by Emma Nichols
“I suppose we should run some numbers.” Stan pulled out his legal pad and began to scribble on the paper. “So, we need to consider her lifestyle so we can make this work. And for the love of God, start low.”
“I will. You have no idea how much is at stake here.” I nodded and glanced at the clock on the wall. “We need to leave for the courthouse in half an hour. Let’s go in there prepared.”
“Oh, we will be. And don’t worry about a thing. I know how to handle gold diggers. Your soon-to-be ex is a classic example of one.” Stan smoothed back his hair. He pulled out a desk drawer and held up a hand mirror. After he checked his teeth and practiced his smile a few times, he stuck it back in the drawer.
Inwardly, I prayed this wasn’t his idea of preparing for the meeting. I wasn’t impressed. Liz would laugh me out of the room. I rubbed my forehead. Somehow, I sensed today was going to go badly.
We walked over to the courthouse since it was all of two blocks away and parking this time of day wouldn’t get us much closer. The silence between us grew. I was lost in thought. On the one hand, I’d be seeing Liz. On the other, she’d be with Sable. And by all appearances, they’d both be against me.
After making our way through security, we found the meeting room we’d been assigned on the fourth floor with ease. We were the first to arrive, which didn’t surprise me at all; Sable had turned being late into a sport, and she was a gold medalist. I sat next to Stan on one side of the long table in the dark wood-paneled, windowless room. The fluorescent light above flickered and the room was so quiet I could actually hear the ticking of the second hand on the clock as it moved.
Eventually, the door opened and I sat up a little straighter as Liz and Sable entered the room. I made sure to keep my eyes on my wife. And when she finally looked at me, wearing a smug look, only then did I make sure to furrow my brow, glance at Liz, and feign surprise.
For her part, Liz was busy laying out paperwork and had thus far avoided acknowledging any of us. At last she looked up and surveyed us without even a hint of a smile. “Hello, Stan.” She nodded at him then turned to me. “Mr. Ward.”
“Ms. Prescott.” I couldn’t help myself. I was going to sell this for all it was worth. “Is it still Ms. Prescott?” I glanced at my lawyer without waiting for a response. “We went to school together.” I eyed Sable. “I’m guessing you sought her out specifically.”
My almost ex-wife struggled to hide a smirk and failed miserably. “I thought it might be better for me to be represented by a woman who knew what kind of man you are.” Her brow arched in challenge.
She would count on that. She’d assume after what she pulled, keeping me and Liz apart all these years, that there’d be a great deal of animosity between us. Liz was a remarkable woman. I somehow couldn’t picture her carrying around that much hate. Her life was much bigger than that.
I nodded. “Good thinking.”
My lawyer finally interrupted. “Shall we begin?”
“I feel like this should be pretty simple.” I nodded. “Let’s give it a go. We could have an agreement in place later this afternoon.” I knew I was being overly optimistic. Sable would enjoy making me suffer.
She snorted. “If we could get along, we wouldn’t be getting a divorce.”
For some reason, beside me, my lawyer snickered. I thought I might be reading too much into his reaction until I watched Liz’s brows shoot up. “Let’s talk about what’s bound to be the biggest sticking point,” Liz began seriously. “Custody of the minor child.”
“I want him. Full custody. I don’t work. It makes no sense for him to go to daycare when he can be with me.” Sable pushed her chair back from the table and crossed her legs.
I waited for my lawyer to counter her contention based on previous discussions. When he said nothing, I sighed and volunteered, “I have proof my son was in daycare rather than with you pretty much all day, five days a week.” I shook my head and watched her façade crack. “My mother lives with me. She’d watch him when I’m unavailable.”
“I know you don’t think I’m just going to agree to that.” Her nostrils flared. “How could I just let my baby go like that?”
Elizabeth
* * *
This was hard to watch, hard to listen to, completely upsetting to be a part of. I was about to interrupt, manage the discussion, since that’s what Stan and I were being paid to do. Instead, Leo spoke.
