He watched Mason and Kyle’s trajectory toward the door come to an abrupt halt the second Tabitha questioned their presence.
“Uh, Ma’am?” Mason found his tongue, first. He looked a bit confused. Spencer got a kick out of that. Big bro really liked to have all the facts before he went into a situation, and clearly he was at a loss. None of the officers who’d snitched on Spencer had told him about Tabitha. She was a huge wild-card.
Mason wound up again. “We’re here looking for our brother, Spence.”
“For what purpose?” Tabitha snapped back, not giving an inch.
“So, he’s here?” Mason postulated, glancing at Spencer’s truck which, of course, was a dead giveaway.
“You know he is, Mason.” Kyle turned to Tabitha. “We need to talk with him.” Kyle wasn’t at all deterred.
Tabitha tapped her lip. “I guess that depends. Is this a nice, friendly talk, or something more…combative?” she asked pointedly.
Mason, long on diplomacy, clearly weighed what to say next. Not-so-much, Kyle, who was a leapthenlook kind of guy.
“We heard he was here and we have a bone to pick with him,” Kyle growled.
Tabitha took one step forward.
Spencer had seen and heard enough. There was no way, as tempting as it was, that he’d let himself hide behind Tabitha.
He walked over, opened the door the rest of the way, and stood just inside because…Duh. He wasn’t stupid.
“You couldn’t let me be in town for ten minutes before you come looking for answers and blood?”
Maybe not in that order.
Spencer dragged in a breath. “I was just about to call Ma and Dad to let them know I’m local.” Spencer raised a brow, then realized that Mason was doing the exact same thing with his face.Yeah.The bunch of them were goddamned clones.
“If you don’t mind, I wouldn’t object to talking to them while I still have all my teeth in my head,” Spencer added.
Before they could say “aye” or “nay” to that, Tabitha took over again.
“Listen. Why don’t you have a seat out here on the porch while Spencer calls your parents. Surely you can wait for five minutes before you…” She trailed off.
That’s right Tabitha. Don’t give them any ideas.
She cleared her throat. “I can bring you out some refreshments if you like.” Tabitha didn’t give them a chance to rebut. She simply asked, “Beer or soda?”
“Soda,” they both chimed in.Wow.It looked like Tabitha might be part bear-tamer.
Spencer turned his trepidation down to a simmer.Yeah.His sibs were going to play nice. At least for now.
Before Tabitha could take her leave of his brothers, Spencer backed up and pulled his phone from his pocket. As long as Tabitha was outside and he was uncertain how things would unfold, he’d keep an eye on her. Not that he didn’t trust his brothers, but Kyle was a tricky one. He might just skirt by Tabitha and come after him.
Tabitha must have felt the same way, because she inched her body to block more of the doorway while instigating additional conversation.
“I’m Tabitha, by the way,” she offered. “And you two are…?”
“Mason Sothard, Ma’am.” Mason walked up the porch steps and offered his hand.
“Pleased to meet you, Mason. Please call me Tabbi,” she added easily. “And you?” Tabitha speared Kyle with a stare that said she had his number.
Spencer chuckled to himself and hit his parents’ contact info. He felt okay about retreating now. It looked as if Kyle wasn’t going to get the better of Tabitha.
“Hi,Tabbi,” the asshole repeated with an edgy inflection. “I’m Kyle. And since you’re doing guard duty, I guess you can answer my questions. How is it you know our brother? And where the hell has he been for two fucking years?”
Ooh.Kyle wasn’t playing around. He was bringing the language.
