Bachelor's Bait by Mari Carr Read Free Book Online Page A

when she could curl up on her daddy’s lap and he’d tell her stories about the places he’d visited, always promising that when she was older, he’d take her with him. The ten-year-old still lurking inside wanted to ask if he’d brought her a souvenir back from his last business trip.
    She was becoming maudlin. Grow up, Soph .
    “I’m fine. How was your trip to Greece?”
    Her father gestured to the couch. She resumed her seat as he claimed the oversized leather recliner across from her. “It was very productive.”
    “Did you get to see any of the sights? Play tourist?”
    Dad grinned, shaking his head. “No time, I’m afraid.”
    His answer made her feel even sadder. More than fifteen years had passed since her mother’s death and while Sophie had tried her best to carry on, it occurred to her that her father had moved forward in a way that was less about living and more about existing.
    Dad looked at his watch covertly. She was throwing off his routine. Ordinarily that gesture would annoy her, but today she was too melancholy. It was as if her eyes had been opened to some pretty hard truths and she didn’t like facing them.
    “I’ve been hearing some rumors.”
    Dad, rather absentmindedly, said, “Oh?”
    Sophie had spent the past several years getting used to having only half his attention. She wasn’t going to accept it this time. “How could you try to close down the community center? Portland needs that place.”
    Her father sighed and she got the sense he wasn’t surprised by what had brought her here. He knew how much she loved the center. What it had meant to her mother. He must have known she would react this way. And yet, he still pursued the purchase.
    “I think it’s outgrown its usefulness at this point.”
    “Bullshit.”
    “Sophia,” he chastised.
    He never called her Sophie or Soph anymore. When she’d taken over his party-hostess duties, he’d opted for the formal version of her name. “Sophia” certainly sounded more sophisticated and projected the snooty, detached air her father seemed hell-bent on maintaining. She hadn’t protested the change, though now she wondered if she should have. She hated the way Sophia sounded coming from his lips.
    “Dad, that place offers so many amazing programs. How can you say it’s not useful?”
    “There are a lot of things you don’t know. The building is in desperate need of repairs. It’s not safe.”
    Her temper sparked. “It was perfectly safe until the building inspector decided to nitpick over a lot of insignificant problems. A leaky sink is a danger? Really?” During his visit to Books and Brew yesterday, Marc had shown her the list of so-called “problems” with the building’s structure. It was obvious the inspector had been encouraged to find problems where none truly existed. Even after a second walk-through—at the request of the community center—the second inspector backed up the first, listing even more insignificant items to be repaired.
    Her father’s brow creased. “Who have you been talking to?”
    Shit. “No one.”
    Her father wasn’t appeased by the answer but he let it go. “There are other issues besides the facility itself. The board of trustees has made some questionable decisions regarding the use of funds and—”
    “And they were audited and cleared.”
    Again, Dad fell silent. “You’ve been doing your homework.” For a moment, she thought she detected a small bit of pride in his voice.
    “You know what that place means to me. Mom used to take me there for dance lessons when I was little. The summer camps and family picnics were a huge part of my childhood. Why would you try to deprive other children of those experiences?”
    Dad rose and walked to the mantel. “How many times have I told you, Sophia? It’s not personal, it’s business.”
    She sucked in a deep, furious breath. That fucking line had become his mantra since her mother had died. She hated it. “No. Not this time. This