Final Surrender by Jennifer Kacey

wouldn’t be a total waste after all.
    “Don’t you have a dinner tomorrow night, Ang?” Mark asked while people-watching. She almost jumped at the sound of Mark’s voice. He had been so quiet. She’d totally forgotten he was there.
    Her throat was dry and her palms were damp as she answered, “Yes,” then gave the cabbie new directions. “It’s actually pretty close to here, only a few blocks southeast. The Plaza is where the event is taking place.”
    Angela caught a glimpse of Clay’s eyebrows spiking just for a second as he asked, “What’s it for? Some hoity-toity dinner with people kissing your ass?”
    “Not exactly, it’s a charity dinner with an auction at the end of the evening. It’s always fun.”
    He didn’t have any more snide comments after that.
    They rode in silence until they passed the hotel.
    Clay commented, “Only one front entrance so it shouldn’t be hard to get her inside, and then I’ll fade into the shadows for the rest of the boring evening. Where do you go for whatever you need to make your clothes?”
    “I shop at Mood most often, which is in the fashion district between 7th and 8th Avenues. Third floor access only, and Bernie mans the elevator. He’s great.”
    They headed over so Clay could catch a glimpse of Fashion Avenue.
    Her life was on display for him to see. Scrutinize. Dissect. It was uncomfortable having to categorize where she went and why. She didn’t like having to explain her actions to anyone, least of all him.
    Privacy was something she held so close to her, she didn’t want to share things that were special—her sacred places where she could be herself and not worry about anyone else’s opinion. Not that she really cared about everyone else, but Clay’s opinion was different.
    “You need to show him the park,” Mark commanded, as if somehow reading her mind and finding the one spot she didn’t want to share.
    She turned as best she could and shot him her best Go to Hell look.
    “What?” he asked with complete ignorance. “He needs to know where you go when you want to be alone. You love that place and you’re there all the time.”
    “Yes, and it’s where I go to be alone , Mark.”
    “What park?” Clay asked.
    Angela opened her mouth to tell him it didn’t matter, when Mark butted right in. “Madison Square Park right off Park Avenue and East 26th Street.”
    “Mark, shut up!” Angela barked.
    “No, I’m not going to let you sabotage this, Ang. Clay needs to know where you are at all times, so you aren’t going to be able to just flit anywhere by yourself anymore. At least not until we get a handle on this.”
    “The only situation I have at the moment is an overbearing brother who doesn’t know when to back off.”
    “Yes, you definitely have that,” he admitted with a smirk.
    “The fact that you think this is a good thing is really starting to piss me off.” She rolled her shoulders, trying to lessen the tension building again.
    After a minute of silence, Clay asked, “So, where do you grocery shop?” Obviously trying to change the subject so he didn’t have to separate the siblings next to him.
    “Meat district, west of the island, on 14th Street, straight down from the studio.”
    “Food. I’m hungry,” Mark admitted.
    “You’re always hungry, Mark. Do you not eat at home?”
    On cue his stomach growled and he patted it, as if to quell the rising beast within.
    “Where are we now?” Mark asked no one in particular.
    “In Midtown on Park Avenue. Why?” Angela wanted to know.
    “Meli Melo is right up the next block. Let’s get takeout and we’ll go back to your apartment and eat, so I can crash early and get packed since I’m leaving pretty early tomorrow morning.”
    Angela’s heart stopped, not certain why she thought her brother would be staying longer. Obviously he didn’t know she needed a chaperone.
    Clay asked, “What is a melli marshmallow anyways?”
    Mark threw his head back and laughed as Angela