Complete Me (Book Three of The Kirkland Family)

Complete Me: Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Rose walked up the steps of her parents' back porch, carrying a casserole dish of broccoli salad for Sunday dinner with her family, when she saw her father's figure framing the back door, looking solid and disappointed, like he had when she missed curfew back in high school—honestly, it happened the one time—and her steps faltered for a mere second.

"Hey, Daddy," she said, reaching the door.

"When were you going to tell us?" He pushed open the screen door, and she juggled the salad in one hand while giving him a quick hug with the other.

"Tell you about what?"

"You know about what. The store!"

In her head, she braced herself for the inevitable argument. It was only a matter of time before the news got back to him about her inheriting Mr. Shaw's store. "I was going to tell you tonight," she announced. "Thank you for knowing in advance. Now I don't have to."

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" he asked as Rose entered the kitchen. Her mother gave her a kiss on the forehead, took the salad dish from her and swatted at Justin.

"Jack, leave the poor girl alone," Hannah Kirkland said. "You make it sound like she's been keeping it a secret for years. You just found out this morning, so hush up."

"Thank you, Momma," Rose said. "I didn't tell you sooner because it was a shock to me. And...and I wanted some time to absorb it, okay?"

"You don't have to explain anything," her mother said. "We understand—"

"I don't understand," her father grumbled, and his wife popped him again.

"Yes, you do," she asserted. "You're a very understanding and loving father. You understand, Jack. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," he said, getting that pouty face when he lost arguments with Hannah.

Rose sighed. "Daddy, all I can tell you right now is that I own the building and half the business. Mr. Fuller owns Mr. Shaw's house and the other half of the business."

"That right there...that does not make sense to me," her father said. "How can you own half a business but all of the building that the business is located in...and why should this Mr. Fuller get any of it? What has he done to earn that?"

"Daddy, please...Mr. Shaw could do whatever he wanted with his property, and this is what he wanted to do with it. Please try to respect that," Rose said. "And the building and the store are separate entities because of the rental units on the second floor. Mr. Shaw had to insure them separately, so Shaw's Antiques is really just the contents of the store. I got half the interest in them, and Mr. Fuller will receive the other half."

"So, you're going to own a store together?"

"I don't know, Daddy," Rose said. "We haven't worked out all the details."

"Does he have any experience running a business?"

"I don't know, Daddy—"

"Does he know anything about antiques?"

"I don't know—"

"Does he have a job at all?"

"I don't—"

"Is he married?"

"Daddy! I don't know!" Rose shouted, shocking everyone. Silence echoed through the house for a brief moment. Then Rose inhaled deeply. "I just met the man, Daddy. I know very little about him, okay?"