Hooking Him (How to Catch an Alpha #3)(52)

“You gave up your life to spend time with people like these?” Dad asks, sounding disgusted.

I stand and bump into someone, but I don’t look to see who it is behind me. “If you mean caring, considerate, loyal, and accepting, then yeah, Dad, I did. Though I didn’t have much of a life to give up, and I honestly wouldn’t trade what I have now for any amount of money, because you can’t put a price on happiness.”

“I’ll give you five million to come home.”

I snort. “Did you not hear me? There is no amount of money you could give me that would make me change my mind.”

“Tell her.”

I spin, knowing the voice behind me, and when I see Lance, anger makes my stomach clench.

“Why are you here?” I hiss, glaring at him.

“You think I didn’t love you, Anna, but you should know I did,” Lance says, looking devastated, and my stomach twists for a different reason.

“Lance.”

“I lied. I was pissed and hurt. What I said about the reasons I asked you to marry me wasn’t true, but I was mad enough to make a few phone calls after I left, and I found out—”

“Shut up!” Dad shouts, cutting him off, and I turn to see his face is red.

Calvin puts his hand in Dad’s face, then turns to Lance. “Say what you need to say.”

“Who are you?” Lance asks Calvin.

“Young man, now isn’t the time for a pissing contest. If you have something to say, then say it,” Edie says with a sigh.

“Is everything okay here?”

I look over at Gaston, and I notice Tyler is with him as well, along with Chrissie and Leah, standing slightly behind their men.

My cheeks warm with embarrassment, and I wonder if we could become any more of a spectacle. Then I know the answer when Pearl and Dixie join everyone else standing around the table.

“This is ridiculous.” My dad tosses his napkin on the table, then looks at my mom. “We’re leaving.”

“You own seventy percent of the shares in the McAlister Corp. Your grandfather put them in your name when you were born, because he didn’t trust your father not to sell off the company,” Lance says.

“What?” My question is barely audible.

“That’s why he told me he’d give me half the company when we got married. There was a clause that stated if you were married, your husband, then eventually your children, would be given equal shares of the company. That’s why he and my father got together and hatched a plan to get us together.”

“Jesus,” Calvin growls.

I swallow as I look at my father. “I never wanted anything to do with your company. I would have signed it all back over to you if you’d asked me to.”

“That’s because you’re an idiot.” His nostrils flare. “You don’t understand the value of money.”

“No.” I shake my head. “I understand the value of money. I just know money doesn’t make you happy.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.”

My heart sinks. “I feel sorry for you. For both of you.” I look between him and my mom. “I hate that you believe that.” I look at Lance. “Thank you for being honest with me.”

“Can we talk?” he asks. He tucks his hands in his pockets, looking as nervous as he did the first time he asked me out.

“No,” Calvin says before I can answer, and I hear women, young and old, burst out laughing.

I want to smile, but I hold it back and shake my head. “I don’t think we have anything to talk about, but I really do wish you nothing but the best.”

“I had the best, Anna, and for what it’s worth, I’m sorry I didn’t look into this. I should have looked into why he made me that offer.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s done,” I say, and he nods, glances at my parents with disgust clearly written on his face, and then walks away.

“We’re leaving,” my father says as he helps my mom out of her chair.

“My lawyer will be in contact,” I tell his retreating back, but he doesn’t stop to respond. He and my mom both leave without giving me a second glance.

“God, I thought they’d never leave,” Pearl says, and then she looks at Gaston, Tyler, Chrissie, and Leah. “Do you want to join us for dinner and drinks?”

Chrissie and Leah look at each other, then at me.

“Please, join us,” I tell them.

“I’m going to talk to the manager and have him get someone to rearrange the tables for us,” Gaston says, then kisses Chrissie’s cheek.

“I don’t know if it’ll be that easy, Gus,” Chrissie tells him, looking around the packed restaurant.

“I know the owner,” he says, then looks at me. “Happiness isn’t based on money. It’s based on who you know.” He winks and I laugh.

“You okay, baby?” Calvin asks, blocking everyone out and wrapping his arms around my waist.

I look up into his eyes and drop my forehead to his chest. “I don’t know what that means. I don’t know how I feel about what just happened,” I admit quietly, and his hand rubs my back.

“I get that.”

“Thank you for being here,” I say, and he slides his hand up the back of my neck and uses his fingers to tip my head back.