Page 110 of Tipping Point

Only Cam’s face remains unchanged.

“Beautiful?” Hope ventures.

I shake my head. “Observant.”

Dixon laughs softly.

“But beautiful too, obviously.”

Cam scoffs and guides the conversation away from her. Now that the ice is broken she gets down to business.

She asks question after question, rips every emotion from us.

Hope’s motherless childhood, how she took on the role of mothering her little brother. How as a teenager she resented the fact that it was my money that put food on the table, paid their rent, paid the executors who maintained the trust I had set up for them. Their resentment towards the caregivers they had throughout their lives. Her angry teenage years. She was appointed to a psychologist after an incident at school and it changed her life. She started processing her anger and grief and guided Chance along in her wake. She now saw beyond the food on the table, at the opportunities she had to further her education, how my money would enable her to one day be able to care for others.

And then Cam changes the flow, she plants the seed.

“So what are you going to call the foundation?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Hope asked.

I smile.

“She thinks we should start a charity.”

Hope’s eyes get a faraway look in them.

“We could give counselling for survivors or families affected by crashes.” Hope is lost in thought.

“We could offer them financial support.” I shrug.

“Wait, would you be interested?” Hope’s voice is tentative.

“Absolutely,” I say without missing a beat.

“Let me think it over.” She tugs at her auburn ponytail, twists it forwards over her shoulder where she twirls the tip between her fingers.

“Sure.”

Her smile lights up the whole room.

Dixon, at Camille’s shoulder, leans into her and whispers something in her ear.

She gives a small frown and I watch as her eyes travel to mine.

She nods. Clears her throat.

“Rumour is, Finn, that Erik Lindqvist from Delta Victor has extended you another two-year contract. Is that true?”

“Is it true that Delta Victor offered me another two-year contract?” I pause for dramatic effect. “Yeah, Erik approached me a couple of days ago. Wanted to formally put the offer back on the table.”

I can feel my heart beating in my chest. When I swallow, the sound is loud in the quiet room.

This is the reason I asked her to come. There is a lie I need to repent for her.

My mouth is dry, and I lick my lips while I wait for her to ask me about it.

Her face falls as she watches my mouth.

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