“That’s because you wimped out on me and Karla and e-mailed us,” Sophia said in a dry tone.
Sandra laughed.
“Yes, I did. I figured it would be easier to just e-mail you both and get it out. It would certainly take less time than a phone call because you both would grill me mercilessly.”
A grin tugged at the corners of Sophia’s mouth as they entered Derrick’s living room.
Sophia glanced around and when she saw no one she turned to Sandra, lowering her voice.
“Is he good to you, Sandra? You look happy but are you really?”
Sandra smiled, letting her happiness show on her face as she looked at her friend.
“He’s very good to me, Sophia. Things are better than I imagined they could be. I really am happy.”
Sophia reached out and squeezed her hand.
“Then I’m happy for you. I know I didn’t seem that way in the beginning, and I’m sorry for that. I was just worried about you. I do want you to be happy, Sandra. I hope you know that.”
“I do. I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”
Derrick entered the living room and walked over to kiss Sophia’s cheek.
“Glad you could make it, Sophia. Would you care for a drink? I have something I need to discuss with you before the others arrive.”
Sophia sent him an inquisitive look.
“Wine will be fine. You choose. I’ll like whatever you offer.”
Derrick poured glasses for both women and returned, holding them out to the two women.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Sophia asked curiously.
Derrick sighed and briefly looked discomfited.
But Sandra knew he wasn’t the type to dance around an issue.
He’d come out and say it and then deal with the blowback, whatever it was.
“A new partner is joining our business,” Derrick said as bluntly as Sandra knew he would be.
Sophia’s eyes widened and her lips parted but she didn’t respond.
She simply stared at Derrick, seemingly frozen by his statement.
“His name is James Brown,” Derrick continued.
“Clement and I had considered taking him on a few years ago. When Clement died, I put those plans on hold and focused on keeping the business afloat. But it’s time. He’s a solid addition and he’ll be an asset to the company.”
“You’re just replacing him?” Sophia said hoarsely.
“Why? You’re doing a fine job, Derrick. Why do you need this guy? What could he possibly have to offer?”
Her voice rose, her tone growing more emotional at the end.
Sandra went to Derrick and laced her fingers through his, squeezing to signal her support.
He squeezed back, shooting her a grateful look.
“You’re okay with this?” Sophia asked Sandra accusingly.
Sandra’s face flushed and for a moment she was at a loss for words.
No, she hadn’t expected Sophia to take it well at first, but she hadn’t expected the outright accusation in her tone.
That she would direct her anger at Sandra.
This wasn’t her company or her choice.
Yes, she owned a part of the business, but she had no power and no say in the decision making.
That was all Derrick’s and now James’s.
She and Sophia both benefited from the profits.
Clement had made certain of that.
But neither woman had a say in the running of the business.
Clement had trusted that to Derrick, and Sandra agreed with that choice.
“I can’t believe you would support his decision in this,” Sophia said in a hoarse voice.
“Have you forgotten Clement already? Are you so wrapped up in a new relationship that you’d turn your back on what your husband built?”
“That’s enough,” Derrick bit out, his jaw tight with anger.
“You will not direct your ire at her. If you have something to say then you damn well say it to me. You will not make her feel badly over this. It wasn’t her decision, but yes, she supports it and me. Deal with it. You can make this as easy or as difficult as you want, Sophia. That’s your choice. James is coming over tonight and you’ll meet him then. I expect you to be professional and cordial.”
Warmth spread through Sandra’s chest at Derrick’s instant defense of her.
He was angry and it took a lot to make him so.
But he was positively seething over Sophia’s outburst and he’d wrapped his arm protectively around Sandra, silently and not so silently giving her his absolute support.
Just as she’d done for him.
“And if I’m not?” Sophia challenged.
“Are you going to fire me if I don’t like this person you’ve brought in to replace Clement?”
“If it comes to that, yes,” Derrick said in a low voice.
“I hope it wouldn’t come to that, Sophia. You are very good at what you do. This company needs you. I need you. I would hate to ever have to replace you, but if you make trouble for James, you can and will be replaced.”
Sophia paled, her eyes going stark with pain. Get faster updates on g.com.
