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)
“This is not the first time I’ve heard this speech, Paul.” He wanted to believe his brother, but he was tired. He’d been through this at least ten times. Paul would go to rehab and Quaid would get his hopes up and it would start all over again—the lying, the stealing. He was weary when it came to his brother.
“But I promise you, it is the last. I don’t know why it worked this time, but it did. I can’t say I won’t ever use again. That’s not how this works. I have to wake up every day and make the choice. I made the choice today.” Paul seemed to struggle to keep his tone calm. “I will do everything I can to make the choice tomorrow. I know my promises don’t mean much and that I’ve managed to make a mess for myself again, but it’s an honest mess this time. I’m not going to take any money from Mom. I’m not going to put you in a bad position for helping me. I’ve got a plan, and you’ll see I’ve changed.”
Quaid’s gut had tightened. He didn’t want to fall down this rabbit hole, but he wasn’t sure he could avoid it. “Mom asked me to help you.”
A ghost of a smile hit his brother’s lips. “And you said you would think about it.”
Well, at least his brother knew him. This was a terrible idea, but he didn’t see a way around it. “Send me the contracts and I’ll look them over.”
Paul shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve found a good lawyer, and she’s going to take care of it.”
Suspicion rose again. “She?”
“Oh, yeah.” Paul winced. “Should I have said that? Is that covered under the attorney-client thing where they can’t talk about each other?”
His brother had never grasped legal terminology. “That’s not how privilege works. You can and should tell me the name of the attorney you hired.”
Paul actually took a step back. “I think I should talk to her about that first.”
He wasn’t going to play this game. “Did you or did you not hire my girlfriend to represent you?”
“She’s looking over my contracts,” Paul said quickly. “And maybe making some phone calls, but that’s all.”
Of course. That whole “I’ve changed” speech was all bull to cover the fact that he was using Jayna. Quaid wasn’t sure what Paul intended to do, but it almost certainly had something to do with his mother’s plotting. “She’s not helping you.”
“It’s not really help,” Paul replied. “Help is something a friend does for free. I like Jayna, but she’s not very friendly. And she was annoyed when she had to pay for lunch because my credit card got declined. I think she’s going to put it on my bill. It’s a job. She’s assured me she’s going to charge her full rate. Should I be worried? How much is that?”
He turned away from his brother, anger rising in his gut. He wasn’t about to allow his family to put him in this position. They’d figured out their normal manipulations weren’t working, and now they’d changed their play. He wouldn’t let it happen. They weren’t going to use Jayna this way. “It doesn’t matter because you don’t have any damn money. You leave her alone or we’ll have trouble, you and I.”
“I thought we already had trouble. That’s why you moved out. I’m going to have money. I just have to close something,” Paul called out. “At least that’s what my lawyer says. I’m not sure what I’m closing.”
He didn’t care. His brother was a manipulator, and he’d found a way to force his way into Quaid’s life. Again. He would use Jayna and drag her into their trouble, too.
Had his mother come up with this plan? Or was it all Paul? It was a good play, but it wouldn’t work.
He jogged back across the park to the courthouse as Jayna went inside, the door closing behind her. She was about to turn down the hall when he managed to catch up.
“Give ’em hell today, Quaid!” Jerry Nichols owned the gardening center and rented out heavy equipment. He stood with his daughter, LaTonya, beside the reception center.
LaTonya frowned at her dad. “You are not going to one of Geraldine’s parties, Dad. Quaid, can’t you see how crazy this is?”
He thought it was a little crazy that this case was drawing bigger and bigger crowds. “See you two inside.” He had to catch Jayna.
“Hey,” he called out, making her stop and turn.
A bright smile hit her face before she glanced down at her watch. “Hey, you. How did things go with your mom? Don’t tell me now. We need to hustle. We’re supposed to be in court in five minutes.”
He didn’t need five minutes. “They went about the way I thought they would go. I just found out my brother forced you to have lunch with him and then convinced you to take on his case. I’m sorry he put you in a bad position.”