by Eliza Ellis
Besides, how do you tell your best friend that you’re in love with her father?
Sabrina laughed harshly. “Oh, come on. You can’t be this much of a coward. Not when you were so strategic in setting things up for yourself.”
“Excuse me?” Kori whispered. Now, she had no idea what her friend was talking about. Strategic? “Sabrina, I do have something to tell you, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. I think I’m about to lose my job.”
“Really? That’s a shocker. Have something to do with my dad?”
The question hung between them, and Kori felt Sabrina knew exactly what she was about to say. “Yes. Yes, it does. Sabrina…” Kori cleared her throat.
Sabrina laughed again. “Oh, this should be good.”
Kori’s eyes burned. What was happening? She shook her head. She couldn’t think of that right now. One issue at a time. “Sabrina, your father and I are…”
“You’re sleeping together. Yes, I know.”
“What!” Kori cried. “No! No, we’re not. We’re—”
“My father told me the two of you were in love. Didn’t I tell you not to fall in love with him?”
He loved her? Kori’s heart pounded, and her lips twitched upward. Marshall was in love with her?
“Hello? How could you do this to me?” Sabrina yelled. “Some friend you are.”
“Sabrina, I…I never thought this would happen. Honestly, I came here for the job, you know that!”
“Yeah, a job I conveniently supplied. Then you go there and seduce my father. Do you know he’s only been divorced for a year? A year! He’s been spiraling out of control. You were just supposed to help him get back on track, professionally.”
“I did, and he is. He’s doing an incredible job, trust me. I don’t…I don’t know what to say.”
“You feel sorry for him, right? This is pity. Tell me that’s what it is and I’ll forgive you.”
“No! No, it isn’t. He was drinking too much, and I was decidedly against him. I was only going to focus on my job, but, Sabrina! Marshall is…is kind and considerate. He’s not even drinking anymore! He’s seeing a therapist. I’m so impressed by how he’s changed his life around, and I respect him.”
“You’ve barely been there two weeks!”
“I can’t believe it myself,” Kori said softly. “I never thought I’d feel this way about someone and so quickly. It’s been a stressful two weeks, but it’s been an incredible adventure too. The way he’s treated me—”
“You have daddy issues. That’s what this is. You want a daddy and think you can have mine,” Sabrina said vehemently. “Yours was terrible to you, and I sympathize. But, Kori, my dad’s too fragile to handle this right now!”
Kori disagreed with the last part. When they first met, Marshall seemed bitter, but Kori now believed he was just unfocused. He was clearly past that now. But Sabrina’s first point made sense…once.
“I…I’ll admit that thought did cross my mind. But when the plane was going down, I was at peace because he was there beside me. I’ve had a horrible few months, and your father has made me smile and laugh, and I…”
“What,” Sabrina gritted.
“I don’t want to let that go. I know I will because the board of directors was against hiring me in the first place, and once they find out that…well, I’ll be fired.”
“How will they find out?”
“Another employee was on the trip to Bendola with us. Marshall thinks the board wanted him to be their spy. Marshall even said he was ordered by the board to fire me if I crossed the line in any way.”
“And let me guess, Marshall isn’t going to fire you.”
“No,” Kori whispered. “And I told him nothing could happen between us. Especially with my lawsuit pending.”
“Well, I already know all of that.”
“What? How?”
“Because I just got off the phone with him. He was at the doctor’s office for his hip. He wanted my permission to pursue you. Said he knew we were best friends and if it was weird, then he would leave you alone.”
That sounded like Marshall. Gallant and considerate.
“Guess that means you love him even more,” Sabrina said dryly.
It was true, but saying so would only add fuel to Sabrina’s fire. Kori still hadn’t heard Sabrina’s response to her father’s plea.
“And that your love life is in my hands,” she added.
“That’s true,” Kori said. “But like Marshall said, if you’re not okay with it…I’d rather keep your friendship.”
