Page 26 of Day Break

No matter what my grandfather hired me to do, there was no way I would let it slip who was inheriting what. I didn’t really know all the details, but I knew enough. Besides, it was far easier on me to let them all think they would each get a slice of the pie. One way or another, I’d have to deal with all that eventually.

“Maybe I should head up to the island and have a lunch meeting with the old man myself?” Phillip said, rubbing his hands together.

“He won’t see you,” my dad said firmly. “He won’t see any of us. I’ve tried.”

Phillip just shrugged and poured himself some more wine.

At this point I was over the conversation and tried to eat as much of the good food as I could. I wanted to leave and knew I wouldn’t be allowed to if my plate wasn’t cleaned. I continued eating while my family argued the pros and cons of trying to visit the island themselves. They all acted as if it was a trip around the world instead of a fifty-minute drive.

Hell, most of them probably drove longer to get a cup of coffee.

When my plate was cleared, I finally broke in.

“I’m heading up there next week.” Everyone stopped talking and turned to me. I knew that if I didn’t promise to say something to my grandfather that he would most likely be bombarded with visits he didn’t want. I didn’t believe that they would wear him down, but I was worried about what all the stress would do to his health, so I reluctantly added, “I will mention that you are looking for his support.”

My uncle smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Lane. I knew I could count on you.”

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. I remembered the time my uncle had shouted words of accusation at me over all the others. Then there had been his harsh whispers and small jabs aimed at me for years after. I’d learned long ago to ignore them, which somehow made my uncle seem proud, as if he’d gotten away with the hurt.

My cousin had never imitated his father’s behavior, but had instead always looked at me strangely, almost as if he believed without a doubt that I had been guilty. As if it gave him some great joy to believe I was capable of something so horrific.

Actually, the rest of my family had acted like that around me too. Ever since that summer day.

After I agreed to talk to my grandfather, the conversation changed to gossip, another thing my family did well.

I excused myself not long after and drove back through the city to my townhouse.

In the past few years, work had been my mistress. I went out on the occasional date, but I hated dating apps. Hated trying to arrange to meet someone only to find out they had only gone out with me because they’d found out who I was and how influential my family was.

When I pulled up outside my place, I held in another groan. Amber Morris stood just outside my townhouse, leaning on the door and looking bored.

We’d had an on-again, off-again relationship for over a year, and I’d officially broken things off with her almost three months ago. We’d continued to be physically involved when convenient. Tonight, was neither convenient nor wanted.

“Amber,” I said, getting her attention. That was another thing about Amber. She was into social media too much. Her parents were wealthy, and she deemed herself a star online. Everything we’d done when we’d been dating had been for show. She would take so much time setting up photo shoots of our food that it would be cold by the time I took a bite. Hell, one time I caught her taking a picture of me in the shower. Thankfully, I’d been able to stop her before she’d posted it. If I hadn’t forced her to delete it, I was pretty sure the entire world would have seen my junk.

“There you are, Lane,” Amber purred. She smiled at me as she tried to wrap herself around me.

Okay, so she was still sexy as hell. No one would blame my dick for responding quickly to someone it had enjoyed many, many times. Still, my mind wasn’t on the same wavelength as my dick, so as I unlocked my door I said, “I have an early meeting.”

Not once since moving into the place had I given out my door code or key. I didn’t trust easily, and, in this area, I was very strict. I stopped Amber from following me inside. “Sorry.”

She pouted and then stomped her foot slightly. “I already tagged that I was staying here tonight.”

“So untag,” I added dryly. “Goodnight.”

I didn’t feel bad about shutting the door in her face. Not when I knew she lived a few blocks away and most likely would call an Uber to take her to her next boy toy.

After locking myself into my own private space, I felt like kicking something.

My grandfather’s constitution might be strong as a horse, but I was a freaking colt with no backbone. My family had known that if they threatened to visit my grandfather, I would intervene.

I should have kept my mouth shut. After all, I would wager that none of them wanted to make the trip up to see him. My parents hadn’t been back to the island since…

I sat down on my sofa and held my head in my hands.

Sherry. They hadn’t been back to Whidbey Island since Sherry’s murder.

Closing my eyes, I rested my head back on my worn leather sofa and stared at the ceiling.