Devin nodded at the compliment, and the question that had been on her tongue all night couldn’t be held back any longer. “What happened to you, Dev?”
He looked surprised. “Happened how?”
“You used to have all this passion for justice and now you’re a divorce attorney.”
“Are you saying that there’s no need for justice to be served in divorce proceedings?”
“Not at all. But I know you came to Chicago to do something bigger than argue alimony.”
“Things work out differently than we plan sometimes.” There was an undertone of bitterness to his words. She was familiar with the taste herself, so she couldn’t blame him. “I was asked by my boss to help with a divorce for a client. It wasn’t our usual thing, but we were doing it as a personal favor for that client. It was supposed to be simple and low-key. Instead it exploded, spinning completely out of control and hitting all the papers.”
“That football player, right? I remember seeing your name tied up in that.”
He nodded. “The longer it dragged on, the more salacious it got—mistresses and illegitimate children and accusations of abuse and extortion. And that’s only what made the papers. The stuff that didn’t would curl your hair. The division of property was a nightmare. I spent the better part of two years sorting out that one divorce.” He snorted. “So much for simple and low-key. When the papers were finally signed and the dust settled, I had a line of folks with equally high-profile or messy divorces begging me to represent them.”
She turned sideways in the seat to face him. “You’re trying to tell me this was an accident?”
“Specializing in divorce, yes.”
“And the show? The book?”
“Amazing opportunities I’d have been a fool to pass up.”
Her perspective shifted uncomfortably with this new information. “So it’s purely business, then. Not personal,” she said partly to herself. “What is?”
There was no good way to say this, but she was in too far now to back down. “There’s that one blogger who insists your entire career was launched by our marriage and divorce.”
That caused a laugh. “I had no idea you were so egotistical, Meggie.”
Trust Dev to jump to the worst conclusion. “It would hardly be something I’d be proud of. I’d hate to think…”
“That you’d broken my heart and left me bitter and cynical?” Devin’s sarcasm was back, but she couldn’t deny it was appropriate.
“You can’t deny you’re bitter and cynical about something. I’m just glad to hear it’s not me.”
“If you’d witnessed what I’d witnessed in the last seven years, you’d be a cynic about marriage, as well.”
Was he kidding? “You do remember what I do for a living, right? I’ve seen some of the worst marriages in the universe—and some of the worst people, I might add. I’m not all pessimistic and angry at the world.”
“You always were an optimist.”
“And you were an idealist.”
“People change.”
So neither one of them was quite who they used to be. “You’re right about that.”
“And you’re certainly living proof of that.” Dev shifted gears and his arm brushed hers. The hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention. Megan tried to unobtrusively move over and put a little more space between them.
“I’m not sure I’m following you.”
“You’ve grown a pretty impressive backbone. And lost a lot of that shyness.” There was admiration in his tone, but no trace of sarcasm this time.
“Like I said earlier, I had to in order to do my job. Getting out on my own and moving to Albany was a huge wake-up call. I had to find my spine. And my voice. I couldn’t hide behind you anymore.” She looked over in time to see Dev’s jaw tighten slightly. “I don’t mean that as any kind of insult to you. I was a different person then, and that wasn’t your doing. It’s just who we were. Who I was. But once we were over… In some ways, I owe you for who I am today. I’m sorry if you see that as some kind of insult.”
The streetlights kept throwing Dev’s face in and out of shadow, making it hard for her to read his face. Maybe that was a good thing.
“Well, Meggie, it’s certainly worked out well for us both, then.” His voice was as tight as her stomach.
The statement might be true, but the truth didn’t lessen that feeling in her stomach. Thankfully, the conversation was about to end, and she grabbed the moment. “Turn left here, and I’ll be the first on the right.”
Devin expertly slid his flashy car into a space between two cars that added together probably wouldn’t equal the value of one of his hubcaps. He shifted into Park and peered through the windows as she gathered her bag and unbuckled her seat belt.
“Thanks for the ride—”
His hand landed on her wrist. “This is where you live?”
She’d grown used to the shabby buildings, overgrown lawns and general dilapidation, but Devin’s appalled tone brought back her own initial feeling about the neighborhood. “Yeah. Good n—”
The grip tightened. “I’m not sure it’s safe for you to get out of the car.”
She really wasn’t in the mood for this. “Your car’s in more danger than I am. So you should probably get it out of here before…”
Dev wasn’t listening. “That building looks like it should be condemned. Tell me it’s nicer inside.”
She should, but the lie stalled on her tongue. “Where I live is none of your business.”
“I’m not letting you out of this car, Megan, until I…”
God, she hated that tone. It brought back old, anger-inducing memories. As if to prove his point, Dev hit the button that locked her door. Irritation crawled over her skin. “What? You’re going to kidnap me from my own front yard?”
“I’d probably be doing you a favor if I did. Jesus, Megan, why are you living like this? You have a job.”
“I have an internship,” she corrected, hating this entire conversation.
“And?”
She sighed. “You really didn’t pay any attention at all to anything I ever said, did you?”
