Page 84 of Chasing the Dream

When Maria came home a half an hour later, Morgan was sitting on the couch, eating a Hershey bar and ruminating.

“What’s wrong?” Maria asked the second she stepped into the room.

“Hello to you too, and why do you think something’s wrong?”

Maria plopped down beside her, kicked off her heels, and tucked her legs underneath her. “You never eat an entire candy bar unless something’s wrong, and it usually has something to do with a man, so spill.”

“It’s your dorky brother.”

Maria laughed. “Dorky? I haven’t heard that word since we were teenagers.”

“Well, that’s what he was acting like today, a dorky teenager!”

“What did he do?”

“Remember that client I told you about, Bryan?”

“The tavern owner?”

“Yeah. He wants to have a lunch meeting with me this weekend, and Gabe threw a fit over it.”

“Hmm.”

“He’s acting like an overprotective big brother—like I can’t take care of myself.”

“Has this guy Bryan threatened you in any way?”

“No! He asked me to lunch to discuss his website design, and he sent me flowers as a thank you, but that’s it.”

“Hold on. He sent you flowers?”

Morgan frowned. “What’s wrong with that? It’s not unheard of in the business world.”

“Yeah, especially when someone wants to get in your pants!”

“Ohmigod. Not you too. You’re as bad as your brother!”

“Sorry, but I have to side with Gabe on this one.”

Morgan bit off a hefty portion of the candy bar and chewed vigorously, hoping the sugar high would kick in and make her feel better.

“Care to share?”

“Get your own,” she growled.

Maria laughed. Then she went into the kitchen, got herself a chocolate bar, and pulled two beers out of the fridge. She came back, sat down, and handed a beer to Morgan.

“Beer and chocolate?”

“Why not?”

Morgan shrugged and twisted the top off the beer.

“You know why he’s doing this, don’t you?” Maria said.

“Who, Bryan?”

“No. Gabe.”