Dodge glared at Tristan. “Yeah, I was. Don’t act too surprised.”
Holding up his hands Tristan said, “Hey, not judging dude, that just threw me for a loop.”
Looking at Tristan and giving him a smile, I wanted to say I was thrown too. But I didn’t. I did however have a million questions. Dodge was a lawyer. “What did your dad do that made you hate it so much, Dodge?”
“First off, he made me a partner, almost immediately, which didn’t sit too well with the other established lawyers. Nothing like walking into a party and having everyone moan because the party pooper just showed up.”
“Damn, that would suck,” Tristan said.
Pinching his lips together, Dodge agreed. “It did. Then he stuck me with the stupidest cases. Shit that a first year law student could win. It was frustrating.” Dodge dropped his head back against the headrest of his chair. “I don’t know what to do.”
Tristan leaned forward and put his elbows on Dodge’s desk. “Don’t go work for him. Why are you letting him have the upper hand, Dodge? I mean, unless daddy is sending you a shit load of money every month, the last time I checked you were a grown man. Don’t let your old man run your life.”
Dodge’s eyes filled with sadness and for some reason my heart broke for him. I knew Dodge well enough to know he wasn’t just rolling over and letting his dad walk all over him. I also knew what it was like to have parents who tried to control your entire life.
“I don’t have a choice,” Dodge whispered in the saddest voice I’d ever heard.
“Why?” I asked.
Looking away before I could see the tears forming in his eyes, he tried to talk but his voice cracked. Clearing his throat, Dodge began talking.
“My mother was thrilled when I told her I wanted to be a lawyer. She was a lawyer herself, but she was also a CPA. She loved her job and wanted me to love mine as well. I breezed through high school and graduated early, making my mother proud and my father ecstatic he had something to brag about to his partners at the law firm. I knew right away I wanted to do business law. My father specializes in family law.” Shaking his head and laughing, he looked away. “Really my father specialized in everything. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him lose a case. Any case.”
Looking back at Tristan and me, Dodge continued talking as he messed with a piece of paper on this desk. “When my father showed he had no faith in me being a real-time lawyer, I told him I was leaving. If he couldn’t give me the cases I deserved and the experience I needed to be a good lawyer then I’d go manage a damn club. He laughed and told me I’d never make it without him. I got pissed and walked out of his office, never looking back. Two days later, I changed my hair color to dirty-blond and was general manager of Red 7. My mother was heartbroken and my father was just downright pissed off that his son would walk away from one of the biggest law firms in Austin and be a bartender.”
“Oh Dodge, you’re more than that.”
Nodding he said, “I know, Ryn. He doesn’t though and he convinced my mother I was doing it just to piss him off. I told him it would take hell freezing over before I would ever return to law. As much as I missed it, I wouldn’t go back just to be spiteful.” Letting out a gruff laugh, Dodge’s face fell into his hands. “Hell has frozen over and I’m walking right in the middle of it.”
Dragging his hands down his face, when someone knocked on his door, he turned and looked at a young girl standing there. “Hey, are you okay? Chase is out here saying some serious shit right now.”
Giving her a weak smile he nodded, “Yeah, she’s just pissed our . . . time. . . . got interrupted.” Dodge looked at Tristan and gave him a dirty look, eliciting a laugh from Tristan.
“Did you need any help?” the girl asked. I could see it in her eyes. She had a thing for Dodge. I wondered how many of his employees he actually fucked. If I were to guess, I’d say Chase, the blonde from earlier, was his first.
“We’re good. Will you please shut the door on your way out?”
The girl’s face dropped as she nodded her head. Turning to Tristan and I, she gave us a weak smile. Poor thing. She had it bad for Dodge. In the ten months or so we had been together, I’d seen my fair share of girls giving Dodge that same look. He on the other hand, was oblivious to all of it.
Tristan cleared his throat. “Okay, so I’m still confused as to what your dad has over you to make you go back to work for him.”
Tears filled Dodge’s eyes and I sucked in a breath of air. Looking away from us, he quickly wiped his tears away. “It’s a long story. The short version is my mother has lung cancer and I’m only doing it for her. I’ll fill y’all in on all of it sometime.