“What’s that?”
“Oh, I was just saying, I had read in a magazine that she and Steven were dating, but the article didn’t hint at marriage, and no one mentioned anything this weekend.”
“I hear a lot of gossip at the airline. The flight attendants know everything. The word in the air is, Steven and Rebecca had a big fight about commitment and when he wouldn’t give her one, she left. Perhaps he’s changed his mind, and if he has, he hasn’t told the family. His mother would be on the phone with mine in minutes after hearing the news.”
Anger replaced the anxiety swimming in her belly. Now, Steven’s action made more sense. Was this weekend about making Rebecca jealous? “If she’s smart, she won’t take him back.”
Trevor laughed. “You ladies stand up for each other.”
“Please tell me if I’m poking my nose where it isn’t wanted, but you could cut the tension with a knife between you and Steven.” Christina didn’t like to be a busybody, but curiosity over the cousin’s relationship had grabbed her interest.
“I have no secrets.” He smiled. “Steven and I were best friends, until the day he stole my fiancé.”
Shocked by his statement, she shifted in her seat to face him.
“When I met Tammy, I connected with her right away. We had spent every free moment together. I fell for her pretty hard and thought my feelings were returned.” He sighed. “I had started working at the airline a few months after we met. I was new on the job and wanted to make a good impression, after all, this was the break I had been waiting for. I worked late most nights and took extra shifts. Tammy and I didn’t see each other as often as we had. I told her I would make it up to her and planned a special night. I had everything set—the restaurant, flowers, wine, and the ring in my pocket.”
“You were going to ask her to marry you?” Christina leaned forwarded and squirmed on her seat to face Trevor.
“I wanted to surprise her so I didn’t tell her I was coming home early.” He paused for a moment as he turned onto the airport exit. “Like an anxious fool, I walked right in, obviously interrupting an intimate tryst. Tammy’s hair was tousled and she zipped her dress. Then I saw Steven, walking down the hallway tucking his shirt into his pants.”
Christina reached out to touch his shoulder. “You must have been devastated.”
He turned and smiled. “The hardest part was Steven’s betrayal of our friendship. I trusted him like a brother.” Trevor shook his head. “The next day Tammy returned, asking me to forgive her. She claimed Steven kept coming around while I was away. He won her over with his charm. I couldn’t take her back. I was too hurt.”
“I can’t believe Steven would do that to you.” She shook her head. “I know he has a way with women, but to betray family. Disloyalty to his family doesn’t seem to be…”
“What? Not something he would do? Well, it is. He likes women who are already in a relationship. That way there are no strings attached.”
Christina’s stomach curdled as she listened to Trevor’s story. This wasn’t the Steven she knew. Yes, he could be a rogue on the outside, but he also held a deep tenderness on the inside. Oh my goodness, I’m doing it again. Coming to Steven’s rescue even after the way he treated me last night. She needed her head examined.
Chapter Thirteen
Once Trevor received clearance, he flew the plane into the clear blue sky and didn’t speak of Steven again. When they arrived back in town, he swapped his plane keys for car keys. “I sensed you wanted to get away quickly.” Trevor pulled into her driveway, turned, and then braced his arm on the car’s steering wheel. “Was it something or someone you were running from?”
Christina shook her head. “It’s just me. I’m a workaholic. I want to have my paperwork done before returning for the wedding.”
His eyebrows rose. “So your change of plans has nothing to do with Steven being so possessive last night?”
She wanted to deny his accusation.
Trevor held up his hand. “I know I interrupted something between you last night. Steven threw daggers at me with his eyes.”
What was the point of continuing the charade? She sighed, deciding to tell him the truth, or at least a portion of their story. “Steven and I met a few years ago. We worked for the same firm, until I was fired.”
“I’m guessing Steven had some involvement?”
“My dismissal is a complicated story. Basically, I was accused of sexual harassment in the workplace.”
He gasped and his eyes widened. “I don’t know you all that well yet, but you don’t seem the type.”
“I’m not. Steven had something to do with my firing, I’m certain. Tanya knows about me being fired and why, but she doesn’t know her wonderful, soon-to-be brother-in-law was the reason. That’s why I wanted to leave, before she found out. I’m not a good actress and can only be civil to Steven for a short period of time.” A weight lifted from her shoulders. Maybe she still had a chance to save herself from the flames of hell. “Please don’t say anything.”
“You have my word, and if you ever want to talk or need to fly somewhere.” He winked. “Don’t hesitate to call.”
“Thank you.” She stepped out of the car.
Trevor walked her to the front door of her apartment. “I’ll be in town for the next couple of days, perhaps we can get together?”
“That would be nice.” Christina pulled a small notebook from her purse and tore off a piece of paper. She wrote her telephone number and passed him the paper.
“See you soon.” He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and then left.
Christina unlocked the door and tossed her keys in the dish on the entry table. She unpacked her luggage bag before grabbing a snack and calling Tanya. Her sister insisted on knowing if there would be a future romance with Trevor. Christina didn’t think so, but he would be a good friend.
