You're All I Need. Karen White-Owens

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СКАЧАТЬ chicken and pasta soup. If Nia was waiting for additional info, she’d be waiting a long time. Tia planned to keep her problems to herself.

      The server arrived with their next courses. Relieved to have something to do, Tia dug into her crab and shrimp salad, glad to focus on her meal. “Mmm. Good.”

      Nia took a bite out of her club sandwich and slowly chewed. After several sips of cognac, she leaned back in her chair, tented her fingers, and said, “A couple of the stylists from the shop invited me to Sips last night.”

      “Really?” Tia muttered politely, wondering where this conversation was headed.

      “Have you ever been there?”

      Tia shook her head, spearing a cherry tomato with her fork. “No. I heard about it on the radio.”

      “It’s pretty nice. Great dance floor. Entertainment. Good food. Fun place to go. It’s a safe, comfortable crowd. A lot of black professionals hang out there on the weekends.”

      “What’s this got to do with anything?” Tia sipped her cranberry juice.

      “You know I love you? That you’re my girl?”

      “I know you’re making me nervous with this.” Tia ran a shaky hand over her forehead. “Say what you have to say and then I’ll deal with it.”

      “Okay.” Nia sat straighter in her chair but focused on the tablecloth. “I saw Darnell at Sips last night.”

      Tia’s limbs stiffened. Darnell had been partying while she sat at home waiting for his call? No. There had to be some mistake, some logical explanation for the situation. “It may have been him.”

      “No.” Nia rolled her eyes and stated firmly, “It was Darnell.”

      Still in denial, Tia added, “He had a couple of clients he needed to see on Sunday. They might have met at the club.”

      Nia shook her head and added, “He was with a woman. I didn’t see anyone else.”

      “Again,” Tia rationalized, although her voice wobbled a bit, “it was probably a client.”

      “I don’t think so.” Nia swallowed the last of her cognac, and then captured and held her sister’s gaze.

      “How do you know?”

      “They were all over each other, on the dance floor and at their table. They never noticed me because they were getting busy.”

      Suddenly, Tia’s belly twisted into a thousand knots. She tried to breathe but failed miserably. Tia knew deep in her heart that Nia was telling the truth. Tia always knew when Nia was lying. She couldn’t hide from Tia her little telltale gestures that others overlooked or failed to notice.

      What could she say? There wasn’t an excuse she could make for Darnell or his behavior.

      As if Nia needed to close the deal, she added, “It’s not the first time I’ve seen him out and about, Tia. Darnell is never alone.”

      Tia pulled herself together, and over her pounding heart asked, “If you’ve spotted him out with other women at other times, why haven’t you said something before now? What were you waiting for? What made you decide to tell me this time?”

      “I’m sick of him thinking he can do what he wants.” Nia reached across the table and took her sister’s hand. Tia tried to pull her hand free, but Nia refused to let go. “He’s a no-good piece of crap. I hate the way he treats you. Tia, you are a beautiful, intelligent woman who deserves a whole lot better than this idiot can give you. I want that for you. I’m sick of him messing over my sister.”

      Tia’s head was swimming with images of Darnell with other girls. Nia’s confession supported the idea that things were not going well between her and Darnell, but she never really expected him to be involved with another woman. Infidelity never entered her head. She’d always believed they would talk things out and then agree to go their separate ways. Theirs would be a cool and civilized breakup. Damn him! Now he’s put her in a position where she’ll have to confront him and put her emotions out there for him to tramp all over.

      “Tia-Mia, I’m sorry.” She swallowed hard and then continued. “At first, I wasn’t going to say anything, but the more I thought about it, the madder I got. I realized you needed to know what was going on around you. Enough is enough.”

      “You’re right. It is enough. Thank you for telling me.”

      “What are you going to do?” Nia asked. A worried frown had taken over her face.

      Tia shrugged and answered in a dead tone, “Confront him.”

      6

      Lunch ended on a low note. With her appetite shot, Tia pushed the plate full of salad away.

      “I’m done.” Tia rose from her chair and started for the door. At the restaurant’s exit, she waited while Nia settled the bill. A chill iced Tia’s skin. She wrapped her arms around her middle and turned away, heading out of the restaurant and through the Renaissance Center to her office. Nia raced along beside her. Deep in thought, Tia barely heard her twin’s insistent chatter.

      “Do you need me to be at your place when you talk to Darnell?” Nia asked as they strolled through the GM Wintergarden.

      Tia shook her head.

      Normally the glass, chrome, and greenery that lined this portion of the Renaissance Center provided a sense of beauty and peace for Tia. Today, nothing soothed the feelings of betrayal and embarrassment Darnell had sparked.

      She pressed her lips together and concentrated on moving up a series of escalators to the tower elevators. She smiled at the security person guarding the entrance to the executive wing of Gautier International Motors. Tia flashed her badge before turning to her twin. “Thanks for lunch. I’ll talk to you later.”

      “What? No. We’re not finished.” Nia turned to the guard and picked up the pen from the clipboard. “I’m coming upstairs with you.” With an exaggerated wave of her hand and a flirtatious wink at the guard, Nia signed her name across several lines. If the situation hadn’t been so grave, Tia would have laughed. Her twin was such a diva. Nia loved every moment of it.

      “Don’t you have a home to go to?” Tia asked wearily.

      “Of course. But right now I need to help my sister.” Nia strolled toward the tower elevator.

      “Suit yourself. Remember, I’m at work and I have things to do. I can’t entertain you for the rest of the afternoon.”

      “I don’t need you to amuse me.”

      Tired and wanting a little peace, Tia turned to her sister. “Then why are you coming back to my office?”

      Waving a hand in the air, Nia answered, “To talk with you. To make sure you settle things with Darnell.”

      A sudden and almost urgent thought made Tia halt in her steps. Her head began to throb with the stab of a coming migraine. Did Junior know? Was that why Junior disliked Darnell so much? Had her oldest brother seen Darnell СКАЧАТЬ