“Come in and have a seat and tell me what’s been going on,” Judy said as she guided Janice through to the living room. After they had settled on the couch, she asked, “What have you been doing with yourself? Jack tells me you’re a librarian at a small town library now.”
“Yes, I was driving through Billings, Montana, and happened to spot a wanted ad in the jobs section of a local newspaper. I applied for the job, and I started out as a librarian assistant, but within a couple of weeks, the head librarian had to leave to go to California to care for her father. I applied for the job and got it.”
“Well, that sounds like a job created just for you. I can only imagine what you’ve been doing for that library. Our loss is their gain,” Judy said.
Jack returned to the living room and sat down and listened as Janice told Judy all of the things she had been doing throughout the summer for the library, and about her somewhat on-again, off-again relationship with Chris, and his business and his family.
Jack went up to bed about eleven-thirty that night, but Judy and Janice stayed up until almost three AM talking. Judy was the one person that Janice could confide in about her concerns, her fears, how she felt Chris would react to her scars, and everything that had happened to her. Judy and Jack had been with her throughout the agonizing, painful time when she’d been in the hospital.
When Janice went to bed that night, she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Finally, she could talk to someone about all the things that she kept inside her. What David had done, the emotional as well as the physical damage. The cancer scare, the anger she’d been feeling, and this upcoming meeting with his parents.
* * * *
Janice and Jack rode to Bernstein and Stiler law firm. They entered the reception area and Jack told the receptionist, “We have an appointment with James Stiler.”
“I’ll let them know you’re here.” The receptionist called Stiler’s office and told them his appointment had arrived. She got up and said, “Follow me please.”
She led them to a large conference room, and before they even reached the room, Janice could hear her ex-mother-in-law’s voice, the chilling laughter and loud tone that always grated on her nerves. Janice was so not looking forward to this meeting.
Everyone quieted when Janice and Jack entered the room. Formal introductions were made, and Janice sat down across from Senator Banning.
Mrs. Banning started the conversation first. “Janice, I don’t see where we owe you anything. After all, you did sign a prenuptial agreement before you married David. The fact that he’s ill does not mean you can just come in and blackmail us into paying out money to you.”
“Stop it, Marilyn,” Senator Banning said.
“Why, I can certainly speak my peace.” Mrs. Banning shifted in her chair.
“She’s not asking for millions, Mrs. Banning,” Jack said. “She’s asking for funds to pay for medical expenses since your son poisoned her and put her in the hospital for four months.”
“She drove him to do it,” Mrs. Banning shrieked.
“No one, absolutely no one, should ever have to endure the agony and pain that Janice went through,” Jack countered.
“What’s the price this gold digger wants to end this?” Senator Banning spoke up.
“Excuse me! Gold digger? I think not. How dare you call me a gold digger.” Janice stood up and put both hands on the table, leaning forward, into Senator Banning’s face.
Everyone started to move, thinking she was going to attack him.
“Let me set you straight on a few things. Everyone in this room knows exactly what you did to keep your son from paying for the crimes that he committed, which includes the murder of a twenty-four year old named Allison Johnson. Everyone in this room knows that there is not one thing wrong with David Banning. He’s just a psychopath with a daddy that can put him in an institution to keep him from facing justice.
“I paid a hell of a price for this pervert being freed from going to jail. I spent four months of my life in the hospital, and I have the scars to show for it. I have a hospital bill that is over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. If I walk out of here today, empty handed, I’ll contact all the major news stations and newspapers and I will tell them what really happened, and I’ll go on talk shows around the country and I will talk. I will ruin your chances of ever getting into the White House. I will tell everyone how you, a lawman, have twisted the law to keep your son from paying for the crimes he’s committed.”
Janice glowered at Senator Banning. She was so angry she felt flushed and knew that her face was red. Her hands were clenched in fists, her nails cutting into her skin.
Mrs. Banning sat there with her mouth opened, aghast.
“And if I sign the check?” Senator Banning said.
“If you sign the check, my lips are sealed,” Janice replied tersely.
“How do we know you won’t start something?” the senator asked quietly, but in a voice of steel.
“You have my signed statement that says I won’t say anything. However, if I walk out this door and the check bounces, all bets are off,” Janice said.
“What’s the least you’ll take?” Senator Banning asked.
“Four hundred thousand,” Jack said.
Senator Banning thought for a few minutes, then finally said to his accountant, “Write the check.”
“You really—” Mrs. Banning started.
“Don’t you even start,” Janice curtly interrupted her. “I want to hear absolutely nothing from you.”
Senator Banning’s lawyer took the check and said, “If you will wait here, I’ll get the paperwork done and we can finish this today.”
Jack then spoke. “Be sure to include in your contract that if David Banning ever escapes or leaves the institution at any time, even for a home visit, we are to be notified immediately.”
Mr. Stiler nodded. “Okay, we’ll be sure that is included.”
“I would prefer to wait in another room, away from these people, if you don’t mind,” Janice said.
The secretary escorted Janice and Jack to another room.