Her gaze flitted over Sandra with the same accusation she’d voiced just moments before.
Sandra flinched at the look, knowing Sophia saw this as the ultimate betrayal.
Not just by Derrick but by Sandra herself.
She’d expected Sandra to side with her.
To protest Clement’s replacement.
It was evident in her every expression, her body language, that she was furious, not only with Derrick but with Sandra, and perhaps more so with Sandra.
“You invite me over, dump this on me like this and then expect me to play nice with a man who is replacing my brother,” she said painfully.
“How did you expect me to react?”
“We invited you over because I would rather tell you in private and give you time to collect yourself before he arrives. The alternative was telling you in the office on Monday, and I thought we meant more to one another than for me to tell you in a business setting. Perhaps I was wrong about that.”
Derrick’s voice was cold, anger radiating from him in waves.
Sophia had pushed him too far and her attack on Sandra had infuriated him all the more.
Sandra squeezed his hand again, a silent signal that it was all right.
“It’s okay, Derrick,” Sandra said softly, voicing her thoughts so he would know without question.
“I understand why she’s upset. She doesn’t mean it.”
“It’s not okay,” Derrick bit out.
“She has no right to treat you this way and I won’t allow it in our home.”
“Our home?” Sophia asked incredulously.
“Have things progressed so far then, Sandra? Have you already moved on and forgotten the man you were married to for three years? What exactly is going on here? Are we all supposed to just forget that Clement existed? Maybe you can, but I can’t. He was my only family and he’s not so easily replaced. Not for me.”
“If you don’t apologize to Sandra right this minute, I’ll ask you to leave, and furthermore, you will come into the office on Monday only to clear out your desk and tender your resignation,” Derrick said in a frigid tone.
“What is between me and her is none of your business. She doesn’t require your approval or blessing, though she’d like to have both. She loves you and she’d cut off her arm before ever purposely hurting you. But you’re hurting her and that’s bullshit. I won’t have it and I damn sure won’t allow you to come into our home. Yes, our home, Sophia. Sandra is with me, and you have two choices. Accept it and be happy for her or get out. Which is it going to be?”
Sandra felt the color bleed from her own face, a match to Sophia’s.
She shook uncontrollably and it seemed to anger Derrick all the more.
His hold tightened around her to the point that she could barely breathe.
No, she hadn’t expected Sophia to take it well, but neither had she expected Sophia to lash out at her like this.
Was it what Karla thought too?
That she had so easily forgotten Clement and moved on at the first opportunity?
Were neither of her friends truly happy for her?
Would she lose their friendship because she wanted to be happy again?
Why was being happy asking too much?
Why couldn’t Sophia accept that all she wanted was to not be so lonely any longer?
Tears burned her eyelids and Derrick saw.
His entire body tensed and fury fired through his eyes.
“You’ve upset Sandra and that I won’t accept,” Derrick said tightly.
“Apologize or leave, and make it quick. I will not stand by and allow her to be abused in her own home.”
Sophia looked shocked and pained at Derrick’s words.
The word abuse struck a chord in her and it obviously horrified her that she would be accused of abusing another person.
“I’m sorry, Sandra,” she said in a near sob.
“I didn’t mean to hurt or upset you.”
“You’ve done both,” Derrick said in a curt voice.
“It’s okay,” Sandra said quietly.
“I know you didn’t mean it, Sophia. Give James a chance. I’ve met him and he seems like a good man. Clement liked and respected him. That should be enough for you.”
Sophia briefly closed her eyes and then she hurried over, throwing her arms around Sandra, knocking Derrick away.
“I’m sorry. I love you. I do. I’m so sorry, Sandra. What I said was awful. There’s no excuse. I was just caught off guard. I wasn’t expecting it. Please forgive me.”
Sandra hugged her back, her heart still constricted at the things she had said.
She believed Sophia was genuinely sorry but her words still hurt.
Like tiny darts finding their target.
Was it what everyone would think?
That she’d so easily gotten over Clement and could so easily replace him?
It had been three years!
It wasn’t as though she’d hopped into the sack with Derrick a week, a month or even a year after Clement died.
