Tweaking Mr. Right

TMR: Chapter 5

Her sister would take one look at Jonathan and start ticking off a list of unacceptable traits and mannerisms. She would probably hate the way his left ear hitched up when he smiled. Or the way he walks with one hand tucked into the top of his pants pocket. Or how he drives like a ninety-year-old grandma with poor depth perception. No, Cassie wouldn't think Jonathan was perfect. The problem with Cassie was that she never looked past the imperfections to find the good in a man. Take that Leland guy. Cora felt guilty for even thinking it, but Cassie had most likely provoked him. Especially with nearly running him over. He might have been a really nice guy - Jonathan seems to think so, and Cora would agree to almost anything he said. And from what Cassie told her about what happened under the trees at the wedding, he was only doing what most men would have done to make his ex-fiancé jealous.

Jonathan scooped her on that mess last night, but with Cassie's wrath over Daddy's house cleaning, she decided it was best to wait until the morning. Then, her sister slept in, and Cora left for work without sharing her new knowledge. As it was, she would have to wait until lunch.

Cora sighed and wished her sister would take a leap of faith just once in her life.

Maybe, if she had, they would both be married by now, and their mother would have been able to hold one grandchild before she passed. Just thinking about that loss caused a tear to come to her eyes. She missed her mother so much. The pain had finally receded enough that she was able to get through most of her days without breaking down. Hopefully, their father would experience the first grandchild soon, but it wouldn't be the same.

Her desk phone rang, jolting her back to reality. Cora wiped her cheeks with a tissue and picked up the phone, "Coraline Price." She winced. God! What a name!

"I know this sounds crazy, but don't stop me...." It was Jonathan. She smiled as he repeated her first words to him. "I want to take you to lunch."

"Lunch? Today?"

"I haven't seen you in twelve hours, and I'm clearing my afternoon as we speak. I'll be at Margaret's down at the Landing. If you are not there in an hour..."

"What?"

"I'll bring lunch to you. I'll find you where ever you are, even if it's in Judge Hollister's chambers," he finished. That wasn't likely, she thought with a smile. Judge Hollister was an ancient judge with a crabbier temper. But just the thought of him barging in with a bag of take-out and spreading out lunch on the old man's floor sent a thrill down her spine.

"Actually," she said, pushing the giddiness away, "I'm supposed to have lunch with Cassie, but she hasn't called me yet." And on cue, line two of her phone began to blink. "Hold on, I have another call....Coraline Price."

"I'm starving and need a drink. Where do you want to meet?" Cassie was in a bad mood. Again. She was supposed to drop the charges on Leland that morning and then go over and tell him that she was the woman he was to spend the next couple of weeks working with. It must not have gone well.

"Good morning to you, too," Cora smiled into the phone.

"Good morning. I'm hungry."

"Fine. How about Margaret's? And do you mind if someone joins us?" Cora held her breath. In Cassie's present mood, she was prone to be quite rude about things.

Cassie drew out, "That depends."

"It's Jonathan. He called and wants to have lunch with me, but I can tell him no."

Cassie laughed, "I doubt that," and then she was quiet and asked, "His cousin won't be there, will he?"

"I doubt that," Cora repeated.