Just Add Spice

He gazed at her with a hard glint in his tawny eyes and once more, something clicked into place.

“Oh,” she said as she set her own slice aside. “Shit.”

His dark brow lifted. “Yes, sugar plum.”

“Tad—”

“You have a sister?”

She groaned inwardly. What a huge blunder she’d made. She sat back in her chair and said, “Yes. She’s three years older than me.”

“I have known you for eight years, and I’m just now hearing about this? About a sibling?”

Jenna reached for a napkin and wiped her mouth. Then took a big gulp of her wine.

Finally, she repeated, “Yes.”

Tad seemed to force his jaw to unclench. He said, “You realize I work with you almost every day. That we travel together, dine together, shop together…and occasionally get drunk together. And yet you never once mentioned you have a sister. Are there others? Do you have brothers?”

His suddenly bitter tone aside, he had a point she couldn’t dismiss. “I’m sorry. I don’t talk about Linney as a rule. And no, there are no other sisters. No brothers. No other family that I can speak of, because both my parents were only children. They had Linney and I later in life. My grandparents are dead.”

He simmered. “And where does this sister of yours live?”

“I don’t know for sure,” Jenna said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat under his disapproving and hurt gaze. “We’re estranged.”

“Gee, that surprises me so.”

Her stomach twisted. “Don’t be an ass, please. It’s a very touchy subject. The reason I’ve never brought it up.”

“Well, I’ve lost my appetite.” He tossed his napkin onto the table.

Jenna sighed. “Yes, I keep things from you, Tad.”

“That is not what best friends do.”

“Call it self-preservation.”

“Call it plain selfish,” he snapped, albeit under his breath. “For God’s sake, Jenna. You know everything about me.”

“But do your own parents?” she suddenly challenged.

He glared at her, not a Tad trait, so she knew to heed the warning. “We are not talking about parents. We are talking about best friends. You and me.”

“And I know I’ve upset you. I truly am sorry.”

“That’s twice today. What other bombshells do you have for me?”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “You’re being melodramatic.”

“Am I?”

Her lips pressed together. “Okay, it’s warranted.” Then she tried to make amends. “What do you say we take our pizzas back to the hotel and raid the mini bar? We can have a slumber party and eat a ten-dollar short can of Pringles and drink vodka straight from the tiny bottles.”

His eyes lit up, despite his obviously prickled feelings. “That is my absolute favorite thing to do.”

“I know.” She smiled at him. “And we have adjoining suites. So let’s box all of this up and go, okay?”

Regardless of his delight over her suggestion, he gazed at her dubiously. “You’ll tell me all about Linney?”