A few moments later, Kennedy Ashe strolled in. Looking perfect as usual, her caramel-colored hair falling in thick waves over her shoulders, the third in their crew handled all the social events and makeovers for Kinnections. Her red Jimmy Choos clicked on the floor, and she slid into the final seat, legs crossed, looking smart and polished in her Jones red suit with matching polish on her toes and nails. She was a complete dynamo in her job and personal life, until her newest client, Nate Dunkle, nerd extraordinaire and rocket scientist, burst into her life. His awkward social behavior and disastrous physical appearance called to her sense of challenge, until she decided to transform him and find him love. Then proceeded to fall for him herself.
It was a long time before Kennedy was able to admit her love for Nate and accept she was worthy for him to love her back. Since then, they’d moved in together and Nate was working on the next step: getting her to marry him. Arilyn would bet her money on Nate any day. Kennedy was still refusing, not wanting to ruin what they had, but slowly the rest of her walls were coming down.
“What’s up, ladies? We’re not drinking?” Kennedy asked.
Kate laughed and held up her own water bottle. “It’s ten a.m. I think we should hold off on the hotel liquor bottles till at least noon.”
Kennedy pursed her lips in a famous pout. “As Buffett says, it’s five o’clock somewhere.”
“But not here,” Arilyn pointed out.
“Semantics. You didn’t drag me in here to discuss the pros and cons of truffles versus photo frames for favors, did you? Because I’m on your mom’s side. Mini vibrators with Kate & Slade Forever imprints are the bomb.”
Kate choked on her water. “Never gonna happen, dude. And screw you. Whatever happened to your reassurances that you’ll help in whatever capacity for the wedding?”
“I got burnt out. If I ever agree to marry Nate, we are so going to Vegas. Just us, you guys, and Elvis. Heaven.”
Arilyn grinned. The numbness melted a bit as she savored the warmth of female friendship. “We’ll be there. In the meantime, Kate is worried about leaving Kinnections behind during the honeymoon. I think we’re here to reassure her.”
Kate and Kennedy exchanged a meaningful look. Not good. This whole encounter stank of a setup. “Well, yes, I’m worried. But it’s more directed at you, A.”
Arilyn blinked. “Me? I’m perfectly capable of handling my job while you’re away. I’m fine.”
“Umm, did you just throw out a client and tell him to sue us?”
Arilyn winced. Oops. Of course they’d heard her temper tantrum. Not good, since she was the one who had taught them to deal with difficult clients by not giving in to anger. “I had a weak moment. He was hopeless.”
Kate raised a brow. “You always told me there’s no such thing as a hopeless client.”
Irritation prickled. Another strange emotion. “I lied. Can we move on?”
“No,” Kate said. “You’ve been a complete mess. Slamming doors. Throwing out a client. Gen said she stopped by and overheard you yelling at Mike.”
Shoot. She never raised her voice, but honestly, chewing her expensive basket was way past her normal patience. She apologized later, and they’d made up with a cuddle. “There was a good reason. I’m fine.”
“Bullshit,” Kennedy tossed out, and leaned forward. “You’re a mess over the breakup with asshat. Usually a good cry, a weekend in bed, and a tub of Ben & Jerry’s helps, but you’re not getting better. Instead, you keep burying yourself in projects and slipping further away.”
She stiffened. She was a counselor, dammit, and knew everything about healing. “I have everything under control. Work helps distract me, and time heals all wounds. Forgive me if I can’t be all lightness and fun lately, but I’ll handle it.”
Kate sighed. “Sweetie, we’re not saying you need to spring back. You’re misunderstanding. There’s a distance and sadness around you we’ve never seen before. Like you’re going through the steps but aren’t really here. We think you’re taking on too much, too soon. Besides offering private yoga lessons, you took on the anger management course, the shelter fund-raiser, plus all your duties here. Now you’re watching Robert, and with me gone for two weeks, well, I’m afraid.”
Pain sliced through her at the thought that her friends believed she couldn’t handle her job. “I’d never fail Kinnections.”
Kate glared. “Are you kidding me right now? I don’t give a damn about Kinnections or the computer system or the matches. I care about you. I don’t want to be away in St. Lucia and find out you needed me and I wasn’t here! Or that you got sick because you’re overworked and won’t come to us for help. A, you don’t realize this, but out of all three of us, you’re the one who never opens up.”
She gasped. Her fingers flew to her throat. “What? How could you say that?”
Kennedy nodded. “I agree. You isolated yourself in this relationship, just like Genevieve did with her ex-fiancé. We knew you were unhappy, but you refused to talk about it.”
Genevieve MacKenzie was best friends with Kate, and they had all gotten close over the summer. Engaged to a successful surgeon, she ran out the day of her wedding, right into her best friend Wolfe’s arms. “Gen was being emotionally abused by David. It was completely different,” Arilyn said.
“Was it?” Kate asked. “He refused to meet your friends. Insisted you keep your affair a secret. Snuck you around like he was a married man, hiding you from the public. Why didn’t you ever call him by his name?”