What Matters Most

by Beers, Georgia

“How many people?”

  “I interviewed with one first. She must’ve been the screener and I passed because then she took me into a room with three others. A couple of senior account executives and a VP. I was with them for over an hour.”

  “Wow!” Kelsey let out a little squeal of happiness. “That’s awesome. Meeting with the big wigs has to be a good sign.”

  “I think so, too.”

  “What happens now?” Kelsey flopped down into her chair.

  “I should hear in the next couple of days.”

  “Man, that’s fast.”

  “I know. Makes me a little nervous.”

  “But you covered all your bases, right?” Kelsey asked, trying to allay that tone of slight unease. “You told them you need to give two weeks’ notice? You told them how much vacation you’d like and you named your price?”

  “I did.”

  “Good. And they still sat with you for over an hour. I think you’re in good shape.”

  “I think you’re right.” Kelsey could almost see Chris nodding. “I am so looking forward to going out tonight.”

  “Me, too,” Kelsey said with a glance at her watch. “A couple more hours.”

  “See you when you get home.”

  They signed off and Kelsey rocked happily in her chair. Despite the slow business, it had been a good day so far. Chris’s interview went terrifically. Theresa had popped into the shop unannounced to surprise her. And they were all going to a nice restaurant for dinner tonight.

  Things were looking up.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “HOW DO I LOOK?”

  Kelsey stood in the doorway of her small bathroom, smoothed her hands over her hips and wet her lips. She was nervous. She wasn’t entirely sure why. She always got butterflies when she knew she was going to see Theresa, so that wasn’t new. But this was different. She wanted Theresa to be wowed by her. And she wanted Chris to be wowed by Theresa.

  Chris finished brushing her teeth, then made a show of looking closely at Kelsey, at the casual black dress, the low-heeled shoes (she was not graceful in heels...at all), the bounce she’d put in her hair with the curling iron. “That’s quite a neckline,” Chris finally said, and Kelsey wasn’t sure if it was a positive comment or a negative one.

  “What are you, my dad?” Kelsey asked with a small chuckle. She glanced down, saw the cleavage, didn’t look again.

  “You look great,” Chris responded, her grin finally letting Kelsey off the hook.

  “Thank you.”

  “And me?” Chris turned away from the sink, waved a hand from her own chin down her torso. She hadn’t brought anything dressy aside from her interview suit—and dresses weren’t really her thing anyway. She wore a nicely pressed pair of khaki pants and a sharp button-down camp shirt in an emerald green. Brown loafers were on her feet and her hair was swooped to the side in a rakish wave.

  “Aww, you want to impress the woman I’m seeing?”

  “The woman you’re...oh, um...” Chris suddenly looked embarrassed. She rubbed her chin with one hand and wrinkled her nose as she said, “Shit, I forgot to tell you.”

  “Tell me what?”

  “I invited Hannah to join us.”

  Kelsey gaped at her in disbelief for a beat. Two beats. “You did what?”

  “I didn’t think you’d mind.” Chris made the I’m-sorry-but-I-know-you-love-me-and-will-forgive-me face that had gotten her out of every dumb thing she’d ever done with regard to Kelsey their whole lives.

  “Hannah and Theresa don’t get along, Chris. I told you that.” Kelsey was feeling slightly exasperated, knowing there was no way to uninvite Hannah now without looking like a jerk, and knowing she didn’t want to warn Theresa for fear she’d back out. She threw up her hands, then let them slap down to her sides. “What are you doing to me?”

  “I know, I know. I’m so sorry.”

  “All right, here’s what you’re going to do.” Kelsey toyed with the ring on her forefinger, spun it around as she thought. “Theresa is probably going to be late, which means you’ll have some time to spend with Hannah before she gets there. But,” she said sternly and held up a finger. “If things start to get awkward, you will take Hannah to the bar. Or somewhere else. Away from Theresa and me. You’ll excuse yourself altogether if you have to and just leave. Understood?”

  Chris sighed. “Yes. Fine. Understood.” She shook her head as Kelsey fussed with her own hair. “Why don’t they get along again?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “I’m sure it is.” Chris shrugged. “I’ll ask Hannah. She’ll tell me.”

