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little color in their world—I was grateful I’d be moving back into my Riverside apartment that afternoon. I craved color like I needed air.
    “Do not patronize your mother, Reagan.” As Chairman and president of McKinley Enterprises, my father was much too busy to care how many times my mother redid the place. Nor how much money she spent. After all, a quarter of all real estate development across the country relied on his company’s business. And he was about to go global.
    “I did not hear you come in last night.” My mother narrowed her ice blue eyes at me. “What time did you return from your date with Archer Chase?”
    “Late,” I said. Thanks to Dare.
    “Well, at least it is nice to see you smile without me having to remind you, for a change,” she said. “You must have had a lovely time with Archer. We are so delighted you agreed to see him. His mother called to tell me she sent you an exclusive Valentino dress for the occasion. I hope you remembered to wear it.”
    “Uh-huh.” I wore it. And then I took it off. Or well, Dare took it off, his hands sliding over my bare skin as the dress slipped to the floor…
    “Reagan Allison McKinley. How many times have I told you that your father and I will not tolerate one-word answers? We have not spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on private education to be grunted at.”
    “Sorry,” I said. Realizing that was also just one word, I added, “I apologize.” There. TWO words.
    It was hard to believe that once upon a time I used to stay up at night hoping one of them would come home from whatever corporate meeting or charity function they were attending to tuck me in and check for monsters under my bed. When I still thought hugs, kisses, and warm smiles were something my parents would figure out how to do—like those families in the movies.
    They never did. Hell, they never even tried.
    “Write Mallory Chase a proper thank you note today,” my mother said. “It is imperative. We will need the Huntington-Chases’ support on your father’s new venture soon. A very important one.”
    I glanced at my father. “What new venture? Your company going international? What would the Chase family have to do with that?”
    My father set down his fork. “You will hear about it Friday night when your brother and sister come over for a family meeting.”
    “You mean a family dinner?” I muttered. Why did I even bother correcting him? McKinley dinners were business transactions.
    He pointed a finger at me. “Do not be late.” Then he cleared his throat. “Over the next few months— years , hopefully—our family will be setting out on a life-changing path. Your mother and I expect full cooperation from all of you.” There was an emphasis on you like he really meant to say I know we don’t have to worry about Pierce and Quincy, but YOU, Reagan, better behave. Or else. There was always the threat of or else with my father.
    Before he could say anything else, his cell phone buzzed. Wiping his mouth with the napkin from his lap, he glanced down at the screen. “I must take this,” he said to my mother, then motioned to the housekeeper. “Isla, I will need to finish breakfast in my study.”
    My mother’s lips thinned, but she didn’t say anything. She never did. Instead, she nodded to Isla—which was Mother for come back with a double dry martini —and turned her attention back on me.
    “What are your plans for today?”
    “I thought I’d get Louis to take me over to Riverside so I can move some of my things back in and get ready for school,” I said. The faster I could get out from under my parents’ thumb, the sooner I would be able to breathe again.
    She shook her head. “You will have to hire a car or drive yourself. Louis is driving me to the salon.” With a deep sigh, she gazed at my hair. “I really do wish you would agree to join me. If we only trimmed and lightened your hair a bit, it would look so much better.”
    “No, Mother. You have