He knew Sandra was hurt—was still hurting—over Sophia’s outburst, and it was obvious he’d do anything to spare her pain.
Sandra shook her head at Derrick, a signal to drop it.
Sophia was emotional.
She’d always been so.
And she often spoke without thinking.
Sandra knew Sophia loved her just as she also recognized Sophia’s faults.
And when you loved someone, you accepted every part of them.
Even the not so perfect things.
Derrick nodded grimly, accepting Sandra’s silent plea to let it go.
When Sophia pulled away from Sandra, she turned her troubled gaze to Derrick.
“I’m sorry, Derrick. Please forgive me. I’ll try to accept him. I won’t do anything to embarrass you. And if I still have a position with you, I’ll do my best. I’ll do the job you’ve come to expect from me.”
Derrick’s expression softened just a bit and he pulled Sophia into a firm hug.
“I would appreciate that, Sophia. You’re damn good at running my—our—office, and I fully expect you’ll do the job going forward. But if I hear of you speaking to Sandra the way you just spoke to her ever again, I won’t be as understanding the next time.”
The warning fell over the room.
Sophia nodded her acceptance and glanced back at Sandra, sorrow and regret brimming in her eyes.
“I forgive you, Sophia,” Sandra said quietly and sincerely.
“Please, let’s just forget about it and enjoy the evening. Karla and Ken will be here soon, as will James. Please give him a chance.”
Her tone was pleading but she had always been the peacemaker.
She hated dissension or strife of any kind.
It was just her nature and Derrick was well acquainted with that aspect of her personality.
It was why he’d shut Sophia down so quickly and fiercely.
She loved that he was so protective of her.
She felt safe with him.
Not just physically but emotionally, and perhaps emotionally was the most important because she’d already suffered so much in that area.
She needed and wanted her feelings protected and cherished.
If that made her weak, oh well.
It was what she wanted—needed—and Derrick seemed determined to provide it for her.
“I’ll give him a chance. For you, Sandra,” Sophia said, making the distinction that she would do so for Sandra and not necessarily Derrick.
Which was odd considering Derrick was her boss and it was him she needed to be concerned with pissing off.
But Sandra was her friend—her sister—and that bond was solid and unbreakable, or at least Sandra hoped it was.
She prayed this wouldn’t be a strain they wouldn’t recover from.
“We appreciate your support,” Derrick said quietly.
“It means a lot that you’ll stand behind us, Sophia. You aren’t just an employee. You’re family.”
Sophia’s eyes watered and she quickly wiped the betraying moisture away.
“We’re wasting good wine,” she said shakily, a tremulous smile on her lips.
She was trying, making the effort, and Sandra loved her for that.
“Why don’t you come into the kitchen with me while I prepare the hors d’oeuvres,” Sandra said, extending her hand to her sister-in-law.
“We can wait for Karla to get here and we’ll drain a bottle of wine while the guys do their thing over the grill.”
Sophia smiled genuinely this time and took Sandra’s hand, squeezing it in silent apology.
The two women entered the kitchen, awkward silence between them.
Sandra busied herself preparing the tray of appetizers and she turned the steaks in the marinade.
She checked her watch, knowing the others would be arriving shortly.
She was impatient for Karla to get there so she could alleviate the tension between Sandra and Sophia.
She breathed a sigh of relief when, a few moments later, Karla sailed into the kitchen, a cheerful smile on her pretty face.
“Hey, guys,” she sang out.
She hugged Sophia and then went over to offer Sandra a hug.
“What’s up with Sophia?” Karla whispered against Sandra’s ear.
“Tell you later,” Sandra murmured back.
Karla’s eyes narrowed as she pulled away but she quickly pasted her smile back on and went to plop onto the barstool next to Sophia.
Sophia was noticeably subdued even though Karla chattered on, filling the awkward lapse between Sandra and Sophia.
But Karla’s sharp gaze didn’t miss the discomfort that lay like a blanket over the other two women.
When the doorbell rang, Sophia paled and then immediately excused herself to go to the bathroom.
The moment Sophia left, Karla pounced on Sandra, walking around the counter to stand beside Sandra while Sandra pulled the steaks from the marinade and patted them dry.