“Money,” he replied. “Let’s talk about what you’re really here for.”
I shifted in my seat so I could watch him work. My Lord, he must be a force of nature in business negotiations. I wanted to crawl across the table and straddle him while whispering Latin law terms in his ear. Crap. This job was really affecting my foreplay. I squeezed my eyes shut momentarily.
Sable murmured, “Well, I was hoping you’d be willing to support me in the manner to which I’ve become accustomed.”
Leo chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far. You’ve been accustomed to quite a lot. And you’ve done nothing to keep it. You cheated on me. Multiple times. You signed a prenup. In all honesty, most judges would find you’re entitled to little income from me at all.”
My client had the good sense to shrink back and remain silent. I nodded. “I see you’re familiar with the sixteen points used to determine alimony, Mr. Ward.” He’d done his homework. Defending this woman was damn near impossible.
“I have.” He crossed his leg at the knee. “I’d like to give Sable the condo. I’ll give her ten thousand dollars a month until she remarries, or Hudson turns twenty-one. All I ask in return is that I retain sole ownership of the lake house, and that I have sole custody of Hudson. The property has already been divided.”
“You took everything you wanted while I was gone. How fair was that?” Sable retorted.
After licking his lips, Leo calmly responded. “I took my clothes. I took Hudson’s clothes. And I packed up my office. I left the rest of the place untouched, including some rather expensive artwork.”
“There was stuff in that office I wanted!” Sable nearly launched herself at the table.
“Like what? Law books? My desk? The rug my mother bought me as a housewarming gift?” Leo scowled. “Name one thing in there you think you’re entitled to.”
She was silent a moment. Then she snapped her fingers and growled, “The crystal you kept on the mantle. I want that. I love crystal.”
Leo laughed. “It’s an award I earned. My name is engraved on it. No.”
Sable was looking defeated and that was a tough negotiating position. I had to admit, I didn’t have much to add because she was utterly impossible to reason with.
“I don’t know. Is the crystal really a sticking point if it can get you custody?” Stan asked quietly.
Leo glared at him. “You’re joking, right?” He glanced back and forth between Sable and Stan, then pushed his chair back and stood. “I’m done. When you decide to be reasonable, send me the paperwork. We have plenty of time to iron this out. I was willing to start paying you early, after the agreement was in place. We didn’t have to wait for the divorce to be final.” He sighed. “I thought you might be getting low on money since I stopped giving you any three months ago.”
Sable shifted uncomfortably in her seat and I began to wonder if the check she’d written would even clear. We were talking a ten thousand dollar retainer for hiring me. And already, we were close to twenty thousand in total for her bill, since I’d had to spend hours digging into Leo’s finances.
“I’ll speak with my client and see what we can work out.” Then I was afraid I’d look too weak so I added, “I think you can do better than ten grand a month though, don’t you?”
He lifted his hands and exited the room, leaving the door partially ajar. I slowly pushed my chair out, expecting Stan would do the same and the rest of us would leave the failed mediation together. I frowned when neither moved. “Okay, well, I need to get back to my office. Ms. Ward, I’ll send you an email with what I’d li
ke to have in the agreement based on discussions. Once I have your approval, I’ll send it on to Stan.”
“Good,” he mumbled under his breath as he worked to pack his bag.
I’d never seen the man move so slowly. Then it dawned on me that they were trying to have a moment alone together. I cleared my throat and when they both avoided my eyes, I exited the room.
For some reason, when I made it out into the main passageway, I glanced to the far end of the hall and saw Leo standing there, leaning against one of the big windows. He motioned at the stairwell door and disappeared inside. And since I don’t get nearly enough exercise, I decided to follow him.
As I reached for the door, I glanced back to see if they’d emerged from the meeting room yet, but there was no sign of either Stan or Sable. There was no way I could hide my disapproval, even as I made my way to meet up with Leo. This felt like a trap.
