Page 15 of Chasing the Dream
“Name it.”
“You have to be the one to tell Maria.”
He’d pulled up in the driveway behind his sister’s car. “Why me?”
“Because you’re her brother and family carries more weight than friendship.”
“Not necessarily.” Between facing Maria’s wrath or sending Morgan off on a blind date, he chose the lesser of two evils. “But lead the way.”
They exited the car, and he followed her up to the front door while trying not to stare at her butt. She might have stopped wearing skirts, but he’d discovered that slacks weren’t much better. They covered more skin, but they still conformed to her curves and made him want to…
“Maria? We’re home,” Morgan called as they entered the condo.
Maria lived in an upscale condominium development in a highly desirable area of Scottsdale, not far from the shopping district. Hers was a two-story unit that had more square footage than his house. He’d teased her about not needing all that space, but he knew she hoped to fill it with a husband and children someday, and he had no doubt that she would.
“Who’s we?” Maria shouted from the kitchen.
When he and Morgan walked in together, she looked startled. “What are you doing here?”
“Is that any way to greet your brother?”
“Sorry. Good to see you.” She gave him a quick hug and then repeated the question. “But really, what are you doing here?”
Morgan laughed.
“What? He hardly ever comes over unless he needs to borrow something, which isn’t often.”
“She’s exaggerating,” he said to Morgan.
“No, I’m not. When was the last time you were here?”
He thought for a few seconds. “I can’t remember.”
“See!”
Morgan smiled, enjoying their sparring just like she had as a teenager. Beneath their teasing and digs, their love ran strong, even if neither of them admitted it.
“Morgan’s having dinner at my place tomorrow,” he blurted out. “That is all. Goodbye.”
He turned to leave, but Maria shouted, “Stop! Morgan, is that true?”
Morgan nodded and then looked to him for help.
“She doesn’t want to go out with Mark or Mike or whoever the hell he is, so I’m making dinner for her.”
“It’s Matt, but anyway, why didn’t you just tell me that, Morgan?”
“You seemed so excited, and I hated to disappoint you, but I’d rather spend time with someone I know than a stranger.”
“I could cancel my date and come with you.”
“No!” Gabe shouted. “I mean, that’s not necessary. I’ll take good care of her.”
Two sets of eyes pierced him with their gaze, Maria’s containing a warning and Morgan’s with something unidentifiable.
“Don’t worry. I’ll feed her and make sure she gets home safely. Go on your date and have fun.”
“Are you sure it’s okay?” Maria asked Morgan.
