“He is. For now. He’s trying, I have to give him a little credit. Ever since the fight –”
Sierra put her hand up, interrupting her friend. “What fight?”
Another smile. “Well, let’s just say Alex is a little hot headed when he gets worried. Not that I think it was the best approach, but he and Dylan apparently went rounds.”
“Like physically?”
“Yep.”
“Were they hurt?”
“Nothing that needed stitches or an emergency room, no. You’d think the two of them could settle their differences like grown men, but they went about it like little boys fighting over the only toy on the playground.”
“Oh.” Sierra had no idea what to say to that. From the laughter bubbling out of her friend, it seemed that it wasn’t serious. At least she hoped not.
“Alex was worried about the pregnancy,” Ashleigh explained, her smile disappearing. “First of all, we didn’t plan it, and then when I started having problems, we didn’t tell anyone. We were so worried. I was worried about the baby, I was worried about Dylan. And then of course Alex was getting a little out of control. He didn’t mean any harm, but I don’t think he knew how to deal with what he was feeling.”
“So they duked it out?”
“Yes. When Cole told him he was leaving the company, he was at a loss. He’d piled so much on Cole in an attempt to try and cover for Dylan, hoping he’d come back to work. When it didn’t seem like that was going to work out the way he intended and Cole decided to walk, Alex went to talk to Dylan. Needless to say, Alex gave him a piece of his mind.”
Sierra tried to picture what it would look like for Dylan and Alex to go toe to toe. The image in her head made her smile although she had no idea why.
“And now?”
“Dylan is back at work. He’s made some stipulations, and they are looking for another person – or two – to come in and pick up some of the extra work. Jake and Nate won’t be going to Austin, but I overheard Alex on the phone with Gage Matthews. You may know him as Chance Reed.”
“The undercover cop?”
“That would be the one. I don’t know what they plan to do at the moment, but he’s supposed to be meeting with Alex in the next couple of weeks.
“Alex and Dylan decided to promote Jake, and he’ll be handling a lot more responsibilities as well. Dylan insists that Nate finish college, so he doesn’t want him too involved and taking away from his school work.”
Sierra thought about everything Ashleigh had just told her, and she realized how far out of the loop she had been. They hadn’t talked much since Hannah was born, and Sierra wondered which of them was more to blame for that. They’d become so close that it sort of surprised her that she put such distance between the two of them. Enough that she didn’t even know her best friend was pregnant.
“Enough about them. I want to know how things are with you. How’s the new house?” Ashleigh asked, sipping her water.
“It’s amazing. Cole and Luke let me decorate it before we moved in. I didn’t do any of the work, but they let me pick out anything and everything I wanted. I think I managed to incorporate all three of our styles. Oh, my gosh! I want you to see it.”
“Alex and I are hoping to come out there in a couple of weeks. I’m trying to take it easy, and if he knew I was out and about today, he’d probably have a coronary.”
“He doesn’t know you’re out?”
“Oh, he knows I have been. He just doesn’t like it, so I don’t usually tell him until after the fact.”
Sierra knew that feeling all too well, although she felt as though Cole’s and Luke’s overprotective nature during her pregnancy hadn’t had substantial reasons behind it.
“Well, as soon as you’re up to it, I want you to come to the house. If you’re not, then Hannah and I will stop by and keep you company.”
The waitress chose that moment to bring their food and Sierra was glad for the reprieve. She could see the concern still written on Ashleigh’s face, and she was worried for her friend.
Half an hour later, after the two of them had stuffed themselves on chicken fingers, French fries and cream gravy - Sierra’s one true weakness - the conversation had somehow turned back toward Dylan.
“Is Dylan still seeing Sarah?”
Ashleigh looked down at the table before she spoke. “No. Last I heard, he broke things off with her. If you heard her tell it, they weren’t serious, but I’ve talked to her twice since then and I can tell you that she cares about him.”