Page 42 of Hers to Love
Kori wiped the tears from her eyes. “He was good for you. And you’re good for him.”
“So are you. You better give him babies. He’s ready for them after dealing with me.”
Kori stilled. Babies… Sabrina was accepting her being with Marshall? Kori’s heart lifted briefly before crashing into her stomach. “Doesn’t matter. I can’t be with him. I’m getting fired, and…and I can’t be the cause of him losing his company. There’s still a chance the board will keep him on. I’ve told him to fire me.”
“What!”
“If he does it in front of the board, it will make a statement. One the members can’t ignore. That’s what I’ve suggested.”
“You do realize this willkillyour case against Brigham—if it ever gets out.”
“Probably. But…I’m hoping the board will keep it all quiet until the lawsuit is over. And if I can’t get any resolution, then…then I have to move on. What are you always telling me? You have to create motion. Life doesn’t happen without it.” Kori bit her lip as the silence from the other end lengthened.
“You would do that for my dad?”
“Sabrina, Marshall is a good man who had his heart broken. Grief takes time. He didn’t do too well with his at first, and now he’s losing his company because of it. I don’t think it’s right. Not when he’s back on track.”
“Well, I don’t think it’s right if…if he falls in love and he has to lose his company because of that.”
Kori agreed. Did this mean Sabrina would accept her as…as…what in the world would she be to Marshall after this was all over?
Nothing. She couldn’t be anything to him. If he had a shot at keeping his company, then she had to leave.
“I appreciate that, Sabrina, even if you didn’t mean for it to be about me.”
“Itwasabout you. I’m not going to pretend that you being my stepmom is something I can swallow anytime soon—”
“I seriously doubt I’ll ever be your stepmom,” Kori said with an awkward chuckle. “I doubt there will be anything more after today.”
“Eh, I’m not so sure. If I know my dad, he’ll do what he can to keep you around. I can admit that you’ve been a positive influence on him. He sounds better than he has in a long time, Kori, and that’s due to you. I have to thank you for that, because I sure wasn’t reaching him. And I’m a life coach.”
“It’s been a pleasure for me—and not in the way you think,” Kori rushed to say, even if it was true. “I’ve enjoyed seeing his transformation. His drive and passion for the work is inspiring.”
“Ugh, you even sound way more mature than I remember. But you were always more mature than me and anybody we ever hung around. You don’t mind that he’s…old?”
Kori sputtered a laugh. “He’s not old!”
“Okay, so he’s not yet fifty, but it’s not like you’re ugly—”
“Thanks.”
“—you could still get a younger man. Younger than forty”
“Are you on your dad’s side or not? Don’t you want to see him fall in love again?”
“Of course I am! I even signed him up on the dating website for people over fifty.”
“He’s not fifty!”
Sabrina laughed. “Close enough.”
Kori voice turned somber. “Sabrina…I really am sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I fought it the whole time.”
Sabrina sighed. “I know you did. Like I said, my dad’s a stud. My mom latched on to him the second she saw him. I always said she was an idiot for not keeping him, but he’s actually better off with you.”
“I don’t know if that’s true—the better off part—but I hope I’ve helped him heal.”
“What about you? You haven’t had time to grieve for your father since he died or reconnect with your mother.”