“Good work, Janice. I didn’t know you had it in you! I was going to stop you but decided you certainly have the right to have your say. You did all right, girl!” They did a high-five.
Janice returned to Colstrip on Wednesday with a check for three hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. She insisted on paying Jack all his legal fees. She had enough now to pay off the hospital, the medical expenses she’d just incurred for the cyst removal, and any medical expenses she may have in the future as a result of the injuries she’d sustained.
* * * *
Chris was in a bad mood when he opened the shop on Thursday morning. He snapped orders to Aaron and was trying not to be rude to his customers. Janice seemed preoccupied when she walked into the shop.
“Back from your trip?” he snapped at her.
“Yes,” Janice replied. “I’m bringing my SUV in for an oil change like you told me to do,” she stated, handing him the key.
“Why? So you can take off again?” he said sarcastically.
“What do you mean?” Janice looked at Chris, one eyebrow raised.
“Oh, you know, you have your settlement now. You can blow this town and go look for greener pastures,” he replied derisively.
“What makes you think I’m leaving?” Janice asked.
“Wasn’t that the plan all along? Settling here only until you got your money, and then taking off?”
“How did you find out about the lawsuit?” Janice looked at him quizzically.
“It doesn’t matter how I found out about it. You made life hell here in my shop while we had to deal with you and your lousy car. You threatened to take the guy and his family in Aspen to court and take them to the cleaners if they didn’t pay you, and you obviously won. So I expected that you’d be ready to hightail it out of here,” Chris continued rudely.
“You’ve only heard one side of
the story.”
“How about you tell me your side then?” Chris asked icily.
Aaron had entered the room quietly and stood in the back by the office, listening to the conversation.
“Not like this,” Janice replied. “I’ll take my business somewhere else.” She grabbed the keys from Chris’s hand and walked out.
Aaron stepped toward his father and quietly asked, “Dad, what’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing’s wrong with me,” Chris snapped.
“Yeah, there is, you’re snapping at all of us and you just went off on Janice. Something is wrong.”
“Just go back to work and leave me alone,” Chris replied sharply.
* * * *
What the hell? Chris had never talked to her like that. They had gotten in disagreements in the past, but nothing like this. She wondered where he was getting his information. How did he find out about the lawsuit?
She got into her SUV and drove across to the library. Janice walked in and asked Robin, “What’s the matter with Chris?”
“Nothing that I know of, why?”
“I took my car in to get an oil change, like he told me to, and he went off on me for no apparent reason. Now I don’t know what I’m going to do or where I’m going to get my car serviced,” Janice replied, almost in tears, and walked into her office, closing the door behind her. She sat there absentmindedly ordering books while her mind was on Chris.
* * * *
Chris was sitting in his office when he heard someone enter the shop. Then he heard Robin ask, “Where’s your dad?”
“In the office,” Aaron replied.
Robin walked into his office. “What is wrong with you today?” she asked him.
“Nothing. Damn it. Can’t I have an off day once in a while?” Chris replied angrily.
“Chris, you do not have off days, nor do you snap at people and bring them to tears. Now what’s wrong?”
“Isn’t she getting ready to hightail it out of here?” Chris asked.
“Who, Janice? No. She’s in her office with her door closed, trying to figure out what’s wrong with you. Is that what’s bothering you? You’re afraid she’s going to leave?”
“No.”
“Chris, come on. What’s the problem?”
“I think I just got myself too emotionally involved in this. I think she’s high-maintenance, and wants lots of money, and wants the high-society lifestyle she had been accustomed to.”
“I think you’re wrong about that,” Robin told him quietly.
“Hey, look at the clothes she wears. All expensive suits and stuff that no one around here could ever afford.”
“You’re judging her by her outward appearance? She told me she bought those suits years ago, when she was married and had the money. She hasn’t bought anything new in the last couple of years.”
“That’s what she wants you to think,” Chris said cynically.
“No, it isn’t. She’s very frugal with money. You should see how she accounts for every dime that comes into the library and goes out,” Robin stated insistently.
“Then why, if she signed a prenuptial agreement, did she go after her ex-husband and his family? She cleaned them out in a settlement.”
“I don’t know anything about that, but I don’t think she did it to be mean-spirited or to be living richly. Chris, she’s just not that way. I think you owe her an apology and a chance to clear up the misunderstandings.”
“I gave her the chance and she refused to tell me her side.”
“When?” Robin asked.
“Just this morning when she came here,” Chris said exasperatedly.
“Well, if you were coming at me the way you apparently came at her, I wouldn’t explain anything to you either. I think you really care for her, or you wouldn’t be this upset about everything. You really need to clear the air with her.”
“She probably won’t talk to me now,” Chris said.
“Oh, I think she’s very forgiving, Chris,” Robin said, and then left.
As Robin walked out of his office, Chris heard Aaron say, “Thanks, Aunt Robin.”
