Page 121 of The Version You Hide

“Mackenzie? I thought you were Claire.” My lungs are tight as my heart hammers against my ribs.

Time is up. I owe Mackenzie an explanation and she deserves more than to have to wait for me to figure my shit out.

“Claire brought me here.”

“She did?” That explains the Ferrari engine then.

“Dylan, she told me everything.”

I scour her face for a clue as to how she might be taking the news, but her expression is one of indifference. It gives nothing away.

I manage a deep inhale before blowing out a long and tired sigh that pretty much sums up exactly how I’m feeling right now. Exhausted. Completely fatigued.

I squeeze my eyes shut, hating that my father has put me in this predicament. “I’m sorry, Kenz. I feel one hundred percent responsible, but I know what I need to do to make it right though. I’m going to fix this.”

“You don’t have to do anything,” she says as she slides down onto the floor beside me, resting her back up against the side of the boat. Her hand finds my knee, gliding along the fabric of my suit pants.

I begin to wonder if she has truly grasped the gravity of the situation. “Of course I do. This is so messed up.” I rake a hand through my hair before I turn and meet her gaze. “He said he’ll drop everything if I go and work for him. And honestly, if it means that I can help Grace, it doesn't seem like such a bad idea.”

“What?” Her eyes narrow as they search mine.

“You said it yourself. Working for my father would be taking the easy way out. It would be a piece of cake. And if it’s going to help you and your family, it’s the easiest decision I’ll ever make.”

“But you don’t want easy,” she whispers.

“I want you to be happy.”

Never in a million years would I expect her to laugh right now, but that’s exactly what she does.

“You are insane, Dylan. You’d give up all of this?” She waves her hands wildly in front of her, gesturing to the boat. “You’d give up your dream?”

My eyes are glassy as they meet hers and its then I realise she doesn’t seem all that upset. “If it means that I can fix this. Yes. I’ll do whatever I have to do. I could still live here in Cliff Haven. I could commute. As long as I have you in my life, I can be happy.”

“Well, it wouldn’t make me happy. I would never want you to do that.” Her light blue stare seems to see right through me. “Seriously, I love you for that. But Grace is happy. She’s going to move the studio.”

“What?”

“Yeah. To Cliff Haven,” she says, a grin spreading across her mouth. “She’s happy, Dylan. Really.”

“She is? You aren’t just saying that, are you?”

She shakes her head. “Promise.”

My chest deflates with relief. “You couldn’t have led with that?”

Her laugh echoes off the walls of the warehouse as I pull her into my arms. She kisses me before drawing back, her fingers tugging at the lapel of my suit jacket. “I guess I’m the only one that needs to deliver bad news today.”

“What do you mean?” I search her face for a clue as to what she might be about to tell me, but her expression doesn’t resemble that of a person about to deliver bad news. In fact, she looks ecstatic.

“I’m giving you notice,” she says. “I won’t be able to work at the tavern anymore.”

“Kenz, what do you mean? What are you saying?”

“I got a job offer,” she explains. “I’m going to work at the studio full time. With Grace.”

“You’re kidding. That’s amazing!”

“Yeah. It is.” Her grin widens. “So you can call your dad and thank him because he’s done us all a favour.”

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