I chuckle, although the sound is flat. Pen’s one of the few people who really understands me.
“So, so,” I tell her honestly.
She’s known me for too many years to accept any lies, and I know better than to feed her any.
She leans forward and waits patiently.
I screw up my face and earn myself alook.
“Fine,” I say. “Zach has written me a letter.” I sigh. “Before you ask, I haven’t read it, and I’m not sure I’m going to. Do I want to hear his feeble excuses? No.” Pen remains silent, so I continue. “The hotel has recovered from the cyberattack, thanks to you,” I say, smiling. “Now, I just want to string my younger brother up for sticking his nose into my business affairs.”
Pen doesn’t look surprised, so I’m taking it she’s heard of Caleb’s meddling.
We sit and stare at each other.
“What?” I ask.
“I asked how you were, and you told me about a letter, a recovered cyberattack and Caleb. What I want to know is howyou’redoing?”
My vision blurs as pain engulfs my throat. I swallow against the growing pressure.
Shaking my head, Pen tilts hers, her eyebrows coming together. She opens her mouth, but closes it again, as if she decides better of whatever she was about to say.
How to articulate the monumental mist of anger, frustration, hurt and betrayal, to name but a few of the intense emotions, that are swamping my every waking moment.
“I’m here when you’re ready,” she says, and I nod my appreciation.
Pen understands my need to process. She locked herself away for weeks after she and Kris split up.
“If it helps, I had words with both Caleb and Eli when I heard what they’d done.”
“But—”
She smiles. “They aren’t wrong, you know. Jax is the best qualified for the job, even you have to admit that.”
I take my time resetting my napkin on my lap. When I look up, I rest my hands on the table.
“I can’t deny he has the perfect skill set. But Pen, working with him? We can barely stand to be in the same room together—” I growl, unable to find the words to describe how frustrated he makes me.
Pen remains silent.
“There’s a lot of animosity between us. It’s not something we can simply ignore.”
“You’re both professionals.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to stem the headache that’s been festering since Caleb dropped his latest bombshell.
“We are, and I know you’re right,” I sigh. “But I didn’t take kindly to being ambushed in my boardroom, especially by my own brother.”
“I can understand that.”
Silence descends between us.
“I need a break,” I say suddenly. “I’m thinking of visiting our new acquisition in the Maldives. There are a few issues that need ironing out. But then I might take a short break.”
Pen’s face lights up. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
Our waitress arrives with our food, so we pause until she’s gone.