Sabrina snorted. “Our friendship isn’t going to be the same, even if I say no. It’ll crash and burn.”
“Not if we don’t let it. I promise to work hard at it.”
“How could you keep me as a friend if I denied you the love of your life?”
“I don’t want to lose you, Rina.”
Sabrina sighed heavily over the line. “I don’t want to lose you either, Kori. Who will listen to me rant about people being lazy?”
Kori smiled. Sabrina was an intense life coach. Her brand of training would only cater to a particular personality type.
“And since I don’t have a man to dump all that on, it’ll have to be you.”
“I’m not offended in any way.”
“I’m still offended you waited until you were in love to tell me that you had the hots for my dad.”
Kori’s cheeks warmed, even though she was alone in her room. “I was there before I knew it.”
“Did you know when the plane was going down?”
“Before then. Right before.”
Kori remembered how Marshall had broken up her argument with Jarod. He had refused to accept her plan to sign any agreement that would protect him and his company. He hadn’t fired her because he was on her side. He wanted her.
“I don’t ever want to hear about you kissing him,” Sabrina said sternly. “He thinks he’s a stud. Knowing that is enough to make me gag.”
Kori stifled a giggle. Marshall was a stud. More than that. And his kiss was amazing. Kori wished Sabrina wasn’t his step-daughter so she could tell her all about it. But did this mean they were still friends? That Sabrina was okay with her being with her father?
“Sabrina—”
“He doesn’t need my permission, actually. He’s a grown man. He can do whatever he wants. And he’s never wanted anything more in his life. Even more than making his marriage work with my mom. I can hear it in his voice, Kori.”
“Sabrina, we understand this puts you in an awkward position, and we wouldn’t want you to feel—”
Sabrina bellowed. “Awkward doesn’t pretend to cover it. But it’s not like it’s Game of Thrones bad. Icky, but not Game of Thrones icky. He’s not even blood.”
“But…you call him ‘Dad.’”
“Yeah, because he’s the only one I’ve ever known. Legally, he is my father. He adopted me when I was seventeen. I’ve called him Dad ever since. Sometimes Marshall when I’m pissed. But since we’re not even blood, he’s free to be with my best friend. But if you think I’m going to call you Mommy when you marry him, then you’ve lost your mind.”
Heat filled Kori’s neck and face. Marriage? “I wouldn’t dream of it,” Kori said quickly. “I…we haven’t gotten to that step.” Although Marshall had heavily implied it over dinner the night before. It was too far in the future for Kori to dwell on it. She had a lawsuit to worry about first.
“I mean…you’d be a far better mom than my own mother ever was to me,” Sabrina said thoughtfully.
Sabrina was right, this was icky. “Sabrina, we don’t have to talk about this,” Kori whined. In fact, Kori was fine if they never discussed it. Ever.
Sabrina let out a huge sigh. “I didn’t say no to my father,” she said with a heavy voice. “How could I say no to the man who didn’t say no to me when he could’ve—should’ve—run for the hills when he met me.” Sabrina sobbed on the other end.
Kori’s eyes filled
with tears, and she sniffed. “Sabrina, what are you talking about? He loves you! He only ever says the best things about you.”
“We ruined him. My mother, mostly. He wanted so badly to be a father that he married her, and she tore his heart out. He didn’t have to be a father to a kid who wasn’t his own, but he was. He told me that meeting me had sealed the deal for him. He’d spent much of his life chasing his professional dreams and not ever wanting family and kids—until he met me. I just had to come with a mother who’d be responsible for him losing his heart.”
Kori collapsed onto her bed. She’d never heard Sabrina talk this way. She firmly believed it didn’t take blood to make a family. Sabrina had been her “sister” for years. She’d do anything for her.
Even give up Marshall.
But now to hear that she thought herself the root of Marshall’s problems? “Sabrina, Marshall wouldn’t—doesn’t blame you at all. He takes full responsibility for what’s happened the last year.”
