Page 17 of Camping with the Boss

He really isn’t good at lying. Not a bad thing. Except, I need him to lie.

Jared nods. “Are we ready?” He reaches for the door and glances back at Canyon. “No need to be nervous. Wade and I will do all the talking.” But his statement is also a question.

“Okay, yes,” Canyon says, giving Jared a relieved smile.

“Excellent.” I nod at them both. Then, I square my shoulders and prepare to face Meredith. My step-aunt. The person responsible for my brother and me after the death of our parents almost twenty years ago, and then our uncle not long after that. I can do this. I’m the CEO of this company. Not a ten-year-old boy desperate for approval.

Jared leads the way, first in the line of fire, which I appreciate. I nod for Canyon to go next so we can flank him. As if we’re going to battle and he’s the precious cargo we’re protecting.

As soon as I close the door behind us, Meredith’s eyes meet mine. “Glad you could finally join us.” This is her first strike. Intimidate me from the start. But it doesn’t work as well as it did when I was nine. Or eighteen, finally taking over my father’s company. Her eyes go to Jared next. “Mr. Porter, I didn’t seeyou on the invite for this meeting. And while your enthusiasm is admirable, your services won’t be needed.”

Jared grins, nonplussed, and this is why I adore him. “Huh. That’s interesting, Meredith. Perhaps my invite was misplaced—right alongside yours.”

Her eyes glitter dangerously. “Ander invited me.”

Ander had stood when we entered but now sinks back in his chair. Trying to hide, no doubt. He doesn’t respond until our aunt clears her throat and gives him a pointed look. “Yes. I asked Aunt—” His eyes widen at his slip. We’re not allowed to call her aunt at work. Another rule. “Meredith. I asked Meredith to join us.”

“And I invited Jared. Now, if we’re done taking role, can we get on with it?”

“Not quite done.” The glee in her voice as she stares at Canyon like she’s found a new toy she can’t wait to play with sends shivers down my spine.

I make the introductions. Canyon holds his own, not backing down. Pride and fear surge through me in equal measure. As Jared and I sit on either side of Canyon, I rub my hands on my pants. Is it too late to whisk Canyon away?

He tilts his head as he watches Ander. My brother and I are completely different. I’m dark—hair, eyes, and temperament. My brother is light—blond, blue-eyed, and charming. There are other differences, but you’d have to look closely to see them. His eyes are less haunted and the palms of his hands are perfectly smooth.

I took the brunt of everything. Protecting my brother gave me a purpose.

Until his loyalty shifted from me to the company. And Meredith. Adding her to this meeting is further evidence of that.

“This is a simple matter,” I begin. “River had to take off.” I try not to emphasize those last two words, but it’s difficult. “Take time off,” I amend. “Canyon has kindly agreed to take his place.”

“Why?” Meredith directs the question to Canyon, and he glances at Jared.

Good boy.And that reminds me of earlier when Canyon caught me in his kitchen, petting his cat. “Who’s a good kitty?”His eyes had flashed with something combustible. I grab one of the pitchers of ice water Steph placed on the table for us. I quickly pour a glass and take a drink to cool the heat rushing up my neck. This is not the time.

I pour Canyon a glass. He gives me a quick smile, but his hand shakes slightly as he takes a sip.

“Meredith, could you please clarify your question? Are you asking why River needed time off? Or why Canyon is taking his place?”

She huffs, her hand in the air like she’d love to have a cigarette in it right now. “I—we,” she says, nodding to Ander, “would like answers to both of those questions.”

I thought I was prepared. But now—she’s going to pick my reasons apart. Shred them. “River needed?—”

Jared puts his hand on my arm. “Hold on, Wade.” He stares at Meredith as if he’s considering something. Something he no doubt already put together. “I’m not sure we can divulge River’s information without his permission. It violates his rights under HIPPA.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’m part of this company.”

“The law is clear. Divulging River’s medical information, even within the company, especially within the company, is on a need-to-know basis.”

“Which, as a chairperson of the board, I would need to know.”

“I’d argue that’s debatable. And we could take the time to debate it if this meeting were about River. But it isn’t. The decisions we need to make today involve Canyon.”

She smooths nonexistent wrinkles from her pants. A sure sign she’s gearing up for round two. “Mr. Drake,” she says, waving Jared away when he tries to interject, “you plan on taking your brother’s place, is that correct?”

Canyon looks at me, and Meredith clicks her nails on the table. I nod at him. He clears his throat. “Yes, ma’am.”

She nods as if she’s thinking. But I know she has her question already formed, and I brace myself for it. “I would ask why you would take on something like this at the last minute, but the reason is perfectly clear. We’re paying you three times the normal salary. My question is why? Why should we pay you an exorbitant amount of money to play in the woods for a week? And specifically,” she adds, “why you? What do you bring to the table that we can’t get from someone—anyone—off the street?”

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