Just One Scandal (The Kingston Family #2) -Carly Phillips Page 0,27

to think and assess my life. When things get upended, that’s what you do.”

Dash, who’d been leaning against a far wall, stood straighter. “She deserves time to weigh her options and her life choices,” he said, and she shot him a grateful look.

“By moping around? Not going out or leaving the apartment?” Linc asked. “I don’t call that healthy behavior.”

Chloe narrowed her gaze. “Just how did you know that?”

“I didn’t say a word to anyone about anything! I swear. Except relaying your message to Linc,” Aurora said, obviously afraid Chloe would think she’d mentioned something to cause this intervention after her visit.

“I know.” Chloe softened her expression as she met her sister’s gaze. “This isn’t about anything you did.” Unfortunately she had a feeling she knew who’d actually been behind this meeting.

And if Beck wanted her to leave, all he’d had to do was ask. He hadn’t had to go behind her back to her brother, a man he didn’t even like, to push her away.

Hurt rose up inside her. “What did Beck say?” she asked Linc, talking over the painful lump in her throat.

Jordan stepped forward and nudged Linc out of the way. “Go. You’ve done enough damage,” she told him. “Chloe, look. All Beck said was that he was concerned that you’re feeling down, and he thought maybe you could use a talk with your family.”

Swallowing her sense of betrayal to deal with later, she nodded. “I appreciate that but nobody needs to worry about me. I have plans.” She sought to reassure them.

“Like coming back to work?” Linc asked, sounding hopeful.

“Linc, stop being so pushy. She knows you care but you’re going overboard.” Her mom glanced at Chloe and gave her a warm smile. “And what did you decide, honey?”

Chloe rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She sighed, knowing there wasn’t much she could do but confess, and turned to her oldest brother. “I haven’t been happy with my job for a while.”

“What? Since when?” Linc asked.

Chloe blinked, realizing how dense men could be. They didn’t pick up obvious signals. “You know I’ve asked to branch out into more eclectic design in our more modern buildings. To be able to use my talents more. And you always shoot me down.”

He frowned and didn’t reply right away, which meant at least he was thinking about her feelings because Linc loved her. They all did, and since Beck had instigated this get together, Chloe could understand their renewed concern.

“I just believe in sticking to what works,” he finally said.

Chloe sighed. “And I respect your business sense, but I need more to satisfy me.” Drawing a deep breath, she said, “I entered the Elevate Online Interior Design Professional’s Contest.” Putting herself out there wasn’t easy. Telling her family her intentions meant they would know if she failed and lost the contest. If so, she’d have to go crawling back to Linc with her tail between her legs, and that wasn’t an easy thing to face.

Surprise lit his gaze while the rest of the family remained silent. She assumed most of them had no idea what the contest was all about, but Linc did. She’d shown him past years’ winners only to have him shrug their designs off as not the Kingston way.

“What’s the contest about?” Aurora asked.

Chloe knew this was the moment where she took that leap of faith by revealing her hopes and dreams. “It’s a prominent interior design contest. This year the winner not only gets a contract with the company but they’re looking for someone to run the New York branch they plan to open next year.”

Linc stared in shock. “You’re planning to leave the family business?”

She straightened her shoulders. “If I win, then yes.”

Xander clapped his hands, supporting her. “Why not? I’m not part of Kingston Enterprises and neither is Dash.” After striding over, he put an arm around Chloe’s shoulders. “Neither is Aurora for that matter.”

“But she has that option if she wants it.” He shot a warm glance Aurora’s way. “And as for you two, you have talents that took you elsewhere,” he said about Xander and Dash.

“And I don’t?” Chloe asked, hurt by his innuendo.

He shook his head. “I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that…”

Chloe waved her hand through the air, cutting him off. “I know your intentions are good but right now you’re not helping. You’re only making things worse.”

It was in Linc’s nature to take charge, and she loved him for being like a parent when her