“I’m sorry. I love you. I do. I’m so sorry, Joss. What I said was awful. There’s no excuse. I was just caught off guard. I wasn’t expecting it. Please forgive me.”
Joss hugged her back, her heart still constricted at the things Kylie had said. She believed Kylie was genuinely sorry but her words still hurt. Like tiny darts finding their target. Was it what everyone would think? That she’d so easily gotten over Carson and could so easily replace him? It had been three years! It wasn’t as though she’d hopped into the sack with Dash a week, a month or even a year after Carson died.
Dash looked at Joss over Kylie’s shoulder, his expression murderous. He knew Joss was hurt—was still hurting—over Kylie’s outburst, and it was obvious he’d do anything to spare her pain.
Joss shook her head at Dash, a signal to drop it. Kylie was emotional. She’d always been so. And she often spoke without thinking. Joss knew Kylie loved her just as she also recognized Kylie’s faults. And when you loved someone, you accepted every part of them. Even the not so perfect things.
Dash nodded grimly, accepting Joss’s silent plea to let it go. When Kylie pulled away from Joss, she turned her troubled gaze to Dash.
“I’m sorry, Dash. Please forgive me. I’ll try to accept him. I won’t do anything to embarrass you. And if I still have a position with you, I’ll do my best. I’ll do the job you’ve come to expect from me.”
Dash’s expression softened just a bit and he pulled Kylie into a firm hug.
“I would appreciate that, Kylie. You’re damn good at running my—our—office, and I fully expect you’ll do the job going forward. But if I hear of you speaking to Joss the way you just spoke to her ever again, I won’t be as understanding the next time.”
The warning fell over the room. Kylie nodded her acceptance and glanced back at Joss, sorrow and regret brimming in her eyes.
“I forgive you, Kylie,” Joss said quietly and sincerely. “Please, let’s just forget about it and enjoy the evening. Chessy and Tate will be here soon, as will Jensen. Please give him a chance.”
Her tone was pleading but she had always been the peacemaker. She hated dissension or strife of any kind. It was just her nature and Dash was well acquainted with that aspect of her personality. It was why he’d shut Kylie down so quickly and fiercely. She loved that he was so protective of her. She felt safe with him. Not just physically but emotionally, and perhaps emotionally was the most important because she’d already suffered so much in that area. She needed and wanted her feelings protected and cherished. If that made her weak, oh well. It was what she wanted—needed—and Dash seemed determined to provide it for her.
“I’ll give him a chance. For you, Joss,” Kylie said, making the distinction that she would do so for Joss and not necessarily Dash. Which was odd considering Dash was her boss and it was him she needed to be concerned with pissing off.
But Joss was her friend—her sister—and that bond was solid and unbreakable, or at least Joss hoped it was. She prayed this wouldn’t be a strain they wouldn’t recover from.
“We appreciate your support,” Dash said quietly. “It means a lot that you’ll stand behind us, Kylie. You aren’t just an employee. You’re family.”
Kylie’s eyes watered and she quickly wiped the betraying moisture away. “We’re wasting good wine,” she said shakily, a tremulous smile on her lips. She was trying, making the effort, and Joss loved her for that.
“Why don’t you come into the kitchen with me while I prepare the hors d’oeuvres,” Joss said, extending her hand to her sister-in-law. “We can wait for Chessy to get here and we’ll drain a bottle of wine while the guys do their thing over the grill.”
Kylie smiled genuinely this time and took Joss’s hand, squeezing it in silent apology.
The two women entered the kitchen, awkward silence between them. Joss busied herself preparing the tray of appetizers and she turned the steaks in the marinade. She checked her watch, knowing the others would be arriving shortly. She was impatient for Chessy to get there so she could alleviate the tension between Joss and Kylie.
She breathed a sigh of relief when, a few moments later, Chessy sailed into the kitchen, a cheerful smile on her pretty face.
“Hey, guys,” she sang out.
She hugged Kylie and then went over to offer Joss a hug.
