“And you have hockey starting up? That has to take time away from your job. Are you still working there?”

“Oh.” His shoulders sagged forward. “Uh, yeah. I mean, no. I can still keep most of my hours. Practice doesn’t take that long and we have fewer games than the football season. I have more time than I did before.” He frowned. “Why? Do you need a job?”

“I thought you were rich.” Rebecca sneered up and down at me. She gave me the once-over. “Why do you need a job?”

I fought the urge to snarl and forced a polite smile. “I am not rich. My future stepfather is rich.”

“So are his sons. Doesn’t Mason pay you?”

My eyes went frosty.

Adam glared at her. “Rebecca!”

“What?” She shrugged as she looked bored. “That’s what I heard.”

“Not all of us earn money on our backs.” I tsked at her. “You should know better. I’m not nearly as experienced as you.”

“Did you just call me a hooker?”

It was my turn to shrug and look bored. “I believe that’s what you called me.”

Adam was fighting back a smile, but he shook his head now. “Leave, Rebecca.”

“Are we still on for our date?”

“No.”

Her seductive smile dropped. A hard look came over her next. “What?”

“I lost interest when you insulted my friend.”

“She insulted me too.”

His shoulders lifted, and he moved forward. As he looked down his nose at her, I recognized it was a gesture from Peter, who had the prestigious snob effect down to perfection. Adam’s was a close second, and Rebecca shifted back. Her eyes cast to the ground and her hand dropped where it had been poised on her hip. He gave her a cold smile. “She’s my friend. You’re not.”

Her fight was gone, but she asked, “What was I?”

“What do you think?” Then he pivoted and grabbed my arm. He led us away and murmured under his breath, “So you need a job, huh?”

“Yeah. Are there any openings at the country club?”

When we turned a corner, the hallway was crowded, but one person looked up. They shuffled to the side and the rest followed. Adam and I walked past them like we were strolling through the park. He shrugged. “I can ask my boss. I know they have openings for servers. You wouldn’t want to be one of those?”

I shuddered. “And be nice to rich stuck-up people?”

He chuckled. “You’re a part of that demographic now.”

“No, I’m not. I’m not rich.”

“You are by association.” He glanced at from the corner of his eye and held my gaze.

I readied myself. “What are you asking?”

“Nothing, just wondering if Mason knows about this new job venture?” He stopped me with a light touch to my arm. “And if he knew you were going to approach me about it?”

I gritted my teeth. “This is my problem.”

He nodded and shook his head. “So it’s not theirs then? You don’t want to bother him with your troubles, but he bothers you with his?” Then his smile flashed into something darker. “Bit of a double standard, don’t you think?”

I never looked away from him and raised my chin. “I came to you because I thought you’d be quitting. I wanted to take your job.”

His smirk slipped a notch.

“I see that I trusted the wrong person.”

I started to walk away, but he caught my arm and pulled me back. “Hold on.”

“Just ask your boss about me, okay? That’s all I’m asking for.”

Adam held my gaze with an intensity that made me want to look away. I didn’t. My hands tightened on my books and I held firm. It shook me, though.

Then he sighed and the intensity broke.

I breathed easier from the relief of it.

“Yeah. I’ll do that. We’re doing lunch there anyway. I’ll introduce you to her.”

We had started to walk again, but my feet stuttered to a halt. “Her?”

He flashed me a smile. “You’ll like her. She’s awesome. Hey, I know she’ll be there because we’re supposed to be getting a new caterer for the club.”

The bell rang and I hurried to my class, but I couldn’t shake a bad feeling. I didn’t know if it was because I went to Adam or if I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to work at the country club. I was sure I’d get hired. I was James Kade’s future stepdaughter and David Strattan’s daughter. Everyone loved their Academy football coach, but when we got to the club for lunch, everything went downhill for me.

I took two steps inside and ground to another halt.

Garrett’s back was to me as he laughed with a group. There were two women with him. One was dressed in a business suit and skirt. Her brown hair was pulled up in a fancy bun with strands that fell down in a fashionable look. She had plump red lips, a big bosom, and eyes that seemed to be drowning under my biological dad’s charm.

The other woman was an inch shorter than the first, but she wore a floral top. There were ruffles that outlined and showcased her cle**age, and one of her hands held onto Garrett’s. Her reddish-blonde hair hung loose and shiny, even next to the other woman who could’ve outshone anyone. When the first woman touched Garrett’s arm, the one who held his hand looked up. A flicker of fear flashed in her eyes, but as he graced her with a smile it vanished.

Another man stood in the background with a briefcase and a file under his arm. He wore a business suit and his hair was combed to the side, unlike Garrett’s who had his hair messily rumpled. For a man in his forties, it made him look ten years younger and it worked for him. It would’ve looked ridiculous on anyone else, but my biological dad flashed his white teeth and charm rolled off his shoulders.

Mark came up from behind me and threw an arm over my shoulder. He perked up. “Hey! It’s your dad.”

Amelia froze in place. Then she cast me a dark look and muttered, “He’s hot.”

As she moved on, I was aware of Miranda’s presence and readied myself. One never knew what she was going to say, but she surprised me when she murmured, “He looks nice, Sam.”

Then Adam touched my hand and drew me forward.

“No!” I grabbed his arm.

“Come on. I want to introduce you to my new boss. I think that’s the new caterer too.”