“Up here,” Leo whispered loudly.
“Oh.” I had expected we’d go down, since we were both exiting, but up was probably smarter.
Two landings up, I found him waiting for me. The stairwell was completely empty. “Don’t worry. No one else would take the stairs, especially these,” he explained. “Was I a complete asshole? That entire experience was so surreal, I don’t even know what to think anymore.”
“She’s not getting your award, Leo. That’s ridiculous. I don’t care if it’s a solid gold brick.” I shook my head. “They’re still in there. That’s weird, right?”
Leo nodded and frowned. “They don’t know each other. They didn’t until now. I don’t think.”
“You mentioned this was her second lawyer.” I tilted my head. “Her first wasn’t Stan, right?”
“I don’t know, but how would she be able to predict who I would hire?” He sighed.
“Let me work on her this week. I’ll try to force her into a reasonable agreement. No later than Friday. After all, we have the Father’s Day brunch this weekend.” I winked.
“I’m living for this weekend. I’ll have Hudson. And on Sunday, I’ll have you too.” He stared at me and I read more than a little pain in his face. All I wanted to do was walk into his arms. “This is hard. I want to hold you so badly right now. Five short days.”
“Yes. Soon enough. And we have work to keep us busy until then.” I forced a smile. Already, my mind was crafting the email I’d send to Sable.
8
Leo
* * *
Thursday morning, I finally heard from Liz about the agreement. “I sent it to Stan.”
Even when I pressed her, that’s all she would say. And while I appreciated her dedication to not breaking the rules, I wanted to know how much I had to brace. Could I handle it sitting down, or should I prepare for a full butt pucker? Still nothing.
Thursday night, when I checked my emails upon returning home for the evening, I found the agreement Liz had crafted attached as a PDF with a short note from my lawyer.
Leo,
* * *
I think this agreement is fair.
Consider it. Sign it.
You could have this in place before the end of the month.
Only the technicalities would remain.
* * *
Best,
Stan
* * *
Something about his tone had my butt ready to pucker. As I downloaded it and printed it out in my home office, I started to curse. “This is some serious bullshit!”
Seconds later, my mother wandered into my office and planted herself in the chair across from my desk. After reclining and crossing her legs at the ankles, she studied me and announced, “You seem troubled, son.”
I laughed, at first in irritation, and then at the ridiculousness of the situation. “I think my lawyer is messing around with my ex.”
“Well, isn’t that ironic.” My mother rolled her eyes. “What makes you think so?”
I slapped the papers I held in my hand. “This is the agreement my lawyer forwarded me from Liz.”
She reached for it and began to skim the pages. “Now, you’re not mad at Liz, are you?”
I shook my head. “Not even a little. I know she doesn’t think this is fair. She sees it as a jumping off point, a place for me to negotiate from. My lawyer, however, thinks I should accept these terms.” I collapsed into my chair and groaned.
“Mark up the papers. Write out what you want changed. Then go see him on your lunch break tomorrow. Get this figured out before the weekend. You don’t want it hanging over you, not on Father’s Day.” Mom smiled warmly at me. “Calm down. This can be fixed.”
I snickered. “I don’t see how.”
She nodded knowingly. “You will. Be patient.” Then she left the room and I worked diligently on crafting my response and all those glorious counteroffers.
Then I tossed and turned for hours before I could finally fall asleep. In my mind, I kept playing over and over the different possible outcomes. I’d pictured sitting across from my lawyer, knowing the man was lying to me, knowing he had turned on me for the kind of gold digger he claimed to abhor. I tried to figure out how I could prove there was something going on between. I practiced the various reactions and responses to the half-dozen scenarios I imagined.
When I woke in the morning, I wasn’t more rested. I wasn’t relaxed. I was probably even tenser than before. All I wanted to do was talk to Liz. I knew she’d soothe my concerns, but I also knew I shouldn’t call her. So, I held off. Sunday was closing in, and tonight I’d have Hudson to spend time with.