“What’s up with Kylie?” Chessy whispered against Joss’s ear.
“Tell you later,” Joss murmured back.
Chessy’s eyes narrowed as she pulled away but she quickly pasted her smile back on and went to plop onto the barstool next to Kylie.
Kylie was noticeably subdued even though Chessy chattered on, filling the awkward lapse between Joss and Kylie. But Chessy’s sharp gaze didn’t miss the discomfort that lay like a blanket over the other two women.
When the doorbell rang, Kylie paled and then immediately excused herself to go to the bathroom. The moment Kylie left, Chessy pounced on Joss, walking around the counter to stand beside Joss while Joss pulled the steaks from the marinade and patted them dry.
“What the hell is going on here?” Chessy demanded. “Kylie bolted like a bat out of hell the minute the doorbell rang.”
“Long story,” Joss muttered. “Dash is bringing in Jensen Tucker as a partner, and Kylie didn’t take the news well at all. That’s him at the door. He’s coming over to meet everyone. We invited Kylie earlier so Dash could tell her in private, and she freaked. Like really freaked. She said some pretty harsh things. To me.”
Chessy’s eyes widened. “Really?”
Joss nodded. “Dash was pissed. Extremely pissed. He basically threatened to fire her if she didn’t apologize and he told her if she ever came at me like that again he’d fire her on the spot.”
“Wow,” Chessy breathed. “Not that I don’t agree with him protecting you, but wow.”
“Yeah. My thoughts exactly.”
Chessy grabbed the tray as Kylie reentered the kitchen, as though she’d come over to help.
“Grab the wine, Kylie,” Chessy said cheerfully. “We’ll go serve up Joss’s yum-yums to the menfolk.”
Her pretend obliviousness to the entire situation almost fooled even Joss. Kylie looked like a deer in the headlights, but there was no way for her to object without making a scene. She sighed but took the wine bottle from the table and followed Chessy into the living room.
Joss was only a few feet behind and she immediately went to greet Jensen, wanting to make him as comfortable as possible since it was obvious Kylie wasn’t going to be as welcoming.
Jensen kissed her on both cheeks and smiled warmly at her.
“Has Dash introduced you to everyone?” Joss asked.
“Everyone but Kylie and Chessy.”
She took his hand, pulling him toward where the other two women stood. Jensen looked befuddled while Dash smiled at Joss taking charge.
“Ladies, I want you to meet Jensen Tucker, Dash’s new partner. Jensen, these are my two best friends, Chessy and Kylie.”
“I’m her sister-in-law,” Kylie said pointedly.
“I’m very pleased to meet you both, but especially you, Kylie. I’ve heard much about you. Dash says you’re indispensable at the office. I’m looking forward to working with you.”
Kylie flushed at the praise and ducked her head, not meeting Jensen’s gaze directly.
“It’s nice to meet you too,” she said stiffly.
Chessy extended her hand to shake Jensen’s and he pulled it up as he’d done with Joss the night before and brushed a kiss over the back. Then he pointedly extended his hand to Kylie and when she reluctantly took it, he pulled hers up as well, but he was much slower to lower it once he’d kissed hers.
Kylie snatched her hand away as though she’d been burned and tucked it protectively behind her back. If Jensen noticed her reaction he didn’t show it. His smile was bland and he didn’t so much as blink.
“How long have you known Dash?” Chessy asked curiously.
Trust Chessy never to miss a beat. She was an absolute charmer, and it looked as though Jensen was enchanted with her. Who wouldn’t be? Was it any wonder Tate was so forbiddingly possessive of her? But Dash had said he shared Chessy with other men. Joss still couldn’t wrap her brain around it. Even now Tate was watching intently, taking in Jensen’s reaction to his wife. Though he was across the room, his gaze never left Chessy, and he’d frowned when Jensen had kissed her hand. He was broodingly watching the interaction between Jensen and all the women. Though Dash was conversing with Tate, Tate’s focus wasn’t on Dash. It was squarely on Chessy.