  Kelsey raised her eyebrows. “You two been doing a lot of chatting? You only met her yesterday.”

  “She may have texted me to ask about my interview. I may have texted her back after I talked to you.” Chris turned back to the mirror, kept her eyes on her reflection as she smoothed her hair. “She may have called me after that.”

  “Wow. You guys BFFs now?” Kelsey heard the subtle tone of snark in her own voice and had to consciously not wince at it.

  Chris snagged Kelsey’s gaze with her own, held it. “I’m sorry, are you possibly insinuating that I’m moving too fast? Because if I recall correctly, somebody in this room had sex on the very first date recently.”

  This time, Kelsey did wince. “Ouch.”

  Chris merely gave a half-shrug.

  “I know,” Kelsey said, reaching out a hand in apology. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Ignore me.”

  “Never.” Chris grabbed the offered hand. “But seriously, is my being friends with Hannah a problem?”

  “Absolutely not,” Kelsey assured her. Was it? Why would it be? Kelsey knew the answer, but also knew how horrible it made her look, so she chose to ignore it. “Let’s get moving or we’re going to be late.”

  ***

  Cline wasn’t what Kelsey would call a “fancy” restaurant, but it was definitely a bit more on the upscale side of what she was used to. She avoided the valet parking, found her own spot in a lot across the street, and strolled arm-in-arm with Chris to the front door.

  “Cline? Kind of a weird name for a restaurant, don’t you think?” Chris asked quietly as they entered.

  “I think it’s the owner’s name.”

  “First or last?”

  “I have no idea.” Kelsey smiled at the hostess. “Hi. Reservations for Peterson. I made them for three, but we have four now. Is that okay?”

  “That’s fine.” The hostess was pretty in a very nonspecific way. Smooth skin. Sleek, dark hair. Black clothing, heavily lined eyes, and she seemed nearly devoid of any and all personality. “This way.” She turned on a very high heel and began walking away from them.

  “I guess the others will just have to find us,” Kelsey whispered as she gave Chris a playful shove in the direction of the android.

  The dining room was warm and inviting, with round tables covered in burgundy cloths, dim lighting emanating from small pendulum lights, and heavy wooden chairs. Aromas of steak, garlic, and melted butter wafted through the air, and Kelsey’s mouth watered as she sniffed. She wondered if Theresa would ever recommend a place that disappointed instead of wowing her.

  The robot hostess handed them their menus, told them their waitress would be right with them, and left without another word.

  “Can you see the front?” Kelsey asked as she adjusted her chair so it was closer to Chris.

  Chris craned her neck. “A little.” She pulled out her phone. “I’ll tell Hannah where we’re sitting. You tell Theresa.”

  With a nod, Kelsey obliged.

  Ten minutes later, Hannah arrived. Kelsey was so used to seeing her in either softball clothes or some kind of scrub shirt with cartoons on it for work, that she nearly did a double take at her now. Black slacks, low-heeled black shoes, a white button-down shirt. Her hair was shiny and swooped to the side in a style Kelsey’d never seen on her. She looked great, and Kelsey felt bad that the fact surprised her. Hannah’s green eyes
sparkled and—did they widen a bit when they landed on Chris? Kelsey was pretty sure they did. And also that her smile grew.

  “Hey,” she said, and looked from Chris to Kelsey, then back at Chris, who stood up and hugged her. Kelsey followed suit.

  “I’m so glad you came,” Chris said.

  “Me, too,” Hannah replied with a grin, then glanced at Kelsey. “I hope you don’t mind. I know Theresa is coming.”

  Kelsey took a moment to just blink at her. The fact that Hannah knew Theresa was coming and still chose to tag along spoke volumes about how much she wanted to see Chris. Volumes. “Full disclosure, I haven’t told her you’d be here. Somebody forgot to tell me until about half an hour ago.” She shot Chris a look. Her cousin had the good sense to blush.

  “Yeah, that one’s on me,” Chris said. “Any sisterly drama that occurs is totally my fault.”

  “We’re big girls,” Hannah said, closing her hand over Chris’s. “It’s not like we’re going to throw drinks in each other’s faces, okay?”