At eleven, I’d decided I’d waited long enough. If I left my office now, I might be able to catch Stan before he went to lunch. So, I hustled my ass over there. When I reached the front desk at his firm, the receptionist was busy on the phone. Rather than check in and announce myself, I simply strode past her and straight on to my lawyer’s office.
The door was closed, but when I paused for a couple of seconds, I didn’t hear any voices so I knocked lightly and walked in prepared to confront my shady-ass attorney. Instead of finding him at his desk, buried in paperwork, I found him buried in Sable. I took a moment to survey and process the scene before me. Without hesitation, I pulled out my phone to record this moment for posterity. Sable and Stan were so hot and heavy on his desk, they didn’t even notice my presence, until I closed the door. Then they both jumped, pulled apart, and did their best to right their clothes. Me, I stood there with my hands crossed over my chest, phone in hand, waiting patiently. In all honesty, I needed a moment because in all of my wildest imaginings, I never anticipated this. Not once did I picture them together. Not once did I think I’d have proof they were screwing.
To their credit, for once, they were both silent. As the person in the position of power, I took full advantage. Holding out the agreement I’d held in my hand, I dramatically ripped it in half and dropped it in the trash can. “I think it’s safe to say I’m not signing off on that.”
Sable pushed on Stan’s chest. “You said…”
I snapped my fingers and she whipped around to face me. “Darling, you’re fucking my lawyer. I can report him to the bar association. Hell, he’d be in plenty of trouble just from me reporting him to the partners of this firm alone.” I shook my head.
“What do you want?” Stan asked quietly as he took a few steps and sank into his chair.
“I want a divorce. Now. Not in nine months.” I took a step toward the desk.
“That’s impossible.” He eyed me sadly. “Be reasonable.”
“Oh, I will be.” I looked at Sable. “You’re going to Reno.”
She shook her head. “We have plans. I can’t. I have…Hudson.” She was grasping for any excuse.
“No, you don’t.” I inhaled deeply as I tried to remain calm. I had the upper hand as long as I held it together. “Here’s my offer.” I glanced at Stan. “You’re going to want to write this down. It’s the only offer I will accept. Or, I reach out to the judge who’ll oversee the case, the partners, the bar. You see
where I’m going with this?”
His face was flaming red, a combination of hatred and humiliation. And I didn’t feel the least bit sorry for the guy. He grabbed a legal pad from a drawer along with a pencil.
To his left, Sable paced. “I’m not going to just sign off on anything because of this.” She gestured between herself and Stan.
I nodded. “Actually, you are. See, I don’t have to give you anything. The prenup alone sees to that. Oh, but then you cheated on me with your personal trainer, further negating any alimony claims. I could lay out a really long list for you, Sable, but I can see your eyes are already glazing over.” I blew out a breath. “So, I’m going to keep it simple. Agree to this and get something, or fight me and get nothing. Hell, I’m even willing to set you up with a six week Reno vacation. You decide.”
Her eyes flashed. She was losing. She knew it. She couldn’t hurt me anymore. “When do I leave?” she asked quietly.
“I’ll call my personal assistant. I’m sure we could get you out of here tonight or tomorrow. I’ll have Hudson anyway.” I grinned. “I’ll have Hudson forever. From now on, you get visitation.”
Elizabeth
* * *
Paxton and Avery were hosting Father’s Day. This was the perfect chance for us to celebrate three of my favorite guys all at once. I was helping in the kitchen when Leo, Hudson, and his mother strolled into the room.
“Hi,” he murmured as he passed Hudson to his mother and came to greet me. To my surprise, he hauled me into his arms for a passionate kiss.
As much as I wanted it, I could feel my cheeks turning several shades of pink. “People,” I hissed when we finally broke apart.
“Right. Well, I think you’ll forgive me. We’ll talk over brunch.” He winked, reclaimed Hudson from his mom, and then wandered to the dining room where the rest of the group was waiting.