“I know. And he shouldn’t. My mother lost a good man. But if he had seen into the future, I think—”
“He would’ve still adopted you,” Kori cut in firmly. “He would’ve done it.” Tears poured down her cheeks, her heart aching for her friend’s own pain. “You know he would’ve. Don’t you dare believe any different. How could he not? You’re amazing. You two still have a relationship. A real bond. You’re his daughter.”
“I know I am,” she said with a sniff. “But I never wanted him to suffer. My mother wasn’t good for him. I don’t even know how he fell for her.”
Kori briefly thought of her own mother. How did she fall for Gregory Kaye? He must’ve been wearing sheep’s clothing. “Yeah…it’s strange how people fall in love.”
“Not so strange for you and my dad. You’re an amazing woman. Strong and resilient. And he’s the best father a stupid teenager could ever hope for.”
Kori wiped the tears from her eyes. “He was good for you. And you’re good for him.”
“So are you. You better give him babies. He’s ready for them after dealing with me.”
Kori stilled. Babies… Sabrina was accepting her being with Marshall? Kori’s heart lifted briefly before crashing into her stomach. “Doesn’t matter. I can’t be with him. I’m getting fired, and…and I can’t be the cause of him losing his company. There’s still a chance the board will keep him on. I’ve told him to fire me.”
“What!”
“If he does it in front of the board, it will make a statement. One the members can’t ignore. That’s what I’ve suggested.”
“You do realize this will kill your case against Brigham—if it ever gets out.”
“Probably. But…I’m hoping the board will keep it all quiet until the lawsuit is over. And if I can’t get any resolution, then…then I have to move on. What are you always telling me? You have to create motion. Life doesn’t happen without it.” Kori bit her lip as the silence from the other end lengthened.
“You would do that for my dad?”
“Sabrina, Marshall is a good man who had his heart broken. Grief takes time. He didn’t do too well with his at first, and now he’s losing his company because of it. I don’t think it’s right. Not when he’s back on track.”
“Well, I don’t think it’s right if…if he falls in love and he has to lose his company because of that.”
Kori agreed. Did this mean Sabrina would accept her as…as…what in the world would she be to Marshall after this was all over?
Nothing. She couldn’t be anything to him. If he had a shot at keeping his company, then she had to leave.
“I appreciate that, Sabrina, even if you didn’t mean for it to be about me.”
“It was about you. I’m not going to pretend that you being my stepmom is something I can swallow anytime soon—”
“I seriously doubt I’ll ever be your stepmom,” Kori said with an awkward chuckle. “I doubt there will be anything more after today.”
“Eh, I’m not so sure. If I know my dad, he’ll do what he can to keep you around. I can admit that you’ve been a positive influence on him. He sounds better than he has in a long time, Kori, and that’s due to you. I have to thank you for that, because I sure wasn’t reaching him. And I’m a life coach.”
“It’s been a pleasure for me—and not in the way you think,” Kori rushed to say, even if it was true. “I’ve enjoyed seeing his transformation. His drive and passion for the work is inspiring.”
“Ugh, you even sound way more mature than I remember. But you were always more mature than me and anybody we ever hung around. You don’t mind that he’s…old?”
Kori sputtered a laugh. “He’s not old!”
“Okay, so he’s not yet fifty, but it’s not like you’re ugly—”
“Thanks.”
“—you could still get a younger man. Younger than forty”
“Are you on your dad’s side or not? Don’t you want to see him fall in love again?”
“Of course I am! I even signed him up on the dating website for people over fifty.”
“He’s not fifty!”
Sabrina laughed. “Close enough.”
Kori voice turned somber. “Sabrina…I really am sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I fought it the whole time.”
Sabrina sighed. “I know you did. Like I said, my dad’s a stud. My mom latched on to him the second she saw him. I always said she was an idiot for not keeping him, but he’s actually better off with you.”
