Chapter 26

DYLAN

"H ow were things on the boat this morning?" I ask Jade as I slide her a glass of Coke across the bar.

"Great," she replies with a sassy grin. "You weren't missed at all."

"Haha," I say with dead eyes. "You're hilarious."

"You better have a good excuse for calling in sick." She quirks one eyebrow as she twirls her straw around inside her glass. "You missed out on seeing the biggest octopus I've ever seen in my life. Not to mention the massive grey nurse feeding frenzy."

"You're kidding." I groan. "I missed out on feeding time?"

"Yep," she says with a smug smile on her face.

"Shit. I picked the worst day to call in sick then."

"Speaking of," she says, eyeing me from head to toe and back again. "You don't actually seem all that sick."

"You caught that, huh?" My mind drifts back to this morning. Mackenzie curled up on my couch, Chance tucked into her side. "I had something important to take care of this morning."

"Something?" Jade scoffs, then her eyebrows lift. "More like someone. Like, maybe a certain cynical blonde we've all come to know and love?"

"Maybe," I admit.

"Maybe?" She shakes her head at me, aiming a sceptical smirk in my direction. Clearly, she sees right through me. "It's so obvious you like her. Why do you think I invited her on the boat in the first place?"

"That's why you invited her? You meddler!" I cry in mock shock, swinging a rolled-up dish towel at her.

"Hey, I did you a favour." She pauses to take a slurp from her straw. "You're welcome, by the way."

"Why, thank you, Jade." I hold my hand over my heart, a gesture that earns me a laugh. "It might be the nicest thing you've ever done for me." I'm not even kidding.

"Okay, settle down," she says. "Where is she, anyway? I swear I saw her behind the bar when I walked in."

"She wasn't feeling well," I lie, knowing it isn't my place to disclose Mackenzie's whereabouts.

Jade drops her straw back into her drink and flashes me an accusing glance. "What did you do to her?"

"I did nothing," I retaliate, my hands raised in defence. "She had something important that she needed to do, too."

"Well, this is all very cryptic," Jade muses.

My smile falters. Mackenzie has been gone for almost two hours. Either she's making progress with this new relationship with her grandmother, or she's sitting by a river sketching her angst-ridden thoughts out onto a page. Either way, I'm worried about her.

"Are you okay?" Jade is clearly in tune with the frown on my face, but I don't have time to answer her before the doors of the tavern open, the atmosphere suddenly sucked right out of the room.

"Shit," I mutter under my breath. "Not anymore."

My father saunters to the bar, swiftly adjusting his tie before sliding his hands into his pockets. His posture is stiff, as it always seems to be in my presence lately. "Son, can we have a word?"

I'm about to tell him no. That I have a job to do. Customers waiting. But then I see Claire stroll up behind him. He's clearly brought her along to add to his persuasion. He knows I can't say no to my big sister.

"Sure," I say reluctantly instead, then I wave a hand at Corey. "Corey, would you mind covering for me for a minute?"

"Sure, boss," Corey calls out from the storage room where he's busy unpacking a pallet of beer.

"This way." I motion for my father and Claire to follow me out the back of the tavern to the lawn area that served as the venue for Liv and EJ's wedding earlier this year. I gesture to the long wooden table, and we all take a seat. The beach is quiet, save for the waves thrashing against the white sand in the distance. "What brings the two of you all the way out here? And where's Mum?"

"She had an important meeting about her upcoming handbag line," Claire answers.

"Oh," I say.

My mother isn't new to the fashion industry, but she'd only recently decided to create an accessories line. She may have married the founder of a successful hotel chain, but she is a businesswoman in her own right.

"I'm not here to beat around the bush, Dylan." My father's words come out clipped. "We're here to give you one last chance to accept the job at the Abbott Group."

A heavy sigh leaves me as I run a hand through my hair. I'm sick of this fight, exhausted by the newspapers reporting ridiculous theories about me and my family. "I really appreciate that, Dad. I really do. And I know that my choices are affecting the entire family. I'm sorry about that, but I'm happy here."