Chapter 16
Summer was slowly giving way to fall where the days stayed warm but the nights were cooler. Chris hadn’t talked to Janice since the blowup. She felt sad and unhappy that he thought so little of her. Senator Banning had called her a gold digger and now Chris evidently thought she was too.
On Labor Day she decided to do her walk first thing in the morning before anyone else got up. Janice heard that Shane and Chris had some stuff they were planning for the Labor Day weekend at the park, and she was determined that she didn’t want any part of it. She would have loved to spend the time with Chris and his family, but since he had gone off on her that day, she didn’t feel it was right to risk any personal contact with him. She determined that she was going to spend the day working on her beading projects. She had been told by many people that her jewelry was exquisite.
Halfway into the day though, she got really lonesome. She wondered what Chris was doing and if he was feeling any loneliness. Then it dawned on her. Could that be the reason he went off on her? He had feelings for her? Could it be? She had to think this out a bit. He thought that she was going to leave town for good now that she got the settlement. How did he even know about her settlement or her lawsuit against the Bannings?
Shane must have done a background check on me and found out. Shane and Chris were good friends, so she could assume that Shane would share his findings with Chris, not to mention the council members. She had a sneaking suspicion that they knew about her before she walked into that interview room.
At some point, she felt that she was going to have to explain to Chris what really happened and why. That was, if they ever got back on speaking terms.
Maybe Chris was as attracted to her as she was to him. She knew she was in love with him. In the past she would have crawled back, begging for forgiveness. But this time, she was not going to do it.
Ever since she’d stood up to the Bannings and said enough was enough, she’d felt differently. She was not going to let people walk all over her anymore, and she was not going to beg. She felt more confident in herself now. She wanted Chris in her life, and she would take him back if he came to her, but she wasn’t going to go to him. She was not going to crawl her way back into any man’s life. Not ever again.
Her cellphone rang and she jumped, startled. An odd number was on her screen.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Is this Janice?”
“Yes. Who’s this please?”
“Hi, Janice. This is Mark. How are you?”
“Mark, hello, I’m doing fine. What brings you to call me on this Labor Day holiday?”
“I was checking to see if you were busy.”
“No, not really.”
“How would you like to go to the rotunda and dance?”
“Um, what kind of music do they have there?”
“It’s a live band, mostly soft rock and easy listening music.”
“Well, sure, I think that would be great!”
Janice gave Mark instructions to where she lived and went and got ready. She put on her good jeans, a long-sleeved turtleneck sweater, and a pair of flat shoes to dance in. It would be cool outside tonight, which was perfect for wearing what she had just put on. Mark showed up right on time.
“You have a nice little place here, Janice,” he remarked.
“Thank you.”
“Do you like to dance?” Mark asked.
“Yes, I love to dance.”
“Great, we ought to have a good time then.”
“I think we will.” Janice knew Chris and Shane had planned the event, but she didn’t know if they would also be walking through the dance party to keep an eye on things or not.
* * * *
When Janice and Mark showed up at the rotunda, Chris spotted them first. Chris stood off under a tree where he could remain hidden from view. He stared at
Janice as she flirted with Mark. One minute they were on the dance floor, and the next, they were off in a corner talking.
Mark seems quite taken by Janice, as anyone would be, she’s that easy to be with, Chris thought. Chris felt something in the pit of his stomach that made everything turn sour. He was angry at what he saw. He also felt something else—as he watched Janice flirt with Mark, he felt…jealous? Janice should be there with him, not with Mark.
Aaron walked up and said, “Nice crowd tonight.” He paused for a moment, looking over the crowd. When his gaze landed on Janice, he said, “Dad…”
“Don’t start,” Chris barked at his son.
“I’m not starting anything, I was just going to say, why don’t you go ask her to dance?”
“No,” he said, staring at the couple.
* * * *
Janice couldn’t see it, but she felt that someone was staring at her. While joking and having fun with Mark, she kept sweeping her gaze around the rotunda, trying to see who was watching her. It took half the night for her to figure out who it was. She saw Chris standing under a tree outside the rotunda. She couldn’t tell if he saw her or not, but his gaze seemed geared right in her direction and he looked stoic.
She smiled to herself. Well, Chris, come and ask me to dance with you.
The rest of the evening, while she danced almost every dance with Mark, she kept looking over at Chris, secretly hoping he would come to her, but he didn’t.
Mark and Janice were one of the last couples to leave, and when they got ready to go, she looked over to the spot where Chris had been. He wasn’t there. She was disappointed that he hadn’t come over to speak to her. So, maybe he didn’t really care for her, and maybe he no longer wanted communication with her. She wondered if her earlier assessment about him was just a figment of her imagination. It was so awful to love someone but be so insecure you couldn’t tell if they cared about you or not. Many nights she’d lie in bed imagining what it would be like to be lying next to Chris.
* * * *
Janice returned to work on Tuesday and opened the library. Robin and Dana would be in at ten, and Carly would be at noon. She was going to use the time to get payroll processed and decide on the work assignments for the day. She was almost to her office when Chris walked in the library entrance door and came straight to her.
Book of Love Page 13