“I don’t know if that’s true—the better off part—but I hope I’ve helped him heal.”
“What about you? You haven’t had time to grieve for your father since he died or reconnect with your mother.”
Kori was silent for a moment, thinking. No, she hadn’t grieved. Not because she didn’t want to, but because she’d been way too busy to think about it. She’d heard Keke skipped the funeral, which didn’t surprise her. Keke was the angrier one of the three of them for what their father had done. Kat was more forgiving.
And her…
She at least could appreciate how hard her father was on her. Her personality took it as a challenge to be the gold standard for her sisters. And the two of them turned out really well. Not at all like their father had predicted. Kori couldn’t have been more proud of their accomplishments.
But she did need to let a few things go. “Maybe getting fired would be the best thing for me right now. I could go home and see Mom, and say goodbye.”
“What about money for your legal fund?”
“Marshall gave me an over-the-top increase in salary. And I’m sure the board will give me a compensation package to smooth things over, even though I would gladly leave with nothing if it meant Marshall kept his position.”
“Do you think it’ll be enough?”
“It has to be. Or I’m back to square one. In any case, I think I probably should change professions altogether. Maybe go into business for myself. Be a personal assistant.”
“Whatever you do, I’ll support you. We’re best friends, and nothing’s going to change that. Even if you do end up marrying Marshall,” she ended with exaggerated distaste.
Kori smiled through the tears. “Why do you keep saying that I’m going to marry your father? We haven’t even gone on a first date.”
“I know him,” she said like she was hiding a secret. “And I know you. Just promise to give me a cut of the fortune when you die.”
“Sabrina! We’ll probably die at the same time, you know. You’re only a couple of years younger than me.”
“Oh…right. I’m going to have to rethink this.”
Kori laughed. When she ended the call, she was crying happy tears. She’d lost so much and was about to lose much, much more. But her friendship was still intact.
And she was finally going home.
Chapter 18
Marshall entered the boardroom ready to do what he should’ve done a year ago: take charge.
Members of the board mingled around the tab
le in conversation. Perry spotted him immediately, moving quickly to his side. “Jarod told us everything.”
Marshall eyed Perry with suspicion. He knew what he meant, but he wanted to be sure. “What do you mean, ‘everything’?”
Perry leaned in. “The kiss,” he hissed.
“Oh, you mean when the plane crashed and we realized we were still alive?” he asked smoothly.
Perry’s lips slanted down to one side. Marshall chuckled. He didn’t need to paint a picture that it was just two people caught up in the moment. Well, it was, but Marshall hadn’t cared who was looking. He wanted to kiss the woman he was in love with because they were both still alive and he had to show her how he felt about her.
“You know it wasn’t like that.”
“It kind of was, but does it matter? Anyway, how does Jarod know what it was like? He was busy screaming at the top of his lungs, if I recall correctly. Utterly useless.”
Perry peered at him, his expression skeptical. “Jarod said he thought the two of you were…close.”
“Did Jarod tell you he tried to muddy the waters by hitting on her before we even left the office?” Perry blinked and shook his head. “Exactly. Look, it doesn’t matter. We’re as close as an executive and his assistant should be but, yes, I did kiss her. That’s true.”
“You know the board is ready to vote you two out of here.”
Marshall scanned the board members, most of whom had ceased talking and watched him with interest. “Fine.”
Perry’s head snapped back. His eyes widened and his brows lifted. “Fine?”
Marshall pinned him with a hard stare. “That’s the goal, right? So who’s on tap to replace me? You, Perry? I’m sure you’re ready for it. At least, I hope you are.”
Perry flushed. “Marshall…I…I don’t think that’s—”
“Any of my business? I’m sure it’s not. It’s only my company, right? I might’ve had a tough time this past year—and you all have been more than generous—but now that things are back on track, I hope the next person to carry the torch is going to uphold the ideals and values I’ve established. The board is still behind those, right?”