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)
The big bailiff walked out with the court reporter, who reminded Jayna of an overexcited toy poodle or one of those other yippy dogs who always looked like squeaky toys for bigger dogs.
Like her Grand Pyrenees, Luna, who was definitely too big for her mother’s double-wide trailer.
Sometimes she wondered if Luna wished she’d been left back in New Orleans with Todd. Threatening to fight for custody of her dog had been Todd’s way of getting Jayna to give up what little had been left to her after the prenup had stripped her of almost every dollar she had. Still, he’d liked Luna and probably would have hired someone to take care of her. If she’d stayed with Todd, there would have been a yard for her to run around in. Had she been selfish wanting to keep her?
“Miss Cardet,” the judge began, “you’re Lissa Cardet’s youngest, right? Sienna’s sister?”
“Lissa has two kids?” Abbot asked, scratching his nearly bald head. “I thought Sienna was her only one.”
She got that a lot, too. Apparently walking away from one’s hometown and not walking back in for almost fifteen years had an effect on one’s memorability. Somehow the people who could remember family members’ names back to before the Civil War couldn’t seem to recall the high school valedictorian of Armstrong High.
“Melissa Cardet is my mom,” she replied. She should have known it would be like this, should have known that Papillon law would be some weird balancing act of family relationships, popularity, and the barest adherence to normal legal protocols. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t be here long, that living with her mom was temporary while she tried to find another job and got her license to practice in Texas. “Sienna is my sister.”
“Aw, that Sienna is a ray of sunshine,” Abbot said with a big smile.
The judge nodded. “Yes, Sienna is an amazing young woman. After all she’s been through, she’s still smiling, and her heart is full of joy.”
Her sister’s heart was full of denial. She was twice divorced with two kids and working at a diner, but yes, she was the Cardet family success story because she was beautiful and smiled even when she should be stabbing someone. That was the Cardet way. At least for the women. The men didn’t smile, but had been known to stab people from time to time.
“Your Honor, you can’t possibly mean to hold up the court for an attorney who doesn’t bother to show up.” She was shocked. Not that Quaid Havery would be so arrogant he kept the court waiting, but that the judge would put up with it. Quaid Havery had enough arrogance to serve every single person in the world a double helping of self-confidence.
She absolutely had not been thinking about him when she’d put on her best suit and the only Chanel necklace she hadn’t pawned. The one decent pair of heels she hadn’t sold weren’t on her feet because she needed to look her best for her high school crush. Nope. She’d done it all because wearing these clothes made her feel professional. And spending extra time on her makeup was a thing she always did before appearing in court. It had nothing to do with him.
She hoped that man had a nice potbelly and had lost all that hair he’d had in high school. Quaid had been the prom king and she’d been the nerd who’d tutored him in French. He’d been the rich kid, the one whose family had all the connections, and she’d had two uncles and a cousin in the Louisiana penitentiary system. Her father had only avoided prison because he’d been friendly with the sheriff at the time of his arrest.
Quaid very likely had blown through a couple of trophy wives by now and had a whole bunch of kids who resented the hell out of him just like he’d resented his own workaholic dad.
The judge waved off her concern. “Quaid’s real busy. It’s hard to be the only lawyer in the whole parish. He’s like his daddy before him, always up to his neck in work. He probably forgot. I’ll have Brit call his secretary to remind him. Don’t worry. His office is right across the town square. He’ll be here soon.”
“He’s not the only attorney in town. Not anymore.” She might not be here for long, but while she was, she intended to show the town what she’d learned.
A brow rose over the judge’s eyes. “You’re staying in Papillon, then?”
It wasn’t like she had anywhere else to go. If she could be anywhere else in the whole world, she would be. “For the time being. From what I understand, Mr. Havery represents the more privileged people of the parish. If I hadn’t been around, Mrs. Oliver wouldn’t have been able to secure counsel and wouldn’t have been able to press her legal claim. So I think I should be a welcome addition to our legal community.”