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Chase frowned, phone still against his ear. Oh, right. Work. Chase briefed him on a potential issue and asked that he relay it to the security team. Emmett listened, his mind slowly descending to earth, where it belonged.
With a “No problem, boss,” he yanked open Chase’s office door and got to work.
Penelope, a glass of sauvignon blanc in one hand, was all smiles. She’d taken a break from work when Stef called her to catch up. The invite hadn’t come because of a PR need, but because Pen was now her sister and Stef hadn’t been a very good one. Lately her relationship with her sister-in-law had revolved around Stef screwing up and Pen bailing her out.
Not cool.
“Can I get you ladies anything else?” the waitress, a young brunette, asked.
“Just the check,” Penelope said.
“On me,” Stefanie interjected. The waitress nodded her understanding and walked away. “I owe you, Penelope. Also...”
She extracted her cell phone, called up the text she’d sent to Emmett before lunch and showed Pen.
Penelope’s face was serious for a beat until she figured out that Stef wasn’t showing her dirt she’d have to clean up, but a fun little secret she’d told no one about until this very moment.
“I love it.” Pen gasped, proud. “I love his response more.”
Stef grinned as she reread Emmett’s response for the fourteenth time.
Hell yes.That was it. He expressed himself as he normally did: without decorum or silly emoji. Just two words, straight to the point.
“This arrangement is working out between you two.”
“It’s early. I’m not sure we’ve passed the will-we-make-it portion of the test yet.”
“That’s ongoing.” Pen waved a hand in dismissal. “Miriam hit the nail on the head the night you announced you two were married. I’m also over everyone trying to do things the ‘right’ way. Your parents mean well by worrying about you, but you’re an adult. You make your own decisions and if they don’t accept that, that’s on them.”
“Right.” Stef nodded, feeling vindicated. She’d been trying to prove to them—hell, to everyone—that she was responsible for a while now. “I didn’t do this to spite them. I did this for myself. And for Chase.”
“What about Emmett’s parents? Did they have a kitten when you told them the news?”
“We...didn’t tell his dad. And his mother died a long time ago.” Sharing any more about his family felt like a betrayal. She trusted Pen implicitly, but it wasn’t Stef’s story to tell.
“I’m so sorry to hear that. I assumed they weren’t close since Emmett shows up at so many Ferguson functions. If you count in years, he’s a bigger part of this family than me. Does he plan on reaching out to his father?”
“Not that I know of. It’s...complicated.” Impossible, really, but who was she to judge?
“Give it time. If it feels like the right move to include his family in your life, you’ll know it.”
“That’s assuming a lot, Pen.” Stef reached for her water glass.
“Not too long ago I was on the fast track to building my business into a Fortune 500 company, I’d sworn off men, and I was fairly sure I’d never have children.” Pen waggled her wedding band. “Now I’m married to an oil tycoon, raising a daughter and advising the wealthiest family in Dallas.”
“Not just advising.” Stef reached for Pen’s hand and squeezed. “You’re family.”
Just like Emmett was. Just like he’d always been.
Except where Stefanie was concerned, that bond had taken on a new, more interesting shade. He was at her side, making her see life differently. Helping her see herself differently. She was beginning to wonder if she would’ve uncovered the stronger side of herself without him.
“I like having you as a sister, Stef.” Pen, an only child, smiled, her eyes misting. “It’s an honor.”
“Same to you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to Zach.”
The waitress set the bill on the table, but Pen wasn’t finished with her assessment yet.
“I have a feeling Emmett feels the same way about you.”