He didn’t take the bait this time. Instead, his eyes bored into hers as he waited for an explanation. I don’t owe him one, she reminded herself, but she found herself providing it anyway. “I have to do a two-year internship before I get my license. Internships are politically correct, modern forms of slavery—except that the slaver is doing me a favor by letting me work long hours for little or no pay. I’m lucky the Weiss Clinic pays enough for me to live here.”
“If you need money…”
“I’m paying my dues, the same as everyone else. In a couple more months I’ll have my hours complete and I’ll sit my exam. Then I’ll be able to get a job that pays a living wage. Until then, I’m treating this as a character-building experience.”
“So your newfound backbone actually came from living in poverty?”
“It’s hardly squalor.” She tried to sound upbeat. “In fact, it’s not much worse than our first apartment.”
He made an odd choking noise. “Our first apartment was a hellhole.”
In retrospect, it had been exactly that. It just hadn’t felt like it—unlike her current place. And she didn’t need a PhD in anything to tell her why her perception had been rose-colored back then.
Devin’s grip on her arm tightened incrementally, bringing back those old feelings to tangle with the current ones. And that memory rush was simply too much to handle in the small, dark, cozy confines of Devin’s car.
He was so close. Too close. She could feel the heat of his body warming the air around them, see the pulse in his neck. If she inhaled when he exhaled, they’d share the same breath. But she wasn’t sure she could breathe.
And Dev seemed to realize that, too. His attention had moved from her neighborhood to her face and now seemed focused on her lips. Her heart skittered, skipping a couple of beats. Just another inch and she… What t
he hell am I thinking? She pulled back, putting as much distance between them as the car would allow, and Dev frowned.
She cleared her throat and chose her words carefully. “I appreciate your concern, but my life is not your business or your problem anymore. Good night, good luck and hopefully we’ll never have to see each other again.”
Feeling rather proud of her little speech, she reached for the door handle. Devin still held her wrist, and she stared at his hand pointedly until he released his grip.
The sounds and, unfortunately, smells of her neighborhood rushed in as she opened the door, destroying the quiet cocoon, and the intimacy evaporated. Thank goodness. “Bye, Dev.”
“Damn it, Megan—” Dev began, but she closed the door on his words.
She climbed the stairs on unsteady legs, the imprint of his hand still burning into her arm. She didn’t hear the engine start, so she assumed he was watching her make her way safely inside. That thought kept her head high. She just needed to get inside, get a drink and crawl under the covers to forget this hellish, hellish day.
The urge to look over her shoulder was almost impossible to resist, but she kept her eyes straight ahead as she opened the door. Leaning against it, eyes closed, she waited for the sound of Dev’s engine revving and pulling away. It seemed to take forever.
As the rumble faded, Megan grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge and headed to her bedroom. Then, for the first time ever, she changed the voice-mail message on her phone to have clients with emergencies call the clinic’s answering service.
She couldn’t deal with anyone else’s problems or pain tonight.
She had enough of her own.
CHAPTER FIVE
MANNY’S AVARICIOUS GLEE was not what Devin wanted to face at ten o’clock in the morning. Not after the night he’d had.
Dealing with Megan and all the history they’d stirred up had left him with much to think about, and it had been nearly impossible to concentrate on anything else. After years of not thinking about her, having her that much on his mind was slightly disconcerting. When he’d finally given up and gone to bed, different memories awaited him. Making love to Megan in every position known to mankind for hours on end had left him grouchy this morning from lack of rest and the residual frustration of erotic dreams.
And now Manny had decided to show up first thing this morning, throwing off what little ability to concentrate he’d managed to find. To make matters worse, it seemed Manny had only one topic of conversation available to him today: Megan.
“My phone started ringing off the hook five minutes after you two hit the airwaves. The show was incredible. You guys were a hit.”
“Kate would agree with you.” Devin reached for the nearest file, not knowing or caring what it contained, and flipped it open purposefully. “Now, I’ve got a few…”
Manny was oblivious to the hint and got comfortable in the chair next to Devin’s desk. “Kate is a genius, a complete freakin’ genius, for putting you two together. You know, with the offers I’ve heard this morning, you should seriously consider partnering with Megan for more projects.”
That got his attention. “Have you lost your mind?”
“I’m serious as a heart attack. You should take your show on the road—do some rounds with the talk shows, some special appearances….”
“No thanks. I’m not interested, and I think it’s safe to assume Megan isn’t either.” But considering Megan’s living situation, she could benefit from some paying stints….
Manny didn’t seem to hear him. “And The Powers That Be are giddy this morning. They want Megan to be a regular guest on the show.”
He closed the file with a snap. “Absolutely not. Last night’s freak show doesn’t need to be repeated.”
“Freak show or not, you and Megan together are magic.”
Devin choked. Magic. Yeah, right. They’d had some magic years ago, but that was definitely gone. “Kate lied to Megan, and that’s the only reason she was on the show to begin with. Megan would like this whole situation to die a quick death, and I can’t say I object to that. For slightly different reasons, mind you.”
