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)
He hesitated, and she knew she was in for way more. “That, and I was hoping you would look over another contract for me. It’s the one for the film I produced. It’s a fabulous story. I worked with a friend of mine on the screenplay. It’s about these brothers . . .”
“I don’t need to know the plot.” Where was her food? The café was usually very quick. This felt like torture. “What do you want me to look for? If I actually agree to do any of this. Which I have not.”
“The movie is caught up in a legal situation, and they’re saying I can’t release it until it’s done. I was hoping you could advise me on how long you think that will be. I’ve got all these documents, and I don’t understand any of them. It’s so many papers. I think I’m supposed to do something about them, but it’s a lot of words.”
“Have you gotten served?”
Paul gestured to the empty table between them. “No, Jayna. Neither one of us has, but I told you the quiche is going to take a while.”
She bit back a groan. “Did you receive a notification that you were being sued?”
“Oh, yeah. I think that’s part of the paperwork.”
“What does your lawyer in California say?”
“I didn’t hire one because by then I was trying to pay him off,” he admitted.
“ ‘Him’ meaning your mobster?”
“The guy who gave me the loan.”
She’d thought dealing with two lawsuits involving Geraldine was rough. Paul was going to be even more difficult. She hoped he didn’t decide to host nude swim parties to scare off his loan shark. “So you don’t have a lawyer because you don’t have any money, and now you’re here in front of me promising you can pay me.”
“Well, it might take a couple of days, but once the sale of the house goes through I’ll have three million and I can pay everyone off, including you.”
He was oblivious to so many things normal people would know. “You do know that the money from your house isn’t coming through in a couple of days, right? Unless you’re already in escrow. I thought you hadn’t signed the contract.”
“Once I sign it I’ll get the money, right?” Paul asked.
“When you close. I don’t mean a door. I’m sure you already closed the door.” She had to cut him off at the pass. “There’s usually some time between when the contract is signed and when the actual property is transferred along with the money. Usually a couple of weeks. It’s called ‘closing.’ There’s paperwork to be filed, and the person who’s buying your house typically has a loan and the bank checks things out before finalizing.”
Paul had visibly paled. “I’m not getting my money anytime soon, am I? The Porsche is only going to hold him for so long. Do you think he’s going to break my legs? I use my legs. Jayna, please, you have to help me. I know I don’t have the money now, but I will. That’s what you would be doing, getting my money so I can pay you.”
This was absolutely the worst idea ever, but the truth was she could use the money and she couldn’t imagine that Quaid would want his brother to get his legs broken. She was only looking over some contracts. “Get me the paperwork.”
He handed over a tote bag. “It’s all in here. I can’t tell you how much better I feel.”
“You shouldn’t.” It looked like he’d stuffed the contracts in, and maybe not in order. Excellent. “Do you even want to know what my normal rate is?”
He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll pay it. You’re the only lawyer in town who’ll take my case. Mom is over at the office right now begging Quaid to fix things for me and he’s going to tell her that he’ll think about it if she’ll think about being nice to you. They will both think about it, and then neither will change their minds. I know them. You’re my only hope. Hey, that was like Star Wars. Help me, Jayna Cardet. You’re my only hope. Ooo, lunch is here. I don’t actually like quiche. Let’s switch.”
He had her turkey sandwich halfway down his throat before the waitress could finish putting the plate down.
Yep, huge mistake.
* * *
• • •
Quaid locked up his office since Sienna hadn’t come back from lunch yet. Jayna hadn’t shown up, either, so she was either still at the café or she’d returned to the courthouse. He was betting on the café, and that was fine with him.
It was time they sat down and discussed a few things.
Talking to his mother had made him restless. Talking to Rene had made him a little anxious.
Mostly because talking to Rene had made him think his mother was right and the town wasn’t properly viewing his relationship with Jayna. They were talking about them like it was some kind of crazy sexual affair between a woman on the edge and a man who hadn’t gotten any in a while.