Families. They are never simple.

My computer chimes at me to remind me I have a board meeting in ten minutes, and I know that for the rest of the day, I won’t have time to think about my sisters, my mother, or that stupid kiss that keeps replaying in my mind.

It’s time to put some pressure on Forrest because I can’t be thinking about him when I’m sleeping with another guy, and I definitely have an itch that needs scratching, and if he isn’t prepared to come to the party, I’ll find someone who will.

* * *

It turned into a three-hour meeting where we needed to discuss the mess that the company was left in after Felisha’s father was forced out of the CEO position and removed from his ownership. The debates and discussing lengthy solutions has left me with the headache from hell starting to brew, but I don’t have time for that now.

Following Felisha down the corridor to her office to debrief as we always do, I know we are going to need more than the usual fifteen-minute chat. Before I take a seat, I grab the shot glasses we keep hidden in the cabinet on the side wall of the office, along with the tequila. I’m about to help my headache or make it get a whole lot worse. Signaling to her, she just nods at me, so I pour one for both of us and then we slam them back, and the burn in my throat has me shaking it off.

“Well, that was painful.” Felisha looks at me with a face that tells me she is still feeling the effects from the tequila that is settling in her stomach.

“What, the meeting or the shot?”

Both of us burst out laughing as I put the bottle away, and we settle into our seats on opposite sides of her desk.

I sigh. “I mean, I know we both already knew what the forensic accountants report said, but having to disclose that to the board because you want full transparency, that wasn’t much fun. I’m hurting for you, girlfriend, but I’m so damn proud of you too. Not once have you backed away from the hard parts of cleaning up this company from all the dodgy things that asshole father of yours did without you knowing.” I’m not one who likes to hug or show too much emotion, but there were times in that meeting I wanted to stand up and hug the shit out of Felisha and tell some of the board to back off.