Barbara Dunlop - Reunited with the Lassiter Bride

She was breathless, and not nearly as horrified as she ought to have been. She had to get it together here.

“That did not demonstrate good judgment, Evan,” she told him tartly, holding out her hand for the car keys.

He just grinned and dropped the keys into her palm. “Sure it did.”

* * *

The Lassiter Media building’s twenty-seventh floor patio, with its adjacent café, was normally open to all the company executives. But today, it was closed for Angelica’s private meeting with her brothers and cousin. Together, the four controlled the broader Lassiter conglomerate group.

At her request, they’d agreed to coordinate trips to L.A. Chance and Sage were in from Wyoming, where Chance ran the family’s Big Blue ranch and Sage took care of his own business interests. Dylan managed the Lassiter Grill Group.

They were at a dining table beside the fountain as Dylan popped the cork on a bottle of Chateau Montegro, a signature wine of Lassiter Grill. Chance was telling Sage about the adventures of a couple of the ranch cowboys.

Feeling like she needed to clear the air, Angelica broke into the lighthearted story. “Before we go any further, can you please let me apologize?”

They all looked at her, falling silent.

“This isn’t a celebration,” she reminded Dylan.

She forced herself to look at each of them in turn, Chance with his strong face and ranch-weathered complexion, Dylan with his ready smile and compassionate eyes, Sage with his closed expression and tight rein on his feelings.

“Please let me get this out. I am so profoundly and incredibly sorry for putting you all through this.”

Dylan was quick to speak up. “It isn’t your fault.”

“But it is.” She wasn’t going to back away from this.

“You got the short end of the stick,” said Chance. “The will took us all by surprise. I can’t honestly say what I would have done if I’d been shafted like that.”

“You’d have walked away,” Angelica told her cousin with conviction. She glanced at her brothers as well. “All of you. If J.D. had left you out of his will, you’d have accepted it and walked away.”

Sage spoke up. “That’s because we wouldn’t have been surprised. His relationship with us was a lot more strained than his relationship with you.”

“You mean he spoiled me.” She was determined to be completely honest here.

“He loved you,” said Dylan. “He loved you and you expected, you knew, you always knew above everything else that he’d take care of you. And he didn’t. Or it looked like he didn’t.”

“Ultimately, it was his choice,” said Angelica. “It was his money, his companies. He was free to leave them to whomever he pleased.” She swallowed a catch in her throat. “I should have accepted his decision right away.”

Sage reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up, little sister.”

The unexpected endearment made her tear up. Sage wasn’t one to demonstrate emotion. “I’m so sorry,” she managed.

“Okay,” said Dylan, raising the bottle of Chateau Montegro. “You’re sorry. It’s done. We accept your apology.”

Both Sage and Chance nodded with conviction.

“We’re family,” said Chance. “It’s up to us to stick together now.”

The obvious love in their expressions made the weight slowly lift from Angelica’s shoulders. Her tears dried, and she managed a weak smile.

Dylan began pouring the wine.

“I don’t know why he even left me the twenty-five percent of Lassiter Media,” Sage said to Angelica. “I’m busy running Spence Enterprises. I’ll sign the shares over to you anytime you want.”

She shook her head. “No, you won’t. I’m through second-guessing our father. You’re a significant shareholder in Lassiter Media, and you’re staying that way. If I had to guess, I’d say he wanted to make sure you felt like part of this family. Besides, I want to be able to come to you for advice.”

Sage grinned. “You don’t need any of my advice on Lassiter Media. Evan’s the one who—” He abruptly stopped himself, looking apologetic.

“You’re allowed to say his name,” said Angelica.

“Have you spoken to him? I mean, since the day you took over?” asked Dylan, handing her a glass of the red wine.

“I have,” she confirmed. “We talked yesterday.”

All three men looked surprised by the news. They waited for her to elaborate.

“We’re standing up for Kayla and Matt,” she explained. “They’re getting married at the end of the month.”

There was a further beat of silence all around. All three men looked decidedly worried.

“It’s fine,” she assured them.

“How can it be fine?” asked Dylan.

She waved away their concern. “We’re friends—” She stopped herself, realizing that lying to her family was ridiculous. “Okay, we’re not friends. We’ve hurt each other in too many ways to ever even contemplate forgiveness. But we can pretend to be friends—we have to pretend to be friends—for Kayla and Matt’s sake.”

“You want us to talk to him?” asked Sage.

Angelica fought a bubble of laughter. “And say what?”

“If he steps out of line,” growled Chance.

“Stop it,” she ordered. “You guys like Evan. You’ve always liked Evan.” She straightened the silverware in front of her, telling herself it was vital to keep the honesty flowing. “There were times when you liked him better than you liked me.”

“Never,” said Dylan.

“It’s fine,” she assured them again. “It’s going to be just fine.” Her voice went softer. “But, thank you. Thank you for caring, and thank you for supporting me.”

Dylan raised his glass, and they all followed suit. “This is long overdue. To J.D.”

“To J.D.,” they echoed.

“To Dad,” Angelica whispered, her heart beginning to heal as she took a first sip.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.