Page 86 of The Version You Hide

“Yeah.” She nods. “I’ll be fine.”

“Okay.” I step forward, wrapping my arms around her. Her body slackens against mine just that little bit before she stiffens, offering me nothing else in return. I don’t want her to be alone, but I need to trust that she knows what she needs right now. I press a kiss to the top of her head before I reluctantly release her. “Call me if you need me.”

I know she won’t take me up on that offer. Last night I’d seen glimpses of the things she keeps hidden from the rest of the world, but she’s already tucked her heart away. Secured it for safe keeping behind those protective walls.

“I’ll be fine.” Her eyes barely meet mine before she turns and walks toward the beach.

I watch her as she disappears from view, knowing better than to believe her. Whatever happened today has just added to the already overwhelming mountain of things she needs to process.

And while I want to help her through it, I can respect that she needs her space.

Bombarding her with questions won’t get either of us anywhere.

I’ll give her tonight.

Tomorrow is a new day.

Chapter 27

MACKENZIE

The blank canvas stares back at me from the moment I open my eyes, the whiteness of it blinding. I’ve spent the past week wracking my brain for a subject to put on it, but after yesterday’s meeting with Grace, or should I say Grandma – no, that feels weird – I don’t even know if I’ll attend the exhibition.

I roll over, not wanting to look at it, but then my sight falls on the crumpled up note on my bedside table that I’d carried around in my pocket all of yesterday afternoon. I still haven’t been able to bring myself to read it, knowing that the words on that paper, whatever they may be, are bound to shift my world on its axis.

My phone rings, too loudly, as I snatch it up from the bedside table. My chest deflates with a heavy sigh. It’s Dylan.

I know he means well but I’m not in the mood to talk.

Especially not at 7am. I ignore the call, slamming the phone down and pulling the covers up over my head. As I’d suspected, it rings again. As usual, Dylan is nothing if not persistent.

I swipe the answer key and hold the phone to the side of my face. “What’s up.”

“Hey,” he says, in a voice that’s too bubbly and bright for this hour. “You awake?”

“Obviously.”

“Good.” He isn’t bothered by my sarcasm. “I was thinking you might like to take a little road trip with me. Meet some friends of mine.”

Is he kidding? In what world does that sound like something I’d be interested in? “Don’t you have to be at the boat in like, an hour or something?”

“You’re still in bed, aren’t you?” I can hear the smile in his voice.

“Didn’t feel much like going out for my run today,” I admit. “Why?”

“Go look out the window.”

I unwillingly drag myself out of bed and peek through a crack in the blinds. It hasn’t started raining yet, but there is lightning striking in the distance, the sky ahead a gloomy shade of grey.

“Shit,” I say. “Oh, well. Dark and stormy matches my mood, I guess. I’m just gonna stay here for a while and maybe watch some tv.”

“Not a chance,” he says, his tone teasing. “Get dressed and I’ll pick you up in half an hour.”

“I can’t,” I argue.

“Why?”

“I have to work,” I lie.

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