Broken(12)

If her own father wasn’t himself around her, how would Aunt Earlene be? What about Decker and Ridge? At least she’d have Stone and Kyla in her corner, but would that be enough to get her through this dinner?

Jocelyn took deep breaths to calm her jumbled nerves and hoped she wasn’t about to have a full-blown panic attack. When she was in her Jos Song persona, world-renowned fashion designer, she found a way to brazen through. She was confident and sure of herself. But she’d left her alter ego back in New York. There was no mask to hide behind. Here she was simply Jocelyn Winters. Turning around, she shook her head vehemently. “I can’t do it.” She turned around and attempted to turn away.

Her friend blocked her way, standing with arms akimbo and a take-one-more-step-and-I’ll-kill-you look. “You’ve come this far and I’m not letting you run away now. If I can get through a dinner with a bunch of people I don’t know, I think you can manage. You know how I am with strangers.”

“They won’t be strangers for long. Anyway, it’s not the same. These are people I’ve stayed away from for a long time. Maybe there’ll be some resentment.”

“If that was the case, I doubt a dinner party would be thrown in your honor. If I can get through this night, I know you can.”

“I’m scared.”

Kyla took her hand and gave it a light squeeze. “You’ll be fine, girl. They’ll all be glad to see you.”

Jocelyn sighed, she knew at least one person wouldn’t but she appreciated the gesture. “Well, I know someone who’ll be eager to see you.”

“Me? Who?”

“Stone, silly. You’d have to blind not to notice how he looked at you the other day.”

Kyla rolled her eyes. “He was probably being polite, not that it matters anyway. I’ve sworn off men for good. And stop stalling. It’s not going to work. Your dad and Lavern are probably wondering what’s keeping you. Now turn around and knock on the door before I do it for you.”

“I can—”

Leaning forward, Kyla rapped on the door and then pulled back with a smug smile curving her glossy lips. “There. Now, it’s too late to run off.”

It was on the tip of Jocelyn’s tongue to tell Kyla where to shove it when the door opened.

“My word.” Aunt Earlene, the ageless matron of the Devlin Ranch, grinned, showing every single one of her teeth. “Don’t you look prettier than a sunset on a summer’s day? Come here, girl, and give me a hug.”

She found herself engulfed in Aunt Earlene’s arms and inhaling the sweet smells of home she’d missed in her absence. There was no doubting the sincerity in the older woman’s welcome. Jocelyn quickly glanced behind her to see Kyla looking smug as if she’d know things would turn out this way all along.

So far so good. If her initial meeting with her father and Stone was anything to go by, seeing Decker and Ridge again would be a piece of cake. She could only hope. Her father and Stone’s reception made her feel so at home, she almost couldn’t remember why she’d stayed away for so long. Then, it would all come back to her. She was no longer whole. Being around the people she loved, holding in her secret was too much for her to handle. Maybe it still was, but she couldn’t back out now.

When she opened her mouth to speak, the words caught in her throat, choking her. Biting back a sob, she buried her face against Aunt Earlene’s neck. She smelled of lemons and homemade chocolate chip cookies, scents she held dear. How many times had she come to this woman whenever she had a problem, a boo boo to kiss or simply for a hug? This woman had been the mother figure to her when Jocelyn’s own mom had passed.