A hot bath and a glass of wine were the perfect medicine for her tired body. If only her thoughts would rest. She couldn’t stop questioning her easy dissolve last night. She despised Steven. He almost ruined her career and broke her heart. He was dead to her. So, why did she thaw after just one kiss?
She sighed and slid deeper into the bubbles.
****
An early morning in the office did nothing to help her sleep deprivation, but a second cup of caffeine had a tremendous recovering effect on her toss-and-turn night. Christina went in search of a file on Jill’s desk. She turned as the elevator doors opened. Vince and Jill stepped out.
“How was the weekend with your sister?” Jill hung her purse and jacket in the closet.
“Lots of wedding plans and shopping.”
“I bet your sister designed a glamorous wedding dress.”
Christina smiled, remembering how her sister’s elegant silk dress flowed to the floor. “Like you’d never imagine.” When she couldn’t find the papers she was looking for, she flipped through a stack of folders in the filing cabinet.
The telephone on Jill’s desk rang, just as she passed a file to Christina.
“Thank you.”
Jill smiled and answered the phone.
Vince followed Christina into her office. “You’re quiet this morning. Cat got your tongue?”
She wondered why he was acting so strange. His hands were trembling and he wouldn’t look in her direction.
“Not much to talk about.” He shrugged. “You know how dull my life is. I spent most of the weekend going through research.”
“All weekend?” She narrowed her gaze. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling me the truth? What did you really do?”
“Nothing, really.” He leaned on her desk, flicking a pen back and forth between his fingers. “Tell me about your weekend.”
She frowned. He obviously didn’t want to talk about whatever he was hiding. “Brian’s parents are so sweet. They have the most beautiful home and the garden takes away your breath.”
“Wasn’t there a brother in-law?”
“Oh, him. That’s where the weekend went to hell.”
His eyes widened. “Sounds interesting, do tell me more.”
Christina sighed. “Brian’s brother, Steven Peterson, is Steven Mitchell.”
Vince dropped the pen. His jaw drooped. “What? You must be joking?”
“No joke. Imagine my surprise. The shock of seeing him hit me so hard I passed out.”
He slapped a hand against his leg and laughed.
Walking to her chair, she shoved his shoulder, causing him to lose his balance against her desk. “Not funny. The brute caught me and carried me to my room.”
Vince stifled his humor and sat on the chair across from her desk. “How did you make it through the weekend?” He paused for a moment. “Did you kill him? Do you need my help hiding the body? I know people,” he whispered.
She stared in disbelief. “You didn’t just ask me that?”
“I’ve made interesting contacts through my research.” He raised a brow. “Just say the word. I’m here for you.”
“Oh my goodness! Vince!”
“I’m teasing.”
Christina wasn’t so sure. Just thinking about Vince’s shady contacts made her cringe.
“So, what happened this weekend?”
She shook her head, hoping to forget the past two seconds of their conversation. “We agreed to a truce, but it didn’t last long.”
“Christina.” Jill poked her head around the doorway. “When you have a moment, Stan would like to see you.”
Her assistant looked none-the-wiser of overhearing Vince’s remarks about hiding a body. “Tell him I’m on my way.” Christina glanced to Vince. “How about lunch later? I’m really scared to know anything more about your research, but I can’t help but be curious to hear about your dull weekend.” She swatted his arm with the file she was holding.
After a brief meeting with Stan, Christina returned to her office.
Jill glanced at the stack of telephone messages on her desk. “Mrs. Fraser would like you to call her back. You also received a few calls from a gentleman who wouldn’t leave his name. He was very impatient. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it.”
“If the matter is important, he’ll call back.” Christina sat at her desk and returned Gwen’s call to inform her of the court process and request she provide names of people who could testify on her behalf, just in case they were needed. Now wasn’t the time to tell her client the case wasn’t going as smoothly as expected.
Christina leaned her head back on her chair. Why me? Of all the divorce cases in this town, why did her client have to be married to Steven’s? Was the circumstance mere coincidence?
Her phone buzzed. “Trevor Peterson is holding on line two for you,” Jill said.
“Thank you. Please put him through.” Christina waited for the line to ring. “Hi, Trevor.”
“I was wondering if you have plans this evening.”
All she wanted to do tonight was to curl in a ball on the sofa, enjoy a few glasses of wine, and watch a teary-eyed chick flick. “I’m free this evening,” she said, before changing her mind.
“Great, I’ll make reservations and pick you up around seven.”
Christina noticed another line flashing on her phone. Thinking the caller might be Gwen with the information she asked for, she rushed her call with Trevor. “Trevor, I have to go as I have another call coming in. I’ll see you soon.”
She buzzed Jill. “Is it Mrs. Fraser?”
“No, the caller is the determined gentleman who has been ringing all morning. He insisted on holding until you were free.”
Christina sensed frustration in her assistant’s voice. “Let’s see what his problem is. Put him through.”
“Christina Crawford speaking.”
“Are you ever at your desk?”
Goose bumps chilled her arms. She knew that familiar, deep voice. “If you had left your name with my assistant, I would have known you were calling.”