“But—”
“No buts. This ends now. You work for me—not Kate, not The Powers That Be—and I want you to find something else to make money from. Something that doesn’t involve Megan Lowe.”
“I can’t control the media. I’m good, but I’m not that good. Until something better comes along, you and Dr. Megan are what the world wants to see.”
“Then make something better come along. Surely one of your other clients could be convinced to go into rehab. Maybe one could pick a bar fight and get arrested? I’d be willing to make it worth their while.” Anything to end this. “And yours, too.”
Manny seemed to ponder his words, then shook his head. “Dream on, Devin. You’re the media’s darling right now.”
He felt more like the media’s bitch at the moment. And fortune’s fool. A strong mental slap brought him back to earth. He couldn’t get Megan off his mind because he’d never expected to cross paths with her again, much less twine his life with hers—however temporarily—and create a circus. The edge of frustration cutting him…well, that was just a side effect of the long, crazy hours he’d kept recently and the resultant celibacy caused by those long hours and ridiculous schedule. In a couple of weeks the hype around the book would die down, and life would return to normal.
Megan had just landed in his life at exactly the wrong moment, and that was the reason for his headache.
As Manny babbled on, he amended that statement. Megan wasn’t solely to blame for his headache.
“Look, I have things to do today—other people’s marriages to dissolve, people who are depending on me to end their misery. In order to do that, I need to file papers before close of business. You, the book and the show will have to wait your turn.” He grabbed Manny by the biceps and hauled him to his feet. “In fact, I’m forbidding you to contact me—at all, in any way—until Monday. No email, no calls, no texts, no telegrams, not even a smoke signal from you until noon Monday. It will give you plenty of time to think of something else.”
“But, Devin…”
“No buts. If I hear a peep out of you before twelve noon Monday—not eleven fifty-nine, twelve—you’re fired. Understand?”
Manny sputtered, but Devin was feeling pretty good as he guided Manny to his office door and out into the hallway.
“Devin—”
“This is the only warning you’re going to get. Not a word from you.”
They passed Kara, one of his paralegals, in the hall, and she dissolved into giggles as Devin frog-marched Manny to the reception area. “Kara, do me a favor and look up the termination clause in Mr. Field’s contract.” He tossed the words over his shoulder. “We might need it.”
“Of course, Mr. Kenney. I’ll get right on that.”
In the tasteful, designed-to-impress reception area, he released Manny’s biceps. “I’ll talk to you Monday. Enjoy the long weekend.”
Manny merely nodded, and Devin choked back a laugh. Manny’s silence, however coerced, was both amusing and welcome. In fact, the prospect of an entire Manny-less weekend improved his mood considerably and he felt almost chipper as the door closed behind his overzealous agent.
His receptionist was openmouthed in shock when he turned around. She closed her mouth with a snap, but the smirk of satisfaction had him wondering how much his staff had resented Manny’s constant intrusions on his office—and therefore everyone’s time. A couple of his junior attorneys, several paralegals and a few secretaries—also wearing looks of amusement and satisfaction—lined the hallway as he made his way back to his office. “Now that we’re less distracted, let’s see if we can’t get something accomplished today.”
On that note, everyone disappeared into their offices and cubicles.
Blissful silence awaited him as he closed his office door behind him. He should’ve threatened to fire Manny months ago.
/> But as he started working his way through his in-box, an earlier thought kept pushing its way to the forefront of his concentration. Megan obviously needed money. Whatever her internship was paying, it was barely enough to keep a cat alive. Maybe she could benefit from this mess. Devin was sure Manny would know a way to make “Dr. Megan” some quick cash from appearances or something.
Without him, though. Megan and Devin were not a package deal. Not anymore.
If Megan was interested, he could drop Manny a quick email; it would smooth Manny’s ruffled feathers to have something to wrangle into profitability over the weekend.
Oddly pleased, he whistled as he picked up the phone. This was a win-win situation. Any lingering guilt he felt over Megan would be appeased, and he’d make his agent happy, as well. Then he’d be able to catch up on things here and enjoy his weekend.
He loved having a plan.
“Are you trying to get fired? Is that your plan?”
Had she not heard Julie’s ring tone, Megan would have continued to ignore her phone. The damn thing had been ringing nonstop all morning, disturbing her much-needed pity party. Dev had done a number on her head last night, and all the self-therapy in the world wasn’t making it easier to cope. The last thing she needed was Julie’s dramatics on top of everything else.
“What makes you think I have a plan for anything?” she grumbled, debating whether she wanted to bother making coffee. Nah, the caffeine would only wake her up, and she had every intention of going back to sleep as soon as she could get Julie off the phone. If she could just sleep until this was over, that would be grand. “Anyway Dr. Weiss said I wasn’t in danger of being fired.”
“That was before. I think it’s a distinct possibility now unless Dr. Weiss calms down.”
“What?” That sent a jolt through her, chasing away every last bit of sluggishness in a way no amount of caffeine ever could. “Why?”
Girls' Guide to Flirting with Danger Page 6