Page 97 of The Version You Hide

“But they aren’t the opportunities you want.”

“Grass is always greener, right?” He laughs. “You probably think I’m crazy.”

“To give up your fortune in search of a bigger purpose?” I shift in my seat, repositioning myself to face him. “I think you’re brave.”

“Brave?” His eyebrows shoot up.

“Yeah. Working for your father would be taking the easy way out, and let’s face it, it’s what most people in your position would do. But you’re different. You don’t want easy.”

The irony isn’t lost on me that he could be hanging out with literally anyone else right now, but he’s chosen arguably the most difficult woman on the planet to spend his time with today.

He glances over at me, his whiskey eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiles. “You’re the only person that’s ever said that to me.”

“Well, I mean, you’re also a little crazy too,” I blurt.

He chuckles as he steers the car down the driveway of the quaint riverside cottage I call home. He pulls up the handbrake noisily and when he turns to me, his easy-going demeanour leaves him, replaced by one of concern.

“I know this is a dumb question,” he begins, his eyes on mine. “But are you okay?”

“No.” I sigh.

He nods, offering a melancholy smile. “It would be weird if you were.”

The car door handle puts up a fight as I try to open it. “I think it’s really stuck this time.”

“Hang on. I’ll get it.” He steps out, rounding the car to the passenger side and after some fumbling and jiggling, he gets it open. “Sorry. I think it’s getting worse.”

“Thanks,” I say as he follows me up the front steps, the soft pitter patter of raindrops sounding on the tin roof above us when we reach the porch. “And thank you for today. For everything. For a while there you kinda got me out of my head.”

“Any time,” he says. “Kristen and Henley aren’t home, I take it.”

“No. They won’t be back until dinner time, but that’s when I leave for my shift at the tavern.” I turn the key in the front door lock, then push it wide open. When I glance back, Dylan hovers near the porch swing, his hands tucked deep into his pockets. I’ve been so focused on everything that’s been going on lately, I haven’t taken the time to check in on him. “Are you okay?”

He brings his gaze up from the ground and my breath catches when I see those golden flecks streaked across his irises. “Yeah,” he answers. “I just really don’t want to leave you alone right now.”

After a few seconds of contemplation, I nod. “I kind of don’t want you to leave me alone either.”

Relief washes over him, a smile tugging his mouth upward as I gesture for him to come inside. He follows me to my room where I put my phone and keys down on the dresser. I pull out the crumbled letter, now stained with my tears and tuck it into my top drawer. Somehow, I know I won’t be able to stand having it staring back at me from wherever I am in the room.

Dylan scans the far wall, where a few of my sketches are pinned to a cork board I got at Kmart on a shopping trip with Kristen and Liv. Kristen had been so excited to help me pick out a few things to spruce up my room. A new quilt cover and throw rug, the porcelain lamp that adorns my bedside and the cork board that Dylan now stands in front of.

“Wow. You weren’t kidding when you said you liked to draw. These are amazing.”

“Thanks,” I say, shyly.

“Have you told Kristen about Grace?”

“No,” I shake my head. “I mean, she knows I’ve been attending her art class, but not about recent revelations. You’re the only person I’ve told.”

“You should tell her,” he says. “It might help to talk to her.”

“I doubt Kristen would want to mix business with family. It goes against company policy.”

“That’s not exactly what I meant,” he says, picking up one of the sketches on my nightstand. “I don’t mean for you to talk to her like she’s your therapist. She’s your sister. She cares about you. She would want to know.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I say. “She’s pretty pre-occupied with organising her wedding at the moment. I kind of don’t want to be a downer.”

“She’d never see it like that. She’d always make time for you. You know that right?”

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