Page 7 of Tell Me All Your Lies

“What? Why does he go through you about this? Every. Single. Time.”

“Hush now. Your father is a busy man who wears his heart on his sleeve for his girls.”

I sit back in my chair and cross one of my legs over the other.

“And need I remind you, you getting into school in California and deciding to stay for all this security business is why we have a house out here too.”

A hint of a smile touches my lips.

“I do.”

“Good,” she answers happily.

An alert pops up on my computer—a security issue notification.

“Sorry, Mom. I have to run. See you tomorrow. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

I check the alert and see my spyware has flagged the issue. All I need right now is for someone to break into my security measures ahead of prepping for this mission.

As I start to look at my computer screen, my attention is caught by the picture sitting on my desk of my parents and me.

We’re on the beach together, in front of our favorite restaurant here in California. I can’t help but feel happy staring at it.

Mom is right. My parents are the best that I could have gotten, and my dad runs his company from both coasts because of me.

They decided to move from my small Massachusetts hometown, Hull, out to California to be closer to me after college. My dad’s company can be run from anywhere, so he has two locations.

Although they started being bicoastal for me, they enjoy going back and forth between the two coasts. It’s almost all fun for them these days. That’s why their second home is in Florida and not my hometown.

I know I’m lucky to be this close to them, but sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I weren’t an only child. Many of the decisions they made over the years revolved around me. It’s partially why I can be guilted into activities such as attending a gala with people I can’t stand to be around.

I wince at an intrusive thought.

There may be one person in particular I don’t want to see. One person I’m always dreading running into at these social gatherings.

I know he will be there; he always is.

I sigh.

Grant Sinclair is always everywhere.

Staring out my large windows,I’m in awe of the view. The sun setting and casting a glimmering shine on the ocean will never get old. Living on the beach has always been a dream of mine.

When I entered the private sector, I was able to earn more money from one contract alone than I would have earned in an entire year working for the agency.

Dodger couldn’t believe that I was willing to “sell my soul for a better paycheck,” but here we are. With each passing day, any memory that I have of Dodger only highlights our differences. I’m not sure our friendship would have lasted regardless of the situation we found ourselves in.

“This is stunning. Seriously, Cara, you look beautiful in this dress.” Ruby beams from the other side of my living room.

“It’s Cara now, is it?” I tease.

“Okay, fine, Ms. Collins. You are gorgeous,” she retorts playfully.

In the office, Ruby and I like to keep our relationship professional; we’re women in the security field, and there are already enough hurdles we have to jump over on a daily basis.

“You think so?”

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