My father grunts but he doesn't argue it further.

"Okay," he says. "If you're certain this is what you want, then I'm sure there's some way we can spin this so the media doesn't drag our family name any further through the mud."

"Okay?" I just about choke on the word in shock. "You're okay with this now?"

"You tell me that you're happy here." His gaze moves sideways to the ocean.

"I am," I confirm. "I'm doing everything that I want to do, Dad. And I'm standing on my own two feet doing it."

He doesn't look happy, but he seems mildly less agitated than usual as he gives a short nod. "Then maybe it's about time I accept that. I've decided to allow Claire to take your position."

"What?" Claire blurts, her eyes wide with excitement. Clearly, Dad hadn't briefed her about his plan prior, though this is unsurprising.

"That's great!" I exclaim, knowing that this is everything Claire has ever wanted.

Some little girls want to grow up and become princesses or ballerinas or nurses. Not Claire. When the question had been asked by her kindergarten teacher, a petite five-year-old Claire had responded with three letters: CEO.

"But," my father says, holding up a hand. I should have known there'd be conditions. "I want you to come to the city for a few days over the next couple of weeks to get her up to speed."

Claire lets out a sigh of disappointment. Just when we both thought he'd come around, our father once again shows his misogynistic colours. What's even more frustrating is the fact that everyone sitting at this table right now is aware of her extraordinary capabilities when it comes to business management.

"Up to speed? Dad, that's ridiculous. Claire could do that job with her eyes closed."

"That's the condition of my offer." He stands, letting me know that for him, this conversation is done.

"I have a job to do here, Dad," I argue, knowing my efforts will be futile. I rub my hand over the back of my neck, thinking hard about how I could make this work. If not for me, for Claire. "I can probably take a couple of days off next week."

"Okay. Next week it is." Dad claps his hands together in finality.

"Thanks, Dylan," Claire steps forward, arms outstretched as she wraps them around my shoulders. "I'm sorry you have to do this. But thank you."

"Anything for you, Claire Bear," I whisper.

She releases me, taking a step backward. "Where's Mackenzie? Is she working today? I was hoping to see her."

"She isn't here," I explain. "She's gone to visit her grandmother in Seabright Cove."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know I shouldn't have said them. This thing with her grandmother is new. I don't know what I was thinking.

"Seabright Cove?" my father asks, a curious look passing over his face.

"Uh, yeah," I say. "Anyway, I need to be getting back to the bar now."

"I'll see you next week then," Dad says, holding his hand out for me to shake. I take it and he squeezes it firmly.

"You will," I say. "Congratulations, Claire Bear." The informality of the situation feels odd. Claire has just landed the job of her dreams, but the conditions attached to it and my father's lack of faith in her to do the job simply because she is a woman have put a dampener on it. "We'll celebrate properly next week, okay? We can do drinks in the city. My shout."

"I'd like that." She smiles.

I watch my father and my sister climb into the gunmetal Porshe across the street at roughly the same time Mackenzie pulls up in my beat-up RAV4. I take large strides to reach her as she steps out, a forlorn look upon her face.

"Hey," I say. "How did it go?"

She looks down at the ground. "Okay, I guess. We talked."

"That's good, right?" I ask, but her hunched shoulders tell me otherwise. "Are you okay?"

She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a folded piece of notepad paper, turning it over in her palms. She looks up at me, opening her mouth as though she wants to say something, but then pure exhaustion falls over her features and she closes up, turning to the beach.

"Yeah," she answers.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I already know the answer I'm going to get.

"Not really," she replies, shoving the paper back into her pocket. "I think I'm just gonna go."

"Okay. I'll go tell Corey I'm driving you home." I swivel around but she catches my elbow.

"No, it's okay," she says. "I feel like walking."

"Are you sure?"

"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.