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His eyes looked heavy with remorse. “I know I did. What I wanted so badly to tell you today is that I’ve been working on my shit. I fucked up in Vegas by leaving you there to stand up for us. I’m sorry, Kenz. I should’ve fought for you, fought for us.”
My hands ran down his chest, and I took a ragged breath. “You kind of made up for it in there a little bit.” I gave him a small smile. “Maybe it had to happen that way in Vegas for me to realize you and I weren’t so different when it came to letting others keep us in a light we no longer wanted to be in. Kryptonite is a bitch and not to abuse the phrase, but we both needed to work on our shit.”
His hands ran down my back, caressing me lightly. “You might stay longer than three weeks?”
“Maybe. I’ll have to see how it goes.” I wasn’t going to commit to anything at this point, no matter how much I’d miss him.
I looked over to where everyone else had come out, appearing uncertain whether or not they were interrupting something. “I think everybody is ready to go, but I’ll see you tomorrow at the baptism. We can talk after.”
He moved in and hugged me tightly. “Tell me you love me more than club sandwiches?”
I nodded. “Even with the avocado and bacon.”
* * *
The baptismof Josh and Haylee’s beautiful little girl was lovely. My brother and Sasha stood up as godparents to baby Abigail during the ceremony, and it was clear that every single person attending was there to celebrate. Although Rebecca and Ben had shown up, they were on their best behavior and, thankfully, didn’t come for the brunch at the Singer’s home afterwards.
While chatting with Sasha outside on the back patio, I smiled when Josh came up to us and settled his gaze on me.
“Sorry to interrupt you ladies. Kenzie, do you have a few minutes?”
“Of course.” I was curious about why he wanted to speak with me.
He led me into the house to a large office on the first floor, shutting the door behind us. “I was hoping to make this casual, but considering I’ve led you into my father’s office, it seems a lot more formal now.”
Josh had always seemed rather serious to me even while growing up. Since he wasn’t one to show too much emotion until recently with his wife and baby in the picture, I’d never really had a direct rapport with him. We’d always related through my brother, who seemed to bridge the gap between the formality of Josh and his goofball little sister. The fondness had always been there, but not a comfort level where I could feel relaxed with him.
“I don’t mind. What’s going on?”
He walked toward a picture of his father with himself and his brother, clearly taken when both boys were teenagers. “When our father died, Colby was doing his undergrad, and I’d just graduated college. Even while getting my MBA, I started taking over the business, diving straight into the responsibility. At the time, I think it was my way of coping with the loss of my dad. To work harder and longer in order to prove myself worthy of his legacy. My brother, on the other hand, seemed to slide further into partying, taking it to the other end of the spectrum. In hindsight, I realize it was his way of managing through his grief during that period.”
“You were both still young.” I couldn’t imagine, at my age, going into grad school while learning the financials and everything there was to know about the multi-million-dollar family business because I needed to become the CEO.
He smiled. “Looking back, I can see that, but at the time, I stepped into this sort of disappointed, judgmental father role where Colby could really do no right. Maybe I was unconsciously resentful that he had the freedom to do what he wanted while I was worried about investors, financials, and staffing back then, or perhaps it was that he was so extroverted while I struggled to be social. I really couldn’t say. But what I do know is that I should’ve been there to guide him, support him, and cheer him on. Instead, I always seemed to be too busy or dismissive. And when the incident occurred three years ago with the blackmail, I was so preoccupied with saying I told you so, that I didn’t give him credit or see that it was a turning point for him. It’s especially hypocritical of me, having changed the way I have over the last year, not to have given him the benefit of the doubt that he’d grown out of that phase of his life.”
“I hope you told him that.”
He nodded. “And then some. That first night I went to LA, I don’t think he was ready to hear it, but over the last couple weeks, we’ve continued to talk, and our relationship has really improved. He’s back in charge of his company fully, something I should’ve done years ago along with trusting that he’d know best what direction he wants to take it in. Anyhow, my point in telling you all of this is that I owe you an apology, Kenzie. I’m sorry that I contributed to what happened in Vegas. That I jumped to conclusions instead of listening. But I’m grateful that you stood up for him and for what you had together, a relationship that he deserved. And I owe you a thank you for telling me what needed to be said even when it couldn’t have been easy.”
I smiled. “Apology accepted, and you’re welcome. I’m happy you two worked things out.”
“Now here’s the part he’s probably going to kill me for, but in my new role as supportive big brother championing the things that matter most to him, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you that I know how much he loves you. And if there was any lingering doubt for anyone that you two weren’t a match for one another, watching you last night turn an argument into something else dispelled the very thought. You have an undeniable connection to one another which both Brian and I can’t believe we didn’t see sooner.”
“I love him, too, but there are still things we need to figure out.”
“I’d say no pressure, but we’re both aware there’s no such thing when you take a relationship public and involve family who clearly would like to see the two of you together. Anyhow, that’s all I wanted to say.”
“Thank you for doing so. It means a lot.”
He hugged me and then opened the door, revealing Colby on the other side.
“There you are.” He glanced between us.
“I’ll let you two catch up.” Josh gave me a wink and his younger brother a slap on the back before returning to the party.
“Did my big brother just wink at you?”
I giggled. “He did, indeed.”
