Page 81 of Billionaire's Coastal Haven

I won’t change my relationship with Landon for anything, even my dad’s approval.

Dad needs to learn that my life is mine. More and more, I realize I will always be his little girl, but it’s not because he doesn’t want me to grow up. It’s because he doesn’t want anything to change.

He has held me and Rainwater Bay captive since Mom died. He’s held us back because he never dealt with the grief.

It’s why he doesn’t want us to renovate the house. He blames it for her death. If she hadn’t been driving home from the estate, she never would have crashed. If he had been with her like he’d promised instead of campaigning, EMS could have gotten to her faster and she might have lived.

But I can’t carry his burdens anymore or try to fill Mom’s shoes to make him happy.

Because that’s what I’ve done since Mom died: picked the easy path that didn’t ruffle Dad’s feathers or destroy his expectations. I made his life easy at the expense of my happiness.

That’s not fair to either of us. It kept me small and allowed him to wallow in his grief.

That’s not how I want to live my life.

Landon’s phone buzzes. His forehead scrunches when he looks at the number.

“Who is it?” I ask.

“I don’t recognize it. Unknown caller.” He shows me the screen, then declines the call.

“Have you eaten?” Kelsey asks.

“No.”

Landon’s phone rings again. Same number.

“Answer it. It might be important.”

“If it were important, they would have left a voicemail.” He declines the call again.

“So food? Want me to run and get something, or do you need a break from overwatch?” Kelsey asks.

Landon’s phone rings again. Same number.

“Must be important. Go.” I gently shove him away.

“Are you sure?”

“Get it over with.”

He kisses me hard and Kelsey shrieks with delight.

When he’s on the other side of the room with his phone call, Kelsey shakes my arm. “See? I told you so. Romance looks good on you. Tell me everything.”

The brothers back away, toward the door. “We don’t need details,” Collin says. “We just wanted to make sure everything was settled before we left. If the renovation is off, I need to cancel orders and figure out what to do with my crew.”

I pass out more hugs. “No matter what Dad or the council says, we’re renovating the house. We’ll fight for permits if we need to.”

Landon’s scowl is even deeper when he hangs up the phone. “Lucky wants me to meet her at the house.”

“Why?”

“She didn’t say.”

“Want us to go with you?” Archer asks.

“Would you mind?”