"Who's Warren?" Madison asks.
“He’s a shareholder at Blackstone. He’s always had it out for Thorne, and with all that’s going on, he sees his chance for a power grab.”
“What a dick," Madison spat.
"Madison!” I whisper-shout, even though I agree.
"No, she's right. It is bullshit. But the vote will be close."
"How close?" I ask, though I'm not sure I want to know.
“Close,” Lillianna says quietly. She looks at her coffee, then at me. "I hate that my brothers are on opposite sides. I'm stuck in the middle, hoping they can find their way back to each other."
"Do you have any idea how Sebastian will vote?" I ask Rosalia.
She takes a sip of her coffee. "I don't know how my husband will vote.” Setting her mug on the table, she looks out the window. "I try to stay out of it. Thorne and I didn't exactly meet under the best circumstances, but..." she pauses. "He did try to make things right in the end. That counts for something."
Thorne's confessions echo back. What he did to Sebastian's first marriage. To Rosalia. Exiled himself to Canada. Some wounds don't heal just because you want them to.
“It does,” Lillianna agrees. "But he's not a pushover either. He'll vote with his conscience, not his feelings. The question iswhether his conscience says Thorne deserves another chance or whether the company needs protecting from him."
I shake my head. “Family is complicated.”
"Understatement of the century." Lillianna laughs. She sighs deeply, like she's physically exhaling her worry. "Anyway. I didn't ask you here just to dump my family drama on you. I actually wanted to see how you two were doing. Check in."
"We're good," Madison says. "Ivy's going to have the coolest office."
"And you're sure about staying in Kentucky?" Lillianna asks me. "Starting over is hard."
"I'm sure." And I am. Whatever happens with Thorne, whatever I feel about him, this decision is the right one. "Madison and I, we're building something here. Something that's ours."
"You deserve that. I’m so happy for you both.” Lillianna reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “I mean that."
"Even though I walked away from your brother?" The words slip out before I can stop them.
Lillianna doesn't let go of my hand. "Especially because you walked away when you needed to. That tells me you're someone who knows her worth." She squeezes once more before releasing. "Thorne's my brother and I love him, but that doesn't mean he gets a free pass. You did what you had to do."
“And if you need anything,” Rosalia says, “recommendations for office furniture, someone to proofread your website copy, whatever, we're here. For you both.”
"Thank you." I blink away my happy tears. I worried I’d lost them when things fell apart between Thorne and me.
We talk for another twenty minutes about lighter topics. Easy things.
When we stand to leave, the hugs are longer. Real.
Standing on the sidewalk, we watch them walk to Rosalia's car. Her driver gets out and opens the door for them. Before getting inside, Lillianna turns and gives a little wave. Despite her worry, she looks lighter than when she arrived.
Maybe that’s the point. Not to solve everything or even anything, but to not be alone with our worries.
Madison and I wait until their car disappears around the corner. "You want to walk home?" I ask. It's only about fifteen minutes from here, and I need the air.
Madison nods.
We’re silent for the first few blocks. Madison keeps her hands shoved in the pockets of her jacket, her gaze on the sidewalk. I don't push. She'll talk when she's ready.
Finally, as we turn onto the street of our hotel, she says, “Do you think he'll be pushed from his family's business?”
I picture Thorne's face when I left. Exhausted. Protective. Alone.
