I fought the groan that wanted to surface. If there was one person my father would want to impress, it was Clive. As the head of one of the top banks and investment firms in the country, Clive had every power player on speed dial.
Mom’s lips tipped down. “Isn’t it enough to just be together as a family and enjoy the event?”
Dad reached over and patted her hand. “Of course, we’ll enjoy it. But success is important, too.”
I swore I saw my mom deflate at those words. I knew she longed for the family we’d had before Clara passed away. My sister had a way of bringing out the best in all of us, and losing her had taken away our North Star in many ways. But even when she was with us, my father had always had a vicious need to be the best, and Gabe had followed in those footsteps.
“I’ve been combing through all the latest lines out of Paris and New York, looking for theperfectdress,” Lena cooed. She shifted so she gave me a shot of her cleavage, and I leaned toward my mom.
“I’m sure you’ll look beautiful,” Mom said, but her words had no heart.
Lena beamed at Gabe. “Have to look perfect for my baby.”
I had the sudden urge to vomit.
“What about you, Caden?” Dad asked, zeroing in on me. “You can’t bring some random floozy.”
Gabe scoffed. “You know he will. It’ll probably be some girl who looks more like a stripper than anything else.”
“Actually, I’ve been seeing someone. I’ll be bringing her.”
Dad arched a brow. “This is the first I’m hearing of this.”
The urge to roll my eyes was so strong. “It was new, and we have a shared history, so I wanted to tread carefully until we were sure it was going somewhere.”
Mom’s eyes brightened, and I saw color in her cheeks for the first time in months. “Now you’re just teasing us. Who is it?”
“Grae Hartley.”
The pure joy on my mother’s face had guilt churning in my stomach. “Oh, Caden. That’s wonderful. She’s just the partner you need. She’s kind but strong enough not to take any flack from you. And a beauty on top of it, which I’m sure doesn’t hurt.”
Lena scrunched up her nose. “Isn’t that Nash’s sister? The one who leads the hiking trips? She’s probably constantly covered in dirt.”
I cleared my throat to hide my laugh. “She does lead several outdoor excursions.”
Dad lifted his drink and took a sip as he studied me. “At least she comes from a respectable family.”
Gabe’s jaw worked back and forth. “But Lena’s right. That’s not exactly a job fit for someone of our station.”
Mom waved him off. “Grae is doing something she loves and making a living at it. I think that’s incredibly honorable, especially given she doesn’t need to work. And she’s always been willing to lend me a hand with things at the foundation.”
I didn’t miss how her gaze shifted to Lena when she said that. Lena had lived off her trust fund in San Francisco until she met Gabe, and he started footing the bill. She’d gone to college, but I thought it was more in the service of finding a husband than anything else.
Her cheeks flushed. “I guess I just have different priorities. I want to make sure I’m available to support Gabe however he needs me.”
Gabe lifted her hand to his lips. “And I appreciate that, baby.”
Dad ran a finger over the rim of his glass. “This could be good. The Hartleys are well thought of in the local community and beyond. Sharing the news of your settling down with a local girl whose family has been through so much might be just what our colleagues need for them to trust you a bit more.”
My grip on my iced tea tightened. Of course, my father would only see Grae as a pawn in whatever power games he played. “What I care about is that I’ve met an incredible woman. She cares about the people around her and challenges me in ways no one ever has.”
He waved me off. “Sure, sure. But I know Clive will be glad to hear you’ve settled down.”
Gabe’s grip on his glass tightened. “When does he arrive?”
“A few weeks. He’ll be hosting his company’s annual retreat here this year, and we need to wow him. I want both of you to draft plans. We’ll let Clive choose which one he likes best.”
Gabe’s jaw worked back and forth in irritation, but there was a glint in my father’s eyes that I knew well. He loved pitting Gabe and me against each other. This was just another chance to do it.
