Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 238

CHAPTER 137-1

Charles stood in front of the new workshop, and for once, he wasn’t looking at me like I had done something wrong. He tooked at the building. Then he looked at the original garage.

Finally, his eyes settled on me.

“I meant what I said.” He said and I folded my arms, because still didn’t know what to make of him.

“About what?” I asked.

“The expansion.” He said and his voice was quieter than usual.

“It’s impressive.” He added and I blinked and I wasn’t expecting that.

“You think so?” I asked and he nodded.

“I do.” He said.

There was no sarcasm in his voice, and there wasn’t the usual criticism hiding underneath his words. It was simply a compliment. A genuine one.

I glanced toward Jace, but he remained quiet, because he seemed just as surprised as I was and Charles looked through the open doors.

“You’ve managed to turn one small workshop into a proper operation.” He said.

“We’ve worked hard.” I said.

“I can see that. You should be proud of yourself.” He said and he looked at me again.

The words landed harder than they should have and my father had criticized me more times than I could remember, and I had spent years trying to prove that I wasn’t a disappointment.

Now he was standing in front of me and telling me I had done something well.

I didn’t know whether to accept it or protect myself from it.

“Thank you.” I finally said and Charles gave a small nod.

“You deserve the recognition.” He said.

“That’s the first time you’ve ever said something like that to me.” I said and his expression changed.

“I know.” He said and the honesty caught me off guard.

He looked toward the parking lot, where customers were still talking beside their motorcycles.

“You’ve built something that belongs to you.” He said.

“I have.” I said.

“And nobody can take that away from you.” He said as I studied him carefully.

1/3

CHAPTER 1

There was something different about him today. Maybe it was because he had finally seen what I’d created without trying to find something wrong with it.

Maybe it was because he was standing in a place where he couldn’t control everything.

Or maybe, for the first time, he understood that I didn’t need his approval anymore.

“I appreciate you saying that.” I said as he looked at me.

“I mean it.” He said and I nodded.

“I believe you.” I said.

Jace shifted beside me, and I could feel his attention on Charles. Charles noticed and he gave Jace a brief look.

“You’ve taken good care of her.” Charles said as Jace’s jaw tightened.

“She’s capable of taking care of herself.” Jace said and Charles almost smiled.

“I know.” Charles said.

I couldn’t help smiling slightly. That might have been the strangest conversation I’d ever had with my father.

There was no shouting. There was no accusation. There was no argument.

There was simply a father looking at his daughter and acknowledging that she had built something worthwhile.

I almost wanted to hold onto the moment but then I heard a familiar voice behind us.

“You’re actually complimenting her?” She asked and my smile disappeared as I turned.

Charlotte was walking across the parking lot.

Her expression was already irritated, and the expensive sunglasses perched on top of her head did nothing to hide the anger in her eyes.

“Charlotte.” Charles said as she stopped beside him.

“I can’t believe this.” Charlotte said as I stared at her.

“Believe what?” I asked as she looked me up and down.

Claus

“That everyone is standing around pretending this is some great achievement.” Charlotte said and Jace’s expression hardened.

“Watch yourself.” Jace said but Charlotte ignored him.

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