Kenzi jerked back. “What are you talking about?”
“I’ve read the quarterly reports. Our sales are down. Our packaging is outdated. Our R&D is pathetic. It’s a slowly sinking ship, and we should jump before we go down with it.”
Kenzi put a hand on her hip. “I disagree.”
Raquel considered her manicure. “Of course you do.”
“Our numbers are down, but all of that can be explained.”
“To potential buyers,” said Lunette.
“No, to our employees. We can turn this ship around.” Her gaze went back and forth between her sisters. “We can do this, girls. Together.”
Lunette dropped her eyes to her toes and shook her head. She didn’t see a need to change, didn’t want to, and therefore wouldn’t.
Raquel refolded her arms. “I’m sorry, Kensington. I just don’t trust you enough to want to work with you on this.”
Her words were like small darts piercing tender flesh. “You don’t trustme? What have I ever done to breakyourtrust?”
“Clyde,” Lunette volunteered.
Kenzi snapped her teeth shut with an audible click. “I have more than enough to say on that subject, but reopening that chapter of our lives isn’t going to get us anywhere. Weallmade mistakes where Clyde was concerned.”
“You’re the one who brought him into our family,” jabbed Raquel.
Kenzi had to suck her lips between her teeth to keep from responding. She’d closed the Clyde book—slammed it shut—to maintain peace in the family and refused to go there. “If that’s all you have against me, then that’s not enough to warrant your mistrust now.”
“Please, it’s not like you trust us either.” Raquel pointed to the closed door. “You hid your boyfriend from us and then secretly married him.”
She had a point there, but Kenzi was willing to bet her third of the trust that they didn’t know the extent to which she had gone behind their backs. They thought she had kept a relationship under wraps for a whole different reason than getting an extra vote in the meeting. She’d kind of banked on that reaction, and it looked like it was paying off. If she could just convince them to vote with her, then Nash wouldn’t have to vote today and she could save what was left of her relationship with her sisters. “Nash is … different than Clyde.”
“That’s a relief. I’d hate to think you made the same mistake twice,” said Raquel. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you kept him from us for such a long time.”
“It wasn’t as long as you think,” she protested weakly. “The whole courtship was kind of a whirlwind—it felt like it happened in a weekend.” Which it had, if you could call signing disclosure statements and prenuptial agreements a courtship.
Lunette’s hand went to her forehead, her hand shaking so badly that her elbow wavered. “I can’t do this anymore.” In a burst of energy, she threw open the doors. “Harrison, I’m leaving. We’ll need to reschedule the meeting.”
Harrison motioned them all back into the room. “I’m sorry, Lunette, but the will stipulates that the vote must be taken today. You can waive your right to vote and leave if you’d like.”
“No.” She sat in the chair, not bothering to cross her legs but keeping her knees pressed tightly together. “Let’s get this over with.”
Raquel floated to her chair and nestled in like a queen on the throne. “I agree. You may proceed.”
Nash gave Kenzi a questioning look, silently asking if Plan A had succeeded. She shook her head ever so slightly. Her chest felt tight, knowing what was about to happen and not being able to stop it. She’d tried to talk to her sisters, tried to talk sense into them, but they were so wrapped up in injustices—some imagined, some blown out of proportion, and probably a couple that were true—that they couldn’t see what was best for all of them.
She implored him with her heart to vote for her. He hadn’t committed either way, and she didn’t know what was going on inside his head.
Kenzi took Nash’s offered hand, gripping it tightly, and drew the courage she needed to be the big sister and lead them all safely along through the turmoil.
Harrison read the legal mumbo jumbo, explaining what they were voting for, and then looked at Lunette.
“I vote for Raquel.”
Raquel briefly touched her knee and mouthedthank you.
Lunette may have been a drunk, but she wasn’t any less calculating than the rest of them. And yes, Kenzi willingly placed herself in that category. She may have faults, but she wasn’t blind to them. She’d learned at an early age to fight fire with fire.
“Raquel?” asked Harrison.