“If I had left my name, would you have returned my call?”
Hell no! “What do you want, Steven? I told you, my assistant would let you know when the court date is confirmed.”
“I need to meet with you immediately.”
“Not a chance.” She sat straighter in her chair.
“I have an urgent matter involving our case,” he told her.
“We’ll discuss it in court.”
“This is not the kind of information you want revealed in court. You’ll want to see what I’ve obtained.”
She gripped the phone receiver in her hand. “Tell me what you have and I’ll judge whether the evidence is important to the case.”
“Christina, I am not asking you to meet me, I’m telling you. Discussing this matter before court is in your client’s best interest.”
His demanding tone had her listening.
“This meeting has nothing to do with your personal dislike for me. It’s to review a legal matter concerning your client. I’ll expect you at my office within the hour.”
Steven disconnected the line before Christina could respond. She slammed the receiver on its cradle. Dare she meet him? She wanted to ignore his demand, but she couldn’t dismiss any information that would affect her client’s case. She had no choice.
Knowing her dilly-dally actions would cause her to run late, she purposely ran a couple of errands. Her tardiness was also an excuse to get her wits together.
Steven’s grey-haired assistant announced Christina’s arrival without asking her name.
A moment later, Steven stepped out of his office, frowning and waving her in his office. “You’re late.”
She entered his office, holding her breath as she passed him. “If I hadn’t received a rude hang-up after a one hour ultimatum, I could have informed you that timing didn’t work with my schedule,” she lied. Christina stared at the abstract painting on the wall behind him. “I do have other cases.”
Steven pulled out a chair for her and then sat at his desk. His business jacket stretched tight across his shoulders and chest.
He was suave and powerful in appearance, almost intimidating, but also quite alluring.
“You look beautiful, as always.”
He broke her private thoughts. His gaze held her captive. Stay focused! While Christina’s knees weakened, she persevered. She broke their connection to gaze at an abstract painting on the wall. The design of vibrant colors gave no explanation to its reason, much like her baffling addiction to Steven. “Our families aren’t here, so there’s no need for pretence.” She stared. “You don’t even deserve my professional approach after what you pulled the other night.”
“I deserved that.” His jaw clenched. “I apologize. I took out my misery on you, and I know an apology is not enough to excuse my behavior. But if it’s any consolation, my father gave me quite the verbal lashing…even though you were half to blame.”
The smile that formed at the corners of her lips quickly retracted. “What?”
“You lied. You let me believe you and Claude were close.” He slammed a hand on the arm of his chair. “Why didn’t you tell me he was a happily married man with a pregnant wife at home?”
Was that a hint of jealous in Steven’s tone? She wanted to laugh. “He works with my sister, and we are close, he’s like a brother to us. You jumped to your own conclusions. If you wanted to know the truth, you should have asked.” She inhaled a deep breath. She may have been to blame for agreeing to Claude’s foolish plan to flirt in front of Steven, but Steven’s actions later that night topped any bad decision she had made. “You humiliated me in front of your father.”
“No, you have that wrong. I was the one wearing the imprint of your hand.”
“You deserved that and more.” Right this moment, she longed to repeat that strike. “Your games are cruel, and I’m not playing anymore. You’re an attractive man, I’m not blind, and even though I’m physically drawn to you, what you did to me five years ago will never receive forgivenes
s.”
The silence in the room sucked out the oxygen.
His frowning features were unreadable. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I’m here for one reason and that’s to see what information you have regarding the Fraser case.”
As he tossed a folder across his desk, he remained silent.
Christina opened the file and reviewed the contents. A breath escaped her. The folder held pictures of Gwen Fraser with an unidentified man. They were holding hands, embracing, and kissing. “Where did you get these?”
“I received them this morning. A messenger dropped them off in an unmarked envelope on Mabel’s desk.”
“You expect me to believe that?” She waved the file in the air. “That these photographs mysteriously found their way to you?”
“If you don’t believe me, ask Mabel.”
Christina shook her head, continuing to view the incriminating photographs.
“I’d say, by the look on your face, your client has been withholding information. Now, her secret could cost her this case.” His lips curved at the corners.
“These pictures mean nothing.” Not true, they were very damaging.
“Christina, let’s be real. They clearly imply an affair.”
He was right, but she wasn’t about to let him know. “This man could be a relative or a close friend.”
“I’m having him identified as we speak.” He held up another file. “I have copies, so you can keep those.”
“That’s so kind of you.” She forced a smile, humoring his condescending gesture.
“We should get together this evening to discuss the next step.” He leaned forward in his chair.
“I have plans.” Damn! The words fell out before she could stop them.
“You have plans? With whom?”
Rewinding the tape in her brain, she voiced what her response should have been. “I have to meet with Gwen regarding these photographs. Once I’ve spoken with her, I’ll contact you.” She stood and walked to the door.
Steven wrapped a hand around her arm, stopping her. “You’re not telling the truth. You accuse me of playing games, yet you continue to do so. What are you really doing this evening?”
Law Of Attraction Page 11