Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
“Ah, so you’re saying you never loved me?”
She thought about that for a moment. “I thought I did.”
“I did, too.” He went quiet, the arrogance leaving his face for once. “I thought you could fix me, but I am who I am. I’ll be honest, I thought you would be the one to divorce me. I never understood why you didn’t.”
“Now we’ve gotten to the part I was truly ashamed about.” She’d come to realize it. She hadn’t stayed because she wanted to make her marriage work or because she’d loved her job and hadn’t wanted to leave. She’d stayed in an irrevocably broken marriage because she hadn’t wanted the shame she’d felt at failing.
Because failing would prove her mother right.
Would she fail with Quaid?
“I can understand that. I truly can. I know all of this was hard on you and you won’t believe me when I say this, but I’m sorry, and that’s why I’m here.” He reached into his pocket. “I’m starting a new life with the right person for me. Amy is young and couldn’t care less about having a career or who I sleep with as long as she has access to my money. Being my wife will be her job. You need more.”
He handed her a card.
Bradford and Stone
Attorneys at Law
The card had an address in Dallas and a phone number. “What am I supposed to do with this?”
“His name is Mitch Bradford and he’s the corporate half of the firm. Lea Stone runs criminal defense. They’re a small operation with some very wealthy clients. Mitch has worked with us over the years. You’ll find he’s a straight shooter. He’s looking to bring in someone to take some of the load off him. He’s got a couple of kids he wants to spend more time with. Call him. If everything works out—and I know it will—he’ll offer you a sweat-equity partnership. They’re flush with cash but they need new people, and I told him you’re one of the best.”
She stared down at the card. “Why?”
“Because I owe you.” He gave Luna one last pat on her head and stood. “Because I knew you would need more than I could give you, but I married you anyway. I’m not making the same mistake again. I don’t think you should, either. Be careful with this Quaid person. Make sure he’s worthy of you. I think you could be happy in Dallas. You can build something there. Give Bradford a call.”
He moved for the door and then he walked away. It was mere seconds before she heard the bell chiming and then he was walking in front of the window and out of her life.
But he’d left one last land mine to blow everything up.
Why wasn’t she calling? The Jayna from a couple of months ago would already have her phone in hand. She would already be making travel plans to meet with this guy in person.
The Jayna of today stared at the card like it was a snake that might bite her.
Was she thinking about staying? Quaid couldn’t be the reason she stayed. She had to consider every angle, figure out what was right for her.
If she took a job in a city, she might never get another case of the naked grandma again. Cities didn’t put up with such nonsense.
But nonsense could be fun. Nonsense was quintessentially human.
Jayna thought about putting on some music to quell the raging thoughts in her head. Stay and try or go and start over. Staying and trying meant she might fail again, and this time in front of everyone in town. At least in some anonymous city no one cared if she failed.
But her nieces wouldn’t be in Dallas. Sienna wouldn’t be there.
They could visit, of course.
She set the card down, her mind playing out all the possibilities.
* * *
• • •
The afternoon sun was warm on his skin as Quaid opened the door to the office for the first time in days.
Sienna was closing her laptop. She glanced up at him. “Hey, you’re back. How is your mother?”
It had been a long week made infinitely easier by the fact that Jayna had handled everything. He hadn’t been forced to worry about rescheduling court dates or keeping his appointments. Jayna and Sienna had handled everything. Even his mother. When she got stubborn about doctor’s orders, Jayna simply talked about how one of her aunts or cousins or friends had the same problem and handled it so much better and suddenly his mother’s competitive nature came out and she was following all the doctor’s orders.
Jayna had poked and prodded and figured out how to get his mother to do what he needed her to do. She’d also worked wonders with Paul.
“She’s good. She’s taking her medications and not arguing with the health care workers who are helping her,” he admitted. Luna poked her head out of Jayna’s office and then made a beeline for him, her big tail wagging. Quaid got to one knee and greeted her while he continued talking to Sienna. “We have to change her diet and she’s got a daily exercise regime, but the blockage was handled and she’s feeling much better.”