I hear Braxton’s alarm go off and a flood of memories from the night before come back to me. It’s odd to think about waking up here, in the bedroom of his apartment, when I should be at home, in my old apartment, with Jeff.I glance at the clock and note that Braxton gets up earlier than Jeff, even though his apartment is much closer to work. I think about how I would still be sleeping for a few more minutes if I were lying next to my husband instead of this man who loves me. I think about how he would swat at his alarm and then roll on top of me. Braxton will not do that, but if he did, it would be welcome because it wouldn’t just be him laying on top of me until he got his fill.I do not expect for Braxton to make love to me before he goes to work, though. I expect him to get up and get ready for his day, kiss me goodbye, and tell me he’ll be home at 6:00, or something like that. Instead, when I roll over to look at him, his head is propped on one arm and he is staring down at me.“
The moment I step into the office, I can tell by Cindy’s face that there’s something she doesn’t want to tell me. I don’t have to ask whether or not it has something to do with Jeff Thompson. I can tell that it does. I am confused, though. Jeff doesn’t have to be at work until 9:00, and it’s barely 8:30. In the two years that he’s worked here, I can never remember him ever being early one time. In fact, most days he’s not even on time.“Good morning, Mr. Merriweather,” Cindy says, tension in her voice.“Good morning,” I say, arching an eyebrow at her. “What is it, Cindy?”She hesitates before she says, “Jeff Thompson is… demanding to see you. Right away.”“All right,” I say with a shrug and a nod. “You can let him know I’m here.”She still looks nervous, and I have to wonder if Thompson has said something rude to her. “Yes, sir.”I go into my office and turn my desktop computer on, wondering what I’m going to say to Thompson. I’m sure he’s angry that his wife has chosen to be with me.
“Kyle Warren?” I repeat, not that I’m not sure that I heard Jeff Thompson correctly, but I need a moment to consider what this means.“That’s right,” Thompson says, his head held high, his chin in the air. “The Kyle Warren--famous attorney who is known for being ruthless and rarely, if ever, losing a case. He’s agreed to take me on as a client.”I know Kyle Warren all too well. I don’t have a problem saying, “Oh, he’s lost a case or two.” I know that he has because it is my head lawyer, Shawna Steel, that has defeated Kyle Warren in the courtroom twice on my behalf. It’s one of the reasons that Kyle Warren hates me, and I’m assuming, it’s why he’s agreed to take on Jeff Thompson’s case against me. I’m guessing Warren will even go so far as to wave his fees, at least unless he wins.Thompson makes a cocky noise in the back of his throat. “Not often,” he says of Warren’s record. “Anyway, he thinks I have a solid case against you. Enough to take everything from you. Then, you’ll find ou
Walking up the steps to Braxton’s home without him is odd. I’m looking at the house with a new perspective this time, as if there’s a chance this is where I will live--from now on. It’s hard to imagine. It’s hard to believe I could be calling this place home. Braxton makes it seem like it is as simple as me making up my mind that this is what I want, and I can have it, but I have to wonder if it’s really that simple.I am greeted by Susan, one of the servants. She is standing in the foyer, a warm smile on her face. She is old enough to be my mother, a thought that reminds me I will need to call my parents and tell them what has transpired. I wonder if Jeff has already called them….“Good morning, Ms. Julia,” Susan says, taking my hand in hers. “Welcome home!”“Thank you,’ I say, but the words catch in my throat a little as I consider what she’s saying. Home. Is this place my home? I can’t even fathom that truly being the case. Never in a million years would I have ever dreamt of a pla
“Yes, honey. Kyle Warren. Do you think there’s reason to be nervous? For Braxton?”“No, Mom,” I say, but I’m not sure I believe it. After all, even I know that Kyle Warren hates Braxton, that they are constantly at each other. I’m not sure what the history is between them, but I know enough to be worried about it. “I’m sure that Braxton has plenty of attorneys to help with this sort of thing. Besides, I don’t even know what Jeff could be suing over. I left of my own accord. It wasn’t as if Braxton made me leave my husband.”“Jeff seems so sweet when he calls to talk to us, honey,” my mom continues. “It’s just so hard to believe that everything you’ve said about him is true.”I’m not sure what to say to her. It’s like she’s daring me to defend my allegations about my husband. “People can be deceiving, Mom,” I say. “Believe me, he’s not sweet. Not at all. He’s been misleading you and lying to you for years. I’m sure that you’ll see his true colors come out soon enough.”“I’m sure you’re
I can see Jeff Thompson’s office from my own. I wish that I couldn’t. I find myself looking up, all day long, looking over there, checking to see what he’s doing, glowering at him. It is a waste of my time, I know that, and yet, here I am, doing it again.My lawyers are due any moment now. I have hardly tasted a bite of the lunch Cindy brought to me. I end up tossing most of it in the garbage. All I can think about is Kyle Warren and how much I hate him. Thompson must have already known that before he decided to sue. He must have known the history between me and the asshole who has been trying to take everything away from me ever since we both graduated from the same university. Back then, it was a bout of jealousy that kept Warren constantly nipping at my heels. Now, clearly, that hasn’t changed, but he’s willing to get sucked into a situation that has absolutely nothing to do with him on the chance that he might get the opportunity to be a pain in my ass once more.The buzzer on my
Around 4:00, it occurs to me that I need to start fixing dinner. I have been in the pool. Floating around without a care has been helpful to my worried disposition, but as I get out, water dripping from my suit, and grab a towel to dry off, I think it is time to get dinner ready.I sit down on a chair next to the pool as I realize I don’t have to worry about dinner. I won’t have to cook anything this evening. If I don’t want to, I’ll never have to cook anything again.Before I got married to Jeff, I was not much of a cook. My mother tried to teach me what she knew when I was in high school, but she was not a natural cook either, and I didn’t exactly take to it. I remember the first meatloaf I ever made. It was charred on top and raw in the middle and absolutely disgusting.Over the last two years, I have had to figure out how to make some of Jeff’s favorite dishes to his liking. Either that, or I would spend the night being yelled at, and that was never any fun. Jeff is a rather bland
I arrive home a little before 6:00. The temptation to stay and work late was overwhelming because I hadn’t gotten much done during the work day, but there was no way I could force myself to sit in that office when I knew that the most beautiful woman in the world was at my home.I get out of the car and rush up the stairs, leaving my briefcase behind, knowing it will be brought in for me. I need to see Julia. I need to hold her in my arms and know that she is real, that she’s still here, that she is by my side.The moment I come in the door, I catch her scent before I even turn my head and find her, crossing the foyer, looking as lovely as always, her heels tapping on the marble. She has a warm smile on her face, and her arms are spread for a welcoming embrace.I launch myself across the distance between us and wrap her up. She smells like vanilla and flowers, and the moment her arms are around me, she feels like home. I hold her tight, and she winds her arms around my neck. My lips l