  Chris chuckled and nodded. “Bummer. That might’ve been fun to watch.”

  The waitress stopped by at that moment, asked about the remainder of their party, and took drink orders. Kelsey glanced at her phone, saw that it was 7:20, and blew out a disappointed breath. “Theresa said if she wasn’t here by seven fifteen to start without her, so we can get ready to order if you want.”

  Hannah gave a small snort—though not small enough that Kelsey and Chris missed it. The waitress returned with their drinks: wine for Hannah and Kelsey, a dirty martini for Chris. Kelsey asked for a couple more minutes so they could look at their menus. She hoped Theresa would show up by the time they were ready to order.

  “So, what’s the deal with you two?” Chris asked as soon as the waitress was out of earshot.

  Hannah glanced at Kelsey, who shrugged. “Go ahead. I’m curious as well.”

  Hannah took a sip of her wine, set the glass down, turned it slowly in her fingers. It was as if she was evaluating each word she wanted to say, trying to predict which ones to use and which to discard. “There’s a big age difference, first of all,” she said finally. “She’s thirty-seven. I’m twenty-five.”

  “Twelve years,” Chris said, nodding. “Not a huge gap, but a pretty good-sized one.”

  “And we didn’t grow up in the same house. She lived with her mom and I lived with my mom and our dad.”

  “So she’s a child of divorce and you’re not.” Kelsey pointed out this fact, feeling herself bracing to defend Theresa, even though she wasn’t sure she’d need to.

  “Yes. That’s true. And she was...unhappy about that.” Again, choosing her words carefully.

  Which didn’t matter to Kelsey. “Of course she was. Why wouldn’t she be? Her dad left her mom for yours.” Hannah sucked in her bottom lip and waited. Kelsey could feel Chris’s eyes on her.

  “I’m only saying that to shed some light on my next comment,” Hannah explained. “Which was that Theresa pretty much stayed away. From all of us. She had no desire to be around any of us when I was growing up. Which is really hard on a kid, you know? Here I had this amazing big sister that wanted nothing at all to do with me. My dad was always talking about her, telling us how terrific and smart and funny she was. And as we grew, he’d report on her successes. Graduating from high school as the salutatorian—she missed valedictorian by two hundredths of a point. Graduating from college magna cum laude. Getting hired by a national real estate developer. Every time she helped broker a big commercial deal, my dad walked around the house gushing.” Hannah finally stopped to take a breath. Then a sip of her wine.

  Kelsey made no comment, even when she wanted to. She’d heard Theresa’s side. It was only fair that Hannah get to tell hers uninterrupted. And frankly, some of this information was new. Theresa had never said she’d stayed completely away. She’d made it sound like she wasn’t welcome. And she’d never even hinted at her father’s pride in her. Maybe she didn’t know?

  Hannah took a deep breath and continued. “It started to feel like I’d never measure up. Anything I did, Theresa had done way before me. And better. So many times I wanted to scream at my dad, Why do you care how successful she is? Why do you care about her life? She obviously doesn’t care about yours. I’m right here. Focus on me, the daughter who gives a shit about you. But I never had the balls. He always looked so happy when he was singing her praises. And he always seemed so crushed when she missed a Father’s Day or his birthday or a Christmas. BTW, she missed most of those. She doesn’t really have time for other people.”

  Bitterness had crept into Hannah’s tone, so when the waitress came by at that moment, it was perfect, as Kelsey felt like they all needed a second to take a breath. She saw a look pass between Chris and Hannah, and Kelsey was almost envious. Theresa wasn’t here, Kelsey was beginning to think she wasn’t going to make it at all, and that made her sad. Which made no sense because Theresa had warned her she might get stuck at work. With a soft sigh, Kelsey ordered chicken Florentine, then handed her closed menu to the waitress. Theresa’s empty chair felt loud somehow.

  “So,” Kelsey prompted. “She started coming around eventually. I mean, she was at the barbecue and she knew her way around the house, around the kitchen cupboards. When did that happen?”

  Hannah pursed her lips. “That started when she moved back here. So, not long.”

  “Did something...prompt that?” Chris asked, speaking her first words in quite a while.

