A Father's Name(59)

“You’re worth more than settling, Angel.”

“And you’re biased, Pops. And unless you want me to start offering you advice with Marilyn, I’m thinking you should let me handle my personal relationship with Tyler.”

“He was convicted of a crime,” he said, as if it were news.

“Yeah? Well, I was a teen mother. That was part is what matters. I’m more than a teen mother now, and he’s more than his conviction. I don’t know why he did what he did, but Pops, I know Tyler. There was a reason. And someday, maybe, he’ll share it with me.”

Her father sighed. “So, if we’re not going to advise each other on our dating lives, then I think it’s time I broach the idea of a business partner again.”

“Pops, I’ve got things under control. You’ve looked at the books, and despite a precarious economy, we’re not only holding our own, we’re growing.”

“Your painting clientele is growing. That’s where you need to concentrate. Maybe it’s time Tucker’s Garage added to its name. Tucker’s Garage and Design. Or Tucker’s Garage and Bodywork. But no matter what it’s called, let me sell at least some of my share. Someone who would have a vested interest in the company. Someone who likes doing the business portion as much as you like doing the bodywork.”



“Pops, it’s way too early on a Sunday morning to start this fight. I’m not willing to bring some stranger into the garage as a partner. Even if I keep controlling interest. If you were to tell me Lou wanted to buy in…”

“He doesn’t,” her father said sadly. “I think he hates the business end of things more than you do. And he’s thinking of retiring in a few years.”

“And the other guys don’t have enough money to make that move. And let’s face it, Joe and North are young. I’d love to keep them with us for years, but there’s a chance they’ll move on. As for Tyler, you get nervous having him work on the accounts, I can’t imagine you wanting to sell your stake to him.”

Her father frowned. “So, we’re at an impasse.”

“Looks like.”

He shook his head. “We could fight some more about it.”

“We could, but managing your stress is part of the reason you’ve retired. I guess I look at it like this, Pops—you either trust me or you don’t.”

“I trust you,” he said quickly, without hesitation.

“Then you’re going to have to put this talk about a partner aside, because I won’t agree. Oh, you could try to force the issue—”

“I’ve never forced you to do anything.”

She’d known that and was glad of it. “Then we are definitely at that impasse.”

“So what do we do?” he asked.



“I suggest that we head over to my house and I’ll make some pancakes.”

“You’re going to feed me pancakes?” His surprise was evident. Since he’d been sick, she’d been very strict about his diet.

Tucker laughed. “Sure. I found this new recipe that uses whole grains and all kinds of other healthy things.”

“You wouldn’t mess with your grandmother’s pancake recipe, would you? Is nothing sacrosanct to you, daughter?”

She glanced over her shoulder at the computer before shutting her office door and continuing her pancake battle with her father. It was easier to argue about pancakes than to argue about potential partnerships or Tyler.

Her father wanted more for her than Tyler Martinez, a man who’d told her in no uncertain terms whatever they had wasn’t going to have a future. A man who was honest to the core.

And maybe that’s why his whole embezzlement charge bothered her so much, because Tyler was honest to the core.

And honest men didn’t steal money from their companies. They didn’t embezzle from clients and do whatever they had to in order to hide the crime.

And, Tyler had never said what he needed the money for. He lived a cushy lifestyle, but given his job, she didn’t think he lived beyond his means. He drove very nice cars, but he’d never owned more than one. He wore fancy, designer suits, but so did everyone else in his office, if what they wore to Jason’s funeral was any indication.

So, why embezzle?

Maybe that’s what she should ask him.

She wasn’t sure he’d tell her.