“Oh my God, I’m right, aren’t I?” Chessy crowed.
She leaned forward, her eyes alight with mischief and curiosity.
“Spill,” Chessy demanded. “And don’t leave a word out.”
Kylie sighed but at the same time, warmth invaded her veins. This was what having girlfriends was about. She’d never really felt she’d taken advantage of her close friendship with Joss and Chessy because she’d never had anything to share. But now?
The question was whether she wanted to confide in Chessy when she herself had no clue what the hell was going on between her and Jensen.
“I don’t know,” Kylie said honestly.
Concern entered her friend’s eyes. “What’s going on, hon?”
“It’s Jensen,” Kylie blurted.
Chessy’s eyes widened. “Jensen Tucker? As in works-with-Dash Jensen?”
Kylie nodded. “One and the same.”
“Oh my,” Chessy murmured. “Talk about biting off more than you can chew! That guy intimidates me.”
“Join the crowd,” Kylie said ruefully. “I have no idea what the hell he wants from me. But he’s different with me. I mean different than he is with everyone else.”
Chessy grinned. “Well a woman—the right woman—can do that to a man. But explain this different. What do you mean?”
Kylie sighed again, knowing Chessy wouldn’t rest until she dragged every detail out of her.
“We’re going on a date. Tomorrow night. He was specific in saying this was a date. No business talk. Nothing to do with the office. A real date. Oh my God, just saying that makes me freak out.”
“Do you want to go out with him or did he pressure you into something you don’t want?”
Chessy frowned fiercely, clearly going into protective mode. Kylie smiled.
“I agreed. I may need my head examined, but yes, I do want to go out, although we’re not exactly going anywhere. He’s cooking dinner for me at my place. And then we’re going to watch movies. Not exactly an exciting date, huh.”
“It sounds perfect to me,” Chessy said wistfully. “I’m tired of eating out all the time. It seems like Tate is always entertaining a client and he likes for me to be with him when possible. A nice evening at home, alone, him cooking dinner for me and afterward spending the evening on the couch? Heaven.”
Kylie frowned and leaned forward. She’d been worried about her friend for months. She and Joss both had been worried about Chessy and her marriage to Tate. Chessy was perpetually cheerful. She could warm even the hardest heart. Good as gold. Naturally sunny and generous. But lately? The light had been extinguished in her eyes. She seemed . . . unhappy. And that bothered Kylie a lot.
Kylie had even worried that Tate was somehow abusing her, though Joss had been adamant that it wasn’t even a possibility. But then Joss hadn’t seen the darker side of men like Kylie had. She knew that behind a perfectly polished exterior sometimes lay a monster.
“Is everything okay between you and Tate?” Kylie asked bluntly, finally putting to question what she and Joss had both privately wondered over the last few months.
Chessy looked startled, but it was the hesitation that sold Kylie on the idea that she wasn’t far off the mark. Chessy didn’t immediately deny it, nor did she act horrified over the idea. In fact, she didn’t say anything at all. Just sat there with those sad eyes.
“Everything is fine,” Chessy finally said lightly, though her lips weren’t smiling. “I guess I’m just feeling lonely. I see so little of Tate and— I guess that isn’t true. I do see him, but never in private. We’re always entertaining clients or in a public setting. What we haven’t had is time together, if you know what I mean.”
“But are you happy?” Kylie persisted.
Chessy glanced down, not meeting Kylie’s gaze. “No,” she said softly. “Not now anyway. It’s silly. I’m being selfish. Tate takes very good care of me. He’s busting his ass because he wants to provide for me. For us. For me to never want for anything. But all I want is him, Kylie. Not money. Not things. I just want him and for things to be the way they were before.”
“That’s not selfish,” Kylie said. “Have you talked to him? Have you told him how you feel?”
Chessy shook her head. “I can’t. It would destroy him if he thought he was making me unhappy by doing the one thing he thinks will make me happy. I just have to ride it out. Things will get better. Marriage isn’t easy. If it was, there wouldn’t be so many divorces, and the last thing I want is to plant a seed of doubt in Tate’s mind. I don’t want out. I just want him. I love him so much.”