  “I’m not sure.” Hannah propped an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand. “I guess maybe she decided it was time. Maybe she called my dad. I don’t know. All I do know is that she started coming around. Not for lengthy visits, mind you. She doesn’t come for dinner or anything. But she’s been showing up for parties my parents throw, gatherings and stuff. I think it’s easier for her if there are people besides the immediate family so she can slip out without anybody noticing.” Hannah finished off her wine. “She likes my mom and my mom likes her.”

  “Yeah, I got that impression from the barbecue.” Kelsey remembered Liz, her friendly smile, her openness.

  “But you guys can’t seem to get past any of it, huh?” Chris asked, her eyes on Hannah, her expression a little bit sad.

  Hannah blew out a heavy breath. “It’s hard for me, because I feel like she took so much of my dad’s attention from me. I have a tough time pushing through that to get to the other side.”

  “You know what?” Kelsey asked, holding up a finger. “Theresa feels the same way about you.”

  Hannah furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

  “She feels like you took your dad’s attention from her. That you got her life.”

  There was silence for a long moment as Hannah seemed to take that in. Long enough for their dinners to arrive. Kelsey basked in the wonderful smells of their entrees. Her chicken wafted up a buttery, savory aroma. Chris’s filet stuffed with Gorgonzola gave off a grilled, melty cheese aroma that had Kelsey’s mouth watering. Hannah’s wild mushroom ravioli was covered in a warm, basil-laden red sauce that was almost too gorgeous to eat. Almost.

  The waitress asked if they needed anything else, and both Kelsey and Hannah ordered a second glass of wine, then looked at each other and laughed. That helped to break the slight umbrella of stress that seemed to be hanging over them.

  “How about we talk about something fun and cheerful?” Chris suggested and she sliced into her steak and moaned at the perfect light pink color in the middle.

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Kelsey said with a nod. A surreptitious glance at her phone told her it was eight o’clock and the chances of Theresa showing up at all now were slim to none. She tried not to let her disappointment show and pasted on a smile when Hannah spoke.

  “Tell me about your interview,” she said, pointing a fork at Chris.

  For the next half hour, Chris talked about the people she’d met with, the position itself, and listed pros and cons. Hann
ah was surprisingly attentive, offering up unexpected insight, and Kelsey found herself looking at her friend in a different light. Doing her best to put Theresa in a box on a shelf for now, Kelsey focused on her cousin and her friend, laughed with them, offered support and suggestions, and overall had a really, really nice time.

  Chris looked down at her plate and an expression of alarm appeared on her face. “Holy crap, did I eat that whole filet?”

  Hannah chuckled. “You did. And I don’t think Kelsey or I even got a taste.”

  “I know I didn’t,” Kelsey teased.

  Chris’s head snapped up. “Oh, my God, I’m so sorry. I’m usually so good about that.”

  “Must’ve been awesome.” Hannah shrugged and set down her fork, a ravioli and a half still lounging on her plate. “Mine was.”

  “It was,” Chris agreed. “Kels? You didn’t eat much.”

  “Sure I did. And it was delicious. I just got full.” Kelsey had eaten half her chicken breast and most of her potato, but the truth was that her stomach felt a little off and food didn’t seem to be sitting well. “Lunch for tomorrow,” she said, injecting cheer into her voice as Chris eyed her leftovers with skepticism.

  “Anybody up for dessert?” the waitress asked as she seemed to materialize out of thin air.

  The three of them looked at each other, back and forth around the table, before agreeing they were done. Kelsey excused herself to the ladies’ room while they waited for the check.

  The bathrooms were just as elegant as the dining room of Cline, with small baskets on the counter containing feminine hygiene products, scented hand sanitizers, and linen towels instead of paper. The air freshener was tough to identify, but had a slight citrus edge to it that Kelsey liked a lot. She closed herself in a stall, blew out a huge breath, and felt herself relax for the first time since Hannah had arrived. It was as if Kelsey had been on stage all night, playing a role, smiling and nodding and laughing when that’s not really at all how she felt. And while part of her was relieved that there had only been one Keene sister at the table, she’d have much preferred it had been Theresa. She glanced at her phone and saw no texts. The disappointment that fell on her was surprising in its weight.