AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Let’s see,” Shay said. “Not to gossip, but none of this is a secret. Jessica’s parents don’t live around here. She’s not close with her mother or father, but they are in her life. They are divorced and her father is remarried with kids. Alex’s mother is local and very close with her daughter and Jolene, but her father passed away years ago too. Travis’s father is local and close with Gavin. The security for the business was set up before Travis took over the business.”
She knew that about Alex’s mother and Travis’s father too. Again, had heard their names. There didn’t seem to be much of a theme here that could be found.
“I’ve seen Margo’s parents here before. I went to pick up dinner once and they were in the back talking to her.”
“Yes, her parents live around here and they are close. She always was with her parents. So yeah, no reason to try to get in my sister’s head. She just seems to know the matches and no one questions how she does.”
“It’s a good thing her track record speaks for itself, but one of these days she might fail and her kids are going to be there waiting for that to happen and laughing the whole time,” Ethan said.
“No they won’t,” Ivan said. “Because that would mean someone is hurting if it failed.”
Kendra thought the same exact thing but wouldn’t mention it. Amazing how she and Ivan did always seem to think alike.
“It’s probably going to be Faith that is next,” Devin said. “She better be ready.”
“I’ve been ready since she started with you, Devin. When Liam started to date Margo I was building my wall up.” She looked over and saw the grin on his face.
“I won’t be insulted.”
“As you shouldn’t be,” Shay said. “Ivan is very sensitive too, but he keeps it locked up.”
“What?” he said. “How can you say that? I’m not sensitive and you know it.”
“Sure, you are,” Devin said. “You were the first one to say someone would be hurt if Aunt Jolene failed.”
“I thought it too,” Kendra said. She was going to come to his defense, but it was the truth.
“And that is how my sister manages to find the right people for everyone. You two think a lot alike.”
“It is scary how she does it,” Hope said. “She said she knew I was right for Devin when she talked to me in the bar. I didn’t even know who she was. I was there interviewing for the job and had a little breakdown and she was so sweet and then I was embarrassed once I realized she owned the place.”
Shay snorted. “That’s my sister. Did she interview you too for the job, Kendra?”
Kendra nodded. “She did. She was on the first and third interviews. The first one she vetted me with HR and then the second was with Ella and a few other staff. The last with more family members.”
“I don’t know how she does it,” Ethan said. “But it’s nice to meet you. Please make yourself comfortable. Might as well say it now—welcome to the family. Hope you don’t think it’s too forward of me.”
She looked at Ivan and saw his soft smile. “Not at all.”
* * *
“How did it go?”
“Geez, Jolene. You didn’t even say hi to me when you answered,” Shay said. Her sister had been bugging her all week to find out what was going on since Ivan and Kendra weren’t playing along with the interrogation that her sister was famous for.
There was some pride that her boys were strong enough to stand up to her sister that she never felt she could when she was younger.
Though she did love her older sister and everything she’d done for the family. All the generations of it.
Jolene sure did have a heart of gold, even if she was annoying with it at times.
“Sorry. Hi, Shay. So glad you called me. Now tell me how dinner went with Ivan and Kendra. What did you think of her? Do you like her? I did well, didn’t I? Tell me I did.”
“Take a deep breath. Wow, you’re worked up over this one. How come?”
Jolene sighed on the other end of the phone. “I don’t know. I’m used to being played, but this time I should have expected it and didn’t. The two of them have been so cool about it all. I’ve asked my kids and they said the same thing. That they suspected it, but no one knew for certain. Only Ella because she finally asked point blank.”
“That just means they want to keep it between them. There isn’t anything wrong with that and you know it. Be happy they are dating.”
