someone who fell in love and allowed it to destroy him.” He ignored the shock on his father’s face. “Then Didi literally tripped into my life and changed everything. She’s the light. She makes me feel again. Makes me feel like maybe falling in love isn’t as bad as I used to think. You should understand that. It’s what I remember best about you and Mom.”

“Caleb, you don’t understand what you’re talking about. She’s—”

“No!” He waved his hand so JJ wouldn’t say anything more. “There’s nothing else you can say that will change my mind about her.” He turned on his heel and hurried out of the office.

“Caleb!”

Didi had been at the bar with Natasha, laughing at something she had said, when Caleb found her. He immediately entwined his fingers with hers.

“Tash, will you excuse us for a second,” he said, already pulling Didi away. She barely had time to leave her glass and say a quick good-bye.

A sense of mischief, like fireworks in her belly, led her to ask, “Where are we going? The party is that way.” She hiked her thumb over her shoulder, even though Caleb wasn’t looking. He was too busy navigating them toward a secret place only he knew the location of. They left streams of confetti in their wake like bread crumbs.

“Let’s go for a drive,” he finally said as they entered a long hallway.

“Wow, paintings!” She swiveled her head just to catch a glimpse of the framed artwork hanging along both walls.

“We can look at them later. Right now I just want to get away.”

The urgency in his voice called to her adventurous side, and she quickened her steps, the low heels of her shoes clicking against the marble. The end of the hall forked into two paths. Caleb veered left and headed straight for a door at the end.

She barely had a chance to look at where she was going when the unseasonable chill of the air outside nipped at her skin. She bent forward to catch her breath when they stopped along a gravel path. As she straightened she noticed they had made it to the front of the house.

“Which car did you park last?” Caleb asked one of the valets milling around.

“Mr. Parker’s roadster,” the guy answered, his gaze flitting toward Didi.

“Hand me the keys,” Caleb demanded. The entire time he held on to her hand. She wouldn’t have wanted to let go anyway. Residual energy from the party still clung to her. Faint strains of jazz coming from inside made her bob in place.

“Sir?” The valet scratched the back of his bowed head.

“Don’t worry about it,” he insisted. “Nathan won’t mind. Just give me the damn keys.”

The command in his tone spurred the poor guy into action, grabbing the keys from another valet and tossing them to Caleb. He caught them with his free hand and headed for the end of the long line of cars.

“What’s gotten you all revved up?” she asked, matching his pace. “Does it have something to do with your father? Because if it does, I’m not afraid to take him.” She made a fist with her free hand and waved it in front of her.

Caleb chuckled, but there didn’t seem to be a shred of humor in the sound. “I just want to get out of here and breathe.” He rounded the sports car with its top down and opened the passenger door for her. Without further prompting, she slid into the bucket seat. Then he jogged to the other side and jumped in. “Buckle up.”