3 months later…

"Knock, knock…" Julie said at the entrance of her father's study.

"Come" her father said.

Julie entered slowly, her father was on the phone.

"Listen Jones!  I have been waiting for you to 'be ready and ramped up' since March 1st!  I want results not excuses!"

"Sit down Julie" her father said putting his hand over the receiver.

Her father kept talking… "I know I gave you the time but now you're just dragging your feet!  I don't want to hear anymore of your excuses!  I am ready to just pull the plug on this project, I don't care who it disappoints, it won't really hurt anyone but you!  I'm serious Jones, you have till the end of the week to make your decision." – Click.

"Hi honey, what can I do for you?"

"Oh nothing huge, I just wanted to see you, you are rarely home."

"I know honey, I'm sorry.  I have an Idea, I will take a week off and let's you and I go somewhere."

"Where?"

"Europe?  Tahiti?  Mexico?"

Julie smiled, and thought for a second.

"I don't know, where do you feel like going?"

"Let's go to Paris."

"Paris…sounds good."

"Okay, I'll book it for this weekend.  Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"No, not really."

"Okay."

"Can I listen to you for a while?"

"Okay."

Julie sat in her father's study while he made some more phone calls.

She found listening to him that his business world was so different, he was like a different person.

He was mean, he didn't mind shouting, and he was fearsome.  He got business done though and no one messed with him.  Julie wasn't sure if she liked this side of her father, he was kind of scary but it was exciting.  Part of her wished she could be that way, able to get things done, but she didn't like the shouting part.  She was that way on the ice.  She didn't take crap.  She just silently watched him talk, write things down, and walk around his study with his wireless headset on, not even noticing her, like she was invisible.  Only once in a while he would smile or wink at her.

At this point she decided that a business career would be fun.  Since she had to accept it. 

She took mental notes about her father's manipulation of the people he had to deal with, because she was going to beat him at his own game.  She would have to play his side as well to win. 

*Flash Forward 2 years 11 months*

"Knock, knock"

"Come in Julie"

"Hi dad, how are you?"

"I am fine, in good spirits I see."

"Yes I am, you know what happens in month?"

Julie's father pretended not to know what she was talking about.

"Um…no not particularly."

"It will be 3 years since we made our little deal, and I would like to start planning my wedding."

"That's right, wedding?"

"Yes that was the deal."

"Yes that is true."

"Okay, well…looks like you won, you may start planning your wedding."

Julie didn't like it, he never just says you win, she would have to keep her wits about her.

Jim would have to take a trip to go see his future son in law…

"Hello?"

"Hello Dean?"

"Yes?"

"This is James, Julie's father."

Dean opened the door.

"Oh hello Mister Gaffney."

"Hello, how are you doing?"

"I am well…to…what do I the…honor?"

"Oh, well I have something important to talk to you about and it would be inappropriate to talk about it on the phone."

"Really?   Why?"

"It's Julie."

"What happened?!"

They sat in the living room and Jim paced the room like he did when he was on the phone.

"Well, Julie sent me."

"She did, she didn't tell me."

"…well that makes this all the more awkward."

Dean just looked at him.

James stopped in the middle of the room and looked at Dean then finally he spoke.

"Julie doesn't want to see you anymore."

"Excuse me?"

"She has other plans in life, things have changed since you were kids in high school, she is a woman now."

Dean couldn't believe it, he wouldn't.

"Then why didn't she tell me herself?"

"She couldn't bear it.  She felt you would have manipulated her into staying with you, even getting married.  She didn't want to risk her future, she doesn't trust herself in the same room with you.  She couldn't bear to hurt you like this?"

"And you could?"

"Well, yes.  I was against it from the beginning."  Jim said coldly.

Dean looked Jim in the eyes deeply.  "You're serious."

"Yes."

The color drained from Dean's face.

"My advice Dean is to get on with your life.  Forget her, don't try to find her.  She won't accept your calls.  She even changed her phone numbers." 

"She did?"

"Call and find out for yourself."

Dean turned his head and went for the phone, Jim's eyebrow twitched upward and a grin touched the side of his lips for an instant.

Ring…

'I'm sorry the number you have dialed is disconnected or is no longer in service…'  the voice said on the phone.

Dean slammed the phone down, and a single tear escaped.

Take care son.

"I'm not your son."

"Oh, that's right.  My bad."  James said, and let himself out.  He put on he leather gloves and walked out to the limo waiting for him on the street. 

"To the airport."