Clark turned his gaze to me, and I tried to read whatever he was thinking, but it was impossible.

"I thought you were headed back to the west coast. You're from L.A., right?"

"Yes, Sir, but I've graduated." I shifted from one foot to the other, wishing I hadn't gotten myself cornered into such an odd conversation. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do anymore."

"What's changed your mind?" Milly smiled with a knowing look on his face.

"Finn is starting to."

"You just met him." Clark leaned against a rack of cotton rolls. "He's not usually one for commitment either."

"Clark." Milly smacked him, but I smiled, understanding where his Dad was coming from.

"I think that's about to change." I pulled my phone from my pocket as it buzzed. "Excuse me."

"Of course, dear. Good to see you again." Clark turned and put his hand on Milly's back, forcing her to the front with him.

"Chloe?" Finn's voice was tight with tension.

"Hey. Where you at?" I let my eyes scan a few more colors before deciding on the pink for sure.

"Leaving your house." He sounded as if someone had pulled the warmth out of him.

"I'm in town." I paused and waited for a reply but didn't get one. "Finn. What's wrong?"

"Your Dad was home and like a dumb ass, I thought maybe I could help him see that I'm not my father, so whatever happened between them..." his voice faded again.

"Oh no. Was he mean to you?"

"No, just truthful." Finn coughed. "It's all good. I just didn't want you to go home and him get upset with you without me warning you."

"I don't give a shit what he thinks."

"You should, baby. He's your Dad. He's just trying to protect you and find the right kind of man for you."

"You are the right kind of man for me." I let out a frustrated sigh. "Where are you? I'll just come to you and we can spend the night together curled up.

"That sounds great, Chloe, but maybe tomorrow night. I'm tired, and need to think through some shit."

"What? No. Don't pull back again. We just started to figu-”

He cut me off. "Hey. I'm not pulling back. Go home and talk to him, and if you still want to see me, just text and we'll meet up."

I swallowed down the need to cry, and took a shallow breath. "Okay, but expect a text. Where are you headed?"

"Up to the new run on the east side of town. I'll keep checking my phone though."

"The storm was really bad last night. Do you think that's safe?"

"Absolutely. It's the best time to snowboard, California girl. You know the waves, but I've got the snow down pat." He laughed, but I could hear it was forced.

"Be careful," I whispered into the phone.

"Always." He hung up as worry rolled through me.

I put the fleece back on the rack and walked to the front, pissed at my father for whatever he'd done to tear Finn down. Tears dripped onto my cheeks as I hit the door, and of course it was my luck that Milly and Clark were on the stairs, fussing over something.

They looked back at me, and I froze.

"What's the matter, Chloe?" Clark moved toward me with concern on his face. If he didn't like the idea of me and Finn together, he hid it well. Or maybe he wasn't the judgmental asshole that my father was.

I brushed my tears away and took a shaky breath. "Nothing...just my Dad."

"Is he hurt? Do you need our help?" Clark's willingness to offer help only fueled my anger toward my father.

"No, but he's probably going to be when I get a hold of him." I sniffled and forced a smile. "Just check on Finn for me. I guess he went out to try to talk sense into my Dad and it didn't go so well."

"Oh...shit." Clark glanced at Milly.

"I told you to deal with this twenty-five years ago." She put her hand on her hip.

"I've gotta go, but it was good to see you both." I gave them a sad smile and jogged to the SUV, ready to fight for the man I was falling in love with.

* * * *

I made sure to slam the door hard as I walked in from the garage. My brother and father looked up from the kitchen table, Parker's eyes wide as I let my anger bleed all over my face.

"Oh hell. I'm out." Parker stood and turned, walking to his room.

My father leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms over his chest, as if expecting me to blow up.

"How dare you," I growled at him, and reached out to hold onto the nearest countertop as my hands shook.

"What? Save you from a mistake? He's a big one. Mark my words."

"I'm twenty-four years old. I will date who I want. You are my father, not my jailer."

"Let's throw in your benefactor, your rent-payer, your degree purchaser..."

I cut him off. "Keep your damn money. I don't want anything from you ever again."

He stood as I started for my bedroom. "We're not done."

"Yes. Actually we are. My Dad died the same day my mother did. We were done the day after the funeral. You made sure of it." I was screaming at that point, and tears burned down the same old tracks in my face that they always had. "You've been nothing but a shell since then."

"Chloe," his voice softened, and I pressed my hands to my face as a sob left me.

"No," I whispered as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I just want what's best for you. Finn is..."

I pulled away, and poked my finger in his chest. "Finn is a good man. He's hard working, and he's never once said anything nasty about you. Not once."

"Why should he?"

"Because if I know you at all, then whatever happened between you and Clark was your fault." I poked harder. "Whatever you said to him today has him broken...again."

"I told him the truth." My father swatted my hand from his chest, and gave me a stern look.

"The truth." I laughed darkly. "The truth is that I was going to change all my plans. I was going to stay here with you and Parker. I was going to ask if I could work under your wing and learn what you've learned, or help you build your business. I was going to move my life and dreams around, and Finn is the main reason why we might have gotten our family back."

"Chloe..."

"No. Fuck all of it. I'm done with you. Finn and I will be together."

"I'm not supporting that."

I let out another angry chuckle. "Good. I'd hate to have to hear you touting your greatness when it works out to be the best love affair of all times."

I didn't give him a chance to respond before I turned on my heel, and half-stomped to my bedroom, slamming that door for good measure too. I hated him, and even worse, I hated the way I acted because of him.

Finn and I could figure out everything on our own, and if we didn't work out, I'd do what I'd been doing for the last eight years. I'd do it my damn self.

Chapter 24

Finn

Her father was right. I honestly had nothing to offer Chloe, but my body. I would be her whore as long as she would allow me to, but that was it. I didn't have money or a future that I could show her to prove why our relationship was safe to take to the next level.

She was going to consider staying in Aspen with me and give up on her dreams. I needed to figure out a way to tell her that she needed to go live her life, and when she was done, then to come back to me. My dreams and ambitions were smoke I'd blown up my own ass for years. Nothing was going to become of it, and I knew it.