what he was feeling.
"Right." Embarrassment crept in as she gathered her things. Marcus left the room and Tabitha dressed.
Tabitha wandered the apartment until she found him. "Marcus?"
He looked up. "Yeah? Are you going?"
"You indicated you wanted me to." Her hesitant words communicated her hurt.
Marcus shook his head. "I'm being an ass. I'm sorry." He embraced her. "Don't go. Stay."
Tabitha smiled. "Yes." Always, she added silently.
Chapter 10
The phone rang on Tabitha's desk and she picked up automatically.
"This is Monica Granger. I'm in the neighborhood, and I'd like to meet you for lunch, if it's convenient."
Stunned surprise filled Tabitha. Marcus's sister? "Monica?"
The abrupt tone of Monica's voice softened. "Yes, I know this is a little unexpected, but I'd like to meet with you."
Tabitha managed a tentative answer. "Okay."
"When are you taking lunch?"
"12:30."
"I can meet you at the deli on the corner. Does that work for you?"
It appeared Monica had a plan in mind before she'd called. Tabitha was wary but saw no real reason to refuse. "Yes. All right."
"I'll see you a little past 12:30."
Tabitha hung up the phone, uncertain what to think. Should she call Marcus? No. She didn't need his permission, but she didn't plan to keep it from him, either. She wanted to meet Marcus's sister and not just because she was part of Marcus's family. Maybe Monica had something to say about this whole proxy mess.
Tabitha finished the most urgent items on her desk and checked her watch. She had just enough time to freshen up before leaving the building.
*****
As Tabitha entered the deli, she looked around, trying to spot Monica. She'd seen her in Hawaii. She'd been model gorgeous and perfectly groomed but not on her best behavior. Tabitha's observations flooded back into her mind. Spoiled. Petulant. Great hair.
Tabitha found Monica immediately. The small deli featured limited seating and Marcus's sister stood out in most any setting. It wasn't only her looks, but her whole bearing. She'd cut her long, glossy hair and it now fell into an attractive sweep as she worked on her phone.
Tabitha approached Monica's table.
Monica looked up and rose to meet her, extending her hand. "I'm Monica Granger. Thank you for coming." She'd dressed for business in a flattering suit.
Tabitha took her hand in a firm handshake. "Tabitha Quinn."
"Why don't you grab what you want to eat? I've already ordered." Monica gestured toward a salad on the table.
Tabitha wandered to the counter and placed her order. The sandwich appeared within minutes. The deli was known for good, quick service. Soon Tabitha sat down with Monica, unsure how to proceed.
Monica placed her phone on the table. "I'm sure you must be more than a little curious as to why I asked you to meet me today."
Nervousness clenched Tabitha's stomach. "You're right. I am."
Monica tilted her head. "Has Marcus mentioned me to you?"
"Yes." Tabitha didn't elaborate, hesitant to say much. She picked up her sandwich and took a bite.
Monica grimaced. "Ah, I'm guessing it wasn't positive."
Tabitha chewed slowly, giving herself time to construct a tactful response. "Well, it seems like there's a lot going on."
Monica's mouth twisted. "That's an understatement."
Tabitha leaned in. "I know your brother wants to speak to you."
Monica pursed her lips. "Yes. I want to speak to him, too. I'm not sure how to make him understand, though. I guess I thought you could help somehow. A woman's perspective and all."
Tabitha sat back in her seat. "Okay." What perspective did she have to offer that Monica couldn't get from her own family? Tabitha wanted to spit out questions, but forced herself to be patient.
Monica played with her ring, spinning it around her finger. "Marcus is a wonderful brother, but he's never been one to be ruled by his emotions. I don't know if he'll have any empathy for what I have to tell him. I thought if he's met someone who really touched his heart,
"Right." Embarrassment crept in as she gathered her things. Marcus left the room and Tabitha dressed.
Tabitha wandered the apartment until she found him. "Marcus?"
He looked up. "Yeah? Are you going?"
"You indicated you wanted me to." Her hesitant words communicated her hurt.
Marcus shook his head. "I'm being an ass. I'm sorry." He embraced her. "Don't go. Stay."
Tabitha smiled. "Yes." Always, she added silently.
Chapter 10
The phone rang on Tabitha's desk and she picked up automatically.
"This is Monica Granger. I'm in the neighborhood, and I'd like to meet you for lunch, if it's convenient."
Stunned surprise filled Tabitha. Marcus's sister? "Monica?"
The abrupt tone of Monica's voice softened. "Yes, I know this is a little unexpected, but I'd like to meet with you."
Tabitha managed a tentative answer. "Okay."
"When are you taking lunch?"
"12:30."
"I can meet you at the deli on the corner. Does that work for you?"
It appeared Monica had a plan in mind before she'd called. Tabitha was wary but saw no real reason to refuse. "Yes. All right."
"I'll see you a little past 12:30."
Tabitha hung up the phone, uncertain what to think. Should she call Marcus? No. She didn't need his permission, but she didn't plan to keep it from him, either. She wanted to meet Marcus's sister and not just because she was part of Marcus's family. Maybe Monica had something to say about this whole proxy mess.
Tabitha finished the most urgent items on her desk and checked her watch. She had just enough time to freshen up before leaving the building.
*****
As Tabitha entered the deli, she looked around, trying to spot Monica. She'd seen her in Hawaii. She'd been model gorgeous and perfectly groomed but not on her best behavior. Tabitha's observations flooded back into her mind. Spoiled. Petulant. Great hair.
Tabitha found Monica immediately. The small deli featured limited seating and Marcus's sister stood out in most any setting. It wasn't only her looks, but her whole bearing. She'd cut her long, glossy hair and it now fell into an attractive sweep as she worked on her phone.
Tabitha approached Monica's table.
Monica looked up and rose to meet her, extending her hand. "I'm Monica Granger. Thank you for coming." She'd dressed for business in a flattering suit.
Tabitha took her hand in a firm handshake. "Tabitha Quinn."
"Why don't you grab what you want to eat? I've already ordered." Monica gestured toward a salad on the table.
Tabitha wandered to the counter and placed her order. The sandwich appeared within minutes. The deli was known for good, quick service. Soon Tabitha sat down with Monica, unsure how to proceed.
Monica placed her phone on the table. "I'm sure you must be more than a little curious as to why I asked you to meet me today."
Nervousness clenched Tabitha's stomach. "You're right. I am."
Monica tilted her head. "Has Marcus mentioned me to you?"
"Yes." Tabitha didn't elaborate, hesitant to say much. She picked up her sandwich and took a bite.
Monica grimaced. "Ah, I'm guessing it wasn't positive."
Tabitha chewed slowly, giving herself time to construct a tactful response. "Well, it seems like there's a lot going on."
Monica's mouth twisted. "That's an understatement."
Tabitha leaned in. "I know your brother wants to speak to you."
Monica pursed her lips. "Yes. I want to speak to him, too. I'm not sure how to make him understand, though. I guess I thought you could help somehow. A woman's perspective and all."
Tabitha sat back in her seat. "Okay." What perspective did she have to offer that Monica couldn't get from her own family? Tabitha wanted to spit out questions, but forced herself to be patient.
Monica played with her ring, spinning it around her finger. "Marcus is a wonderful brother, but he's never been one to be ruled by his emotions. I don't know if he'll have any empathy for what I have to tell him. I thought if he's met someone who really touched his heart,
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