Table of Contents
Excerpt
Praise for Darlene Fredette
Law Of Attraction
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
A word about the author...
Thank you for purchasing this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Heart pounding in her chest,
she closed the door behind him. Wearing her best business face, she returned to this disastrous meeting and sat. Christina drew in a deep breath, and a measure of control was restored. She picked up her pen and flipped open the case file. “So, according to these documents, your client is contesting the divorce?”
Steven reached across the table and snatched the pen from her hand. “What’s the rush, Christina? We haven’t seen each other in years. There’s a lot of catching up to do.”
She clenched her teeth together, barely parting her lips as she spoke. “We have nothing but this case to discuss.”
“Come on, don’t be like that.” He leaned back in his chair, frowning. “You’re not still holding a grudge, are you? What happened was so long ago. I hoped we could start fresh, as friends.”
“Are you freaking serious?” She glared an icy stare. Forget a slow death by high heel. She’d get more pleasure strangling him with her bare hands. “You accused me of misconduct, had me fired, and now you want to be friends?” Her heart thumped a rapid beat in her ears. “You’re out of your mind.”
A heavy silence filled the room. Steven stared down at the table, flicking the tip of her pen with his thumb. “You look fantastic,” he finally whispered.
“Go to hell.” Christina couldn’t believe his nerve. Did he think she would fall for his act? Those dark captivating blue eyes wouldn’t sway her, not this time. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Praise for Darlene Fredette
“I loved it! What a great story.”
~ Krista Ames
~*~
“I just finished reading LAW OF ATTRACTION. Love it! The pacing is strong, the relationships are involved, and the tension builds. A little disappointed when it was over, because I really enjoyed the characters!”
~ Dani Lyn Alexander
Law Of Attraction
by
Darlene Fredette
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Law Of Attraction
COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Darlene Fredette
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: [email protected]
Cover Art by Tina Lynn Stout
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First Sweetheart Rose Edition, 2014
Print ISBN 978-1-62830-536-4
Digital ISBN 978-1-62830-537-1
Published in the United States of America
Dedication
To my biggest supporters...
my husband, Rick
and my daughter, Christine.
~*~
A special thank you to The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
and to my editor, Leanne Morgena.
Chapter One
“You have got to be kidding me.” Christina slammed the receiver on its cradle. “What the hell is going on? That’s the fifth guy to ditch me this month.” She gripped the arm of her chair. At least he had the decency to call.
Christina Crawford rummaged through her desk drawer in her office at Robertson and Associates and pulled out her compact. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, tracing a fingertip along the dark shadows under her eyes. Nothing a little makeup couldn’t hide.
So, what was the problem? Why did every guy she went out with run for the hills the day after their date? She scowled, wrinkling her nose, then shook her head and tossed the compact back in the drawer, slamming it closed.
“His loss.” She replaced her scowl with a smile. Christina inspected her organized, almost empty desktop. Yes, she should have stayed in bed this morning and wallowed in the warm Halifax sunshine peeking through her bedroom curtains, but instead, as she did most mornings, she headed into the office early. She wanted to close all her legal case files before leaving for vacation.
“Vacation,” she muttered. This would be her first break in a long time, and she had only one person to blame for the procrastination…herself. But her slave driver ways were about to change. Anxious for a well-deserved break, in twenty hours, ten minutes, and thirty seconds, Christina hoped work would be the furthest thing from her mind.
Once her sister and her new husband left for their honeymoon, maybe Christina would continue her vacation with a week-long getaway at a beach resort. She could schedule daily massages at the spa and sip wine as she lounged by the pool. There, the men wouldn’t know her as the hard-nosed lawyer who appeared in Business Women Magazine. She’d wear sexy bikinis, instead of tailored business suits, so they couldn’t recognize her as the woman obsessed with her career. She’d pretend to be someone else—someone who captivated men with her beauty, instead of scaring them away with her brain.
During last night’s date, she had taken her best friend’s advice, suggesting she should withhold her intelligence and keep the conversation light and simple. Obviously, that hadn’t worked either because her date cancelled their second date before it had a chance to happen. Christina frowned. What was she doing wrong?
Stanley Robertson poked his head around the corner of her office door. “Good morning, Christina. Another early day?”
She noticed tight lines creasing the corners of his eyes, showing signs of fatigue. Frowning, she pointed. “The question is, why are you here? You’re on strict doctor orders to rest over the next few days. Does Linda know you’re here?”
Her boss rolled his eyes. “I get a little pain in my chest and everyone goes into panic mode.”
“A mild heart attack is very serious.”
