Page 84 of Boss Level

Dominic kissed me on the cheek. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”

Thanks.

“The two of you are good together,” Rosie said when he was gone.

“Yeah, we are.” Resentment tinged my reply. She’d never once said that about Judith.

But she was right about Dominic, and it wasn’t as though I wanted my relationship with him to change. Not after we’d made it this far. Not now that I got to tell the world over and over that he was mine. “The orchard house?” I wanted the conversation away from me and my relationships.

“Your mom was right. I want to turn it into the safe haven she always envisioned.”

“Oh.” This was where I should hide my surprise and pull out the poker face. Too late. This was something we’d pushed her on for a while. I could dig in and remind her of that, but I’d hate to have her back down. What she was suggesting… There was no better way I could think of to honor Mom’s memory. I still needed answers, though. “Why? After all this time?”

Rosie raked her fingers through her hair, leaving the short, platinum strands sticking up in every direction. “I was scared that I wasn’t enough for it. That I wasn’t the right person for the job. What do I know about saving people?”

Why did those words hit hard? “You saved Judith.” In a way I never would. Never could. I sank into the chair next to Rosie and rested my elbows on my knees.

She shook her head. “No. She saved herself, I just gave her a safe place to do so, and that’s what I want for others as well.”

That was what Mom had wanted, too.

“Maddox is on board,” Rosie said. “He’s agreed to sign anything he needs to, but you know I can’t move forward unless you both give me permission.”

After all this time, was it really so simple? I was tempted to put up a fight, simply because I’d expected one.

“Xander will sign too.” Dominic’s voice came from behind me.

I looked over my shoulder to see him standing in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed.

“But the contract goes through me,” he added.

FuckI loved him. “You heard my attorney.”

“That went better than I expected.” The smile that slipped onto Rosie’s face was subtle and relieved. “Do I dare bring up the second thing I’ve been asking you about?”

Which was…? “Might as well.”

“Are the three of you coming for Christmas dinner?”

Right. That. “Dom and I will bet there.”

“Judith?”

Other people, I might assume they’d make things right in the next week or so. She and I… No telling which of us was more stubborn. I hated the idea of not talking to her for so long, but at this point, “She’s not speaking to me.”

Rosie’s joy vanished behind a frown. “Why not?”

“It’s complicated.” But was it really? I knew she was too good for most anyone, and I had her back for those times when she didn’t realize that.

Which she didn’t appreciate.

You know that’s not it.

That was exactly it.

So why did my heart put up a more painful resistance every time my brain doubled down on the truth?

“I’ve been thinking a lot about the two of you lately. You and Judith.” Rosie ducked her head in a way that was uncharacteristic of her. “You may not want to hear this.” She looked at Dom.

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