"She already did."
"And?"
"I told her he was not around and that me, you, her grandparents, great grams and uncle are all the family she needs."
"She accepted that?"
"Yes, she did. She's happy and fulfilled and has so much attention that she's not lacking."
"Yet, she has a whole other family on her father's side. You cut him down to size last night. Usually in my estimation, a man comes back fighting after that. Especially one who's not used to being cut down to size in public. One who's accustomed to having women worship at his feet. What did he want?"
"To have coffee." Her friend's words hammered inside her head like a death knell.
"Coffee?" Jillian lifted a dark red brow.
"And to apologize for, you know, dumping me right after having sex with me three times that night."
Her friend threw her a quizzical look. "You never did discuss the details."
She fussed with her glass. "Nothing to discuss. He was an asshole, and I prefer to leave it at that."
"How was the sex? You never said."
"That's because I was stupid enough to think I'd fallen for a very pretty face and a magnificent body."
"He does have that." Jillian mused. "But the sex..."
"You really need to get laid." Abby pointed out dryly.
"I told you." She pointed to herself. "Starving here, but plans. Anyway. On a scale of one to ten, ten being the highest, how was the gorgeous man in bed? I know he had a reputation..."
"Has a reputation and I don't want to talk about Kincaid Tyrell." For some reason, she was getting angry again. "He's dead to me."
Jillian took a sip of wine and carefully cradled her glass. "I hate to point out the obvious, honey."
"When has that ever stopped you?" Abby grumbled.
"You're right. The obvious being that the man's DNA is inside Zoe. You're going to be dealing with that for the rest of your life. Besides, he was your first."
Springing up from the sofa, she started pacing. "So? I've had others after him."
"Just as good?"
She whirled around, eyes flashing.
"That answers my question."
"He's dead to me."
"If you say so."
"Oh just shut the hell up and pour me some more wine."
"All I'm saying..."
"One more word about the subject and I won't tell you how to get through to my brother. Just one word."
"Bitch." Jillian muttered wryly as she poured wine. "Okay, consider the subject shelved."