“Well, doctor, you’ll be happy to hear I went home early last night.” He stepped to the padded chair in front of her desk and rested his hands along the top. “And Linda got up before the light of day to finalize the details for the company staff party. She’d like you to call her.”
Her stomach knotted. “Linda isn’t playing matchmaker again, is she?” Not that a little matchmaking help couldn’t hurt. She hadn’t been doing so well on her own.
“I believe she has her eye on someone for you.” Shaking his head, Stan held up a hand. “Now, before you start giving me grief for my wife poking her nose in your love life, I came by to ask a favor.”
“What can I help you with?”
“An urgent court case just arrived on my desk. Would you mind stopping by my office later to hash out the details? I’m meeting with the ac
countant this morning, but we shouldn’t be any longer than an hour or so.”
She bit the tip of her tongue. “Sure. I only have a few more files to wrap up before my inbox is empty. I’ll head up to your office once I’m through here.”
Stan nodded and walked toward the elevator, greeting employees from Robertson and Associates he passed in the hall.
Christina leaned back in her chair, resting her head against the leather. Stan ran one of the most prestigious law firms in Halifax, and sat on the board as the head of domestic and corporate law, while his younger brother, Joseph, headed the criminal departments.
Not long after Christina graduated from Dixon University with her degree, Stan contacted her and offered a position as assistant attorney. Once she completed the bar, Christina received a promotion. She began with small-claim cases before handling larger domestic ones, also known as the Triple Ds—deeds, documents, and divorce. Most cases were relatively straightforward, but every now and then she found a challenge. Soon she became one of the firm’s main sought-after lawyers, which made her wonder what new case Stan had up his sleeve.
Two hours later, her desk free of files, Christina slipped into her business jacket and headed to Stan’s office. Her high heels clicked on the tiled hallway. She waved at the florist who was dusting the leaves on the tall kentia palm at the end of the hall.
“Hey beautiful, how’s your morning?” Vince Ciccone joined Christina at the elevator.
She flashed her friend a wide smile. “Busy. How about you?”
They stepped into the elevator together. She pressed the top floor button, and then paused, her fingers travelling over the buttons, waiting for Vince to supply a number.
He smiled, pulling the silk blue tie away from the base of his neck, before ruffling a hand through his layered blond hair.
She raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess, you’re headed downstairs?”
“Yup, but I’ll ride up with you.”
She laughed. Vince, her best friend and co-worker, was the top grunter, a nickname given to a law firm’s researcher. He loved searching through stacks of files and records on the first floor library, and no one was better at discovering hidden secrets to break a case wide open. If the endless hours of research weren’t enough, Vince maintained a contact list of “sources,” some who lived on the shadier side of town.
“How was your date last night?” he asked.
“Geez, must you remind me?” Her shoulders drooped. “I was hoping to forget.”
“That bad?”
“No, the date went fine. We actually got along really well and made plans for tonight.”
“But…?”
Christina leaned against the elevator wall. “He called this morning and cancelled.” She held up a hand, fingers spread wide. “That’s the fifth one in a row!”
Vince raised his brows. “Wow.”
“All you have to say is wow?”
“Did you hold back on the intellectual conversation like I suggested? I told you some men are threatened by women smarter than them.”
She rolled her eyes and then nodded.
“I don’t get it.” Standing eye-level with her, Vince clasped her hands and lifted her arms. “You’re the complete package. Five-foot-ten inches of perfection.”
Giggling, she pulled away. “Stop it.”
“I’m serious. What man in his right mind could resist your long chestnut waves, those dark brown eyes, and luscious pink lips?”
Christina jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “Are you reading romance novels downstairs?”
“Nope, I’m just saying, something’s definitely wrong.” He stepped back and gave her a head-to-toe stare.
“Well, when you uncover the problem, please let me know. At the rate I’m going, Peter in accounting is looking good.”
“Don’t be desperate. I’m always here for you…if you feel the need to relieve any sexual tension.” He slipped an arm across her shoulders.
She shrugged away his arm. “Get real, Vince, like that’s ever going to happen. I value our friendship too much.” While his endless attempts at flirting touched her heart, their relationship remained as just friends.
The doors opened. Christina stepped out, waving at Stan’s assistant.
Vince paused in the threshold, placing his hand on the closing door to stop its journey back down. “I’m free this weekend.”
“I’m flying to visit my sister in Ottawa, remember?” She tapped her temple with a fingertip. “She wants one last dress fitting, and I’m meeting her fiancé’s family at a small pre-wedding party Saturday night.”
“Could be lots of eligible men.”
“That’s exactly what Tanya needs. Me on the prowl for a man.” She laughed. Meeting a handsome guy would be nice, but this weekend was all about being there for her sister. “Not quite the impression I want to give her in-laws. Tanya’s already nervous enough.”
