Page 27 of Hers to Love
Marshall chuckled. “I think you’re going above and beyond by stroking my ego.”
“This is a…unique situation we’re in. I think it’s warranted.”
“Finish strong, as you say.”
She nodded. “That’s right. Finish strong.”
A steward came by with a couple of tumblers of alcohol, and Marshall refused, instead asking if there were ingredients on board to make a healthy smoothie. Kori stared at him.
Marshall shrugged. “What?”
“Who are you, and what happened to Marshall?”
Marshall smoothed the front lapels of his dark sports jacket. “You don’t like this new Marshall? The one who doesn’t drink as much and is more health conscious?” His eyes darkened a bit when they shot to Jarod, who watched the two of them with interest. “You prefer a different sort of guy?”
Kori snorted. “Because you’re teasing me, I know you won’t take offense when I say I prefer not to have an office relationship, especially with my boss.”
Marshall folded in on himself, his expression flush and angry. “I’m…I’m an idiot, Kori. Please, forgive me. That…that was probably one of the stupidest, most insensitive things I’ve ever said.”
She laid a hand on his arm. “Stop, please. It’s okay. I know you don’t mean anything by it.” She waited until he met her gaze. She offered him a small smile. “And I know better than to presume you could be jealous of a guy like Jarod.” She lowered her voice. “Someone I would never consider,” she added, hoping to settle his nerves.
She bit her lip. He was nervous, but it couldn’t be because he thought she was interested in Jarod, could it?
His color returned to normal. When his gaze dropped to her lips, Kori instinctively opened them. Then she swallowed and let her hand drop from his arm. She forced her eyes back to the papers in her lap.
“My father was an alcoholic,” he sad bluntly.
Kori stared at him open-mouthed.
“Guess I always feared I’d be like him. Did everything I could to stay away from the stuff until…” He grunted and crossed his arms. “Research says you’re more susceptible to alcoholism when—”
“But it’s not a guarantee,” she swiftly cut him off, her hand going back to his arm. “And you realize why you drank. The trigger. You’re ahead of most people who are…far more vulnerable to that than you.”
He cast her a glance, half-hopeful, half-disbelief. She tried again. “I’m sure your therapist agrees with me,” she stated in a low voice, remembering Jarod only sat a few feet away.
Marshall’s jawline ticked, but then softened. He let out a breath and cleared his throat. “Anyway, I need to be healthy if I’m going to start another company,” he said after a few moments of tense silence.
“That is an admirable goal,” Kori agreed. “Although you look”—she cast her gaze back on him, hitting his abdominal area, which appeared flat beneath his dress shirt—“very healthy,” she breathed.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
Kori reluctantly stared at her papers again. This was going to be a difficult trip. She was even more attracted to him than she ever thought she could be and it was starting to chip away—in large chunks—at her walls.
Revealing his family history and how he struggled with overcoming that obstacle endeared her boss to Kori more than ever. She’d already witnessed his fight and rejection of a terrible heritage.
“I owe it to you, of course,” Marshall continued. “With your stern insinuation that I was fast on the road to alcoholism.”
Kori’s head snapped up. “I didn’t say—”
“I’m teasing.” Marshall grinned cheekily. “But I inferred it nonetheless, and you were right. Even the board thinks I drink way too much.”
“I saw you removed the liquor cabinet from your office.”
“Yup. Had it delivered to one of the board members.” He winked, and Kori laughed.
Marshall’s gaze turned somber, a look that had Kori maintaining eye contact. The meeting must not have gone over well. Was he finally ready to share what had happened?
“Kori, I have to apologize for last night,” he said quietly. His gaze shot over to Jarod and then back to her. “I…I was out of line.”
