Page 23 of The Version You Hide

I hadn’t forgotten. My parents had been planning their 30th wedding anniversary party since last year, but with everything that has gone down since then I worry that if I go, I’ll just be giving them another chance to corner me. “I’m not sure yet, Claire. I might have to work.”

Chance returns with the driftwood stick. He proudly drops it at my feet and then moves over to my sister, nuzzling the bottom of her skirt, leaving a slimy string of drool. She huffs out a frustrated breath at the sight of it but doesn’t deny Chance a pat on the head.

“Work?” Her tone is incredulous. “Dylan, do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Dad has offered you a job. They want you to run the family business. I still can’t believe what you’re giving up.”

“I like my life,” I tell her. “I love it. And it’s not that I’m ungrateful for the offer. I really appreciate it, but I know if I took them up on it, I’d be miserable. I wasn’t built for pushing papers around an office desk.”

“I get it,” she says, unfolding her arms and blowing out a breath. “But I’d take that position in a heartbeat.”

I nod sympathetically. “I know you would. And I wish they’d just offer it to you instead.”

I might have an MBA, but Claire’s qualifications are astoundingly more impressive than my own. At twenty-eight, with an MBA and several other business admin qualifications, plus a doctorate degree under her belt, Claire is more than capable of running the company. Way more so than I am.

“Yeah, well,” she says with a frown. “I guess neither of us can help the fact that Dad is a misogynist that doesn’t believe in successful women in business.”

“I’m sorry, Claire Bear.”

Chance impatiently jumps for the driftwood stick as I pick it up, trying to secure it between his teeth. I chuckle as I move it from side to side teasingly, watching as his eyes follow it.

“Get it, boy!” I shout as I toss it as far as I can down the beach.

From my peripheral, I can see Claire watching me. “You really are happy here, aren’t you?”

She gestures to the house, then her gaze moves to the waves crashing on the shore and the crazy stray dog galloping back toward us.

“Yeah. I really am.” I grin. “I know it’s not the life that was planned for me, but it’s what I want. I love what I do. And speaking of what I do, I need to get ready for my second job.”

I grab the stair railing, ready to take the rickety back steps up to the house when the urgency in Claire’s voice stills me. “Dylan.”

I spin back around. Her eyebrows are knit in a frown as she lets out a sigh. I get the sense she’s about to say something I don’t want to hear.

“Look, I didn’t come down here to pester you. I came to warn you.” Her voice is stern, her facial expression serious to match it. “You need to be at this party. Mum has said in no uncertain terms that they aren’t above coming down here to convince you to come home.”

“Look, Claire, I’m sorry they’re giving you such a hard time because of me,” I begin. “I just think going to the party could do more harm than good. Dad and I just can’t seem to see eye to eye. Things are tense.”

“Yeah?” she retaliates, folding her arms across her chest again. “Well, you know how many high-profile guests will be in attendance. Just how tense do you think things are going to get if the press gets wind of the fact you didn’t show up to the party of the year?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I blow out a defeated sigh. “I know.”

My sister has made an excellent point. And it’s not one that I hadn’t considered. If word got out that I didn’t attend my own parents’ anniversary party, the media will have a fucking field day.

And word always gets out.

“Please, just be there.” Claire has always been the peacekeeper in our family, the buffer during family arguments, but it’s not often I witness her pleading. This is either really important to her or she knows something I don’t.

“Okay,” I nod. “I’ll see what I can do.” I bound up the stairs onto the balcony, then call back out to her before she slips around the side of the house. “Hey, Claire?”

She turns her gaze upward to find me. “Yeah?”

“You don’t think they’d actually come here, do you?” I ask. “To Cliff Haven?”

“I wouldn’t put it past them. Just be ready.

Chapter 8

MACKENZIE

“Dad called yesterday.”

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