“Pre-wedding jitters?” Vince kept his hand on the door to prevent it from closing.
“Perhaps, but I believe she’s exhausted from the wedding plans. With Mom and Dad on a cruise and me swamped at work, Tanya and Brian’s mother are handling most of the arrangements.”
“Will you be back for the staff party?” He raised his brows.
“Stan would shoot me if I didn’t attend, not to mention the abuse I’d get from Linda.” Christina squinted. She guessed where Vince was going with his question. “Yes, I’ll be your designated driver only if you promise not to sing all the way home.” Placing a hand on his shoulder, she gently shoved him back into the elevator.
“I promise, and my offer still stands on the sex thingy.”
Christina shook her head as Vince smiled devilishly. She watched the doors close and then walked down the hallway to Stan’s office. Vince never gave up. He had been flirting with her since the day they met, unrelenting throughout their four-year friendship. They shared many late nights studying case research or consoling each other over dating miseries, consuming ice cream, potato chips, chocolates, and wine, though not all at the same time.
Having Vince as a best friend was her link to understanding the opposite sex. Yet, truth be told, even with his help, the male gender was still a complete mystery. They want you, they don’t want you. They love you, they break your heart.
Vince made no secret of his crush, but respected her rules of no office romance and definitely no dating your best friend. Only once had he over-stepped those boundaries when he offered to quit his job and end their friendship so they could date. She gave him bloody hell at the mere suggestion. Christina smiled at the memory.
The thought of dating him had crossed her mind early in their friendship. Vince was an attractive guy with shaggy blond hair and cute dimples, not to mention his great physique and incredible charm. But for Christina, their relationship missed one important thing…spark. She didn’t get butterflies in the pit of her belly, or tongue-tied when he approached. She loved being with Vince, but wasn’t in love with him.
Christina continued to Stan’s office, stopping briefly to chat with Joan, his grey-haired assistant.
Stan placed the phone on its receiver and waved for Christina to enter.
As soon as she sat on the chair across from his cherry wood desk, she accepted the file he passed.
“Have a quick look and give me your thoughts.”
She scanned the papers. A divorce. If uncontested, it would result in another broken marriage.
“The client is a friend of my family,” Stan said. “She wants the firm to handle her case. The sooner the better to avoid the press.”
“I don’t see any pressing complications.” She glanced up from the file on her lap. “If both parties agree to the terms, the divorce shouldn’t take long.”
“I’ve filed the petition, including all the particulars of the claim, and her husband has been served with the papers. I’d handle the case myself, but because of my connection to the family, I’d rather you take it.”
Christina turned her attention to Stan. She pressed her lips together, hoping to hold back the heavy sigh wanting to escape.
“I know, you’re leaving for vacation, and you deserve time away more than anyone here.” He stood and walked around his desk, stopping beside her chair. “I wouldn’t ask if this case wasn’t important.” Stan rubbed a hand over his clean-shaven chin. “The first ten years of their marriage were very happy, but the past two have been quite hard on Gwen. She stayed because of the children.”
Reading farther into the file, she nodded. Gwen Fraser, petitioning for divorce from her spouse, Brent Fraser, a local politician. Both parties agreed to no chance of reconciliation, and mutually accepted a legal separation. With no other reason needed for the divorce, the publicity as well as the unsavory fact-finding would be reduced. Once the papers were served, Mr. Fraser had two choices—do nothing, or oppose and submit exclusion. The case would then proceed to court. Christina shuffled the pages together, straightening the documents in the folder.
“Gwen’s husband suggested she issue the petition for divorce,” Stan added.
“The case seems pretty straightforward, a separation leading to the breakdown of the marriage.” Christina studied Stan’s face. His tight jaw and creased brows led her to believe something else was going on. “What am I missing?”
“When Mr. Fraser was served with the preliminary papers, he instructed his lawyer to return them. They are contesting with a claim of demands concerning the settlement, but his requests have yet to be stated. He assured Gwen he wouldn’t fight the divorce, but this delay may mean he’s changed his mind about making this easy. The opposing lawyer wants to meet with us tomorrow morning.”
She flipped a page, which revealed Carvers Law Firm was handling the case and the opposing lawyer was...
Christina gasped a sharp breath of air, and a heavy pressure weighed on her chest.
“Not quite the same reaction as I had, but that name obviously caught you off guard, too.” Stan’s brow rose.
“I don’t understand. Stev...” She couldn’t force his name past her lips. Christina put a hand over her mouth, calming her breathing. She shifted in the chair. “He’s a criminal lawyer. Why would he have a divorce case?”
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