“Why are you here and not going after your one true love?” Meredith asked, clearly speaking for the group when they all nodded.

I glared.

Tabs kicked out a bar stool at the high top for me, and Barb slid a drink in a martini glass over to me. “Gin, right?” she asked. “For the record I agree with Meredith, but you might need some Dutch courage.”

“Thanks.” I raised the drink as I sat. “Tabs.” I looked her in the eye before turning to Meredith. “Mer.” Then I took a huge sip.

“So?” Meredith asked. “Don’t keep us waiting.”

I looked at Tabs. “I’m sorry. I fell in love with my boss, your client. We had a relationship. We didn’t mean for it to happen. If it helps, I resigned before—

“You resigned?” she screeched. “In the middle of a job, without telling me? What did you do wrong?”

“Shhh.” Meredith laid a hand on Tabitha’s and looked around.

“Sorry. But, um, what?” Tabitha asked.

“Not because I did anything wrong, I promise. After I found out he’d wanted to replace me, things got uncomfortable. I was hurt. I was going to resign, but then I found out he only wanted me gone because he was so attracted to me. He couldn’t handle it, apparently.”

“God knows why.” Meredith mock grunted, and I narrowed my eyes. “Kidding, just kidding,” she said.

To my left, Barbara practically melted on the spot, a hand on her chest. “Oh my God, that is the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.”

Tabitha seemed to be mulling it over, her mouth practically inverted with the way she was chewing her lip.

“I promise it wasn’t anything untoward. I did in fact resign before anything could happen. Dauphine didn’t get—” Shit. I’d been about to say Dauphine didn’t get hurt by it. But she’d been freaking kidnapped while her father and I had been hours away having a sexy escape. My stomach flipped over into utter nausea. God. My gaze dropped to my drink.

“I need the restroom,” Tabitha said, her voice subdued and disappointed. She hopped off the stool.

“Yikes,” I said. “I feel like shit.” I was going to have to give Tabs way more than the brief outline I’d just given her. And many, many apologies.

“There’s never an easy path to true love,” Meredith said sagely. “I’ll go check she’s okay.” She slipped off her stool and followed.

“Is she okay?” Barb asked.

“It’s—it’s too much to go into right now.” I sighed heavily. So much for a healing girls’ night and getting advice on talking to Xavier. “But, hey, guess who called me on my way in?”

“Tate?” Barbara guessed.

“Wait. How did you know?”