His heart ached, literally, in sympathy for his pop. The pressure of running the farm had finally caught up to him. "But it's so much better than it could have been."
"Yes."
"How are the boys? You have a good evening with them?" He knew he should let her get some sleep, but talking to her made him feel better. She'd once said she didn't sleep much, so this should be the norm for her, right?
"The boys are good. Michael asked about you tonight. I told him I had helped his aunt and uncle pack yesterday, and he asked if you were there. I think you've made a friend for life with him when you convinced me to let him go on the Jet Ski."
The chuckle in her voice warmed him to the very core. "He's a good kid. Be patient with him. He'll adjust to his new situation and realize how awesome his mom is again soon."
"You don't expect me to buy that line, do you? We did have a good talk tonight, though, so I have hope."
"Okay, once he gets out of the awkward teen years. It will happen, though."
"I want to believe you."
"Just keep loving him and being consistent. Whether he ever says it or not, he wants and needs that."
"Sounds like the voice of experience talking."
This time he chuckled. "Both my mom and I survived my teenage angst and rebellion. You and Michael have some extra challenges, but I have faith in you as a mom and him as a kid."
"Thanks for saying that. I need to be reminded of that from time to time, especially when times are tough."
The sincerity in her voice called to every protective instinct in his body. She didn't want anyone taking care of her—didn't need someone taking care of her. But damn it all to hell, he still wanted to be the one she leaned on when she needed reassurance. "Anytime." Ugh! All of these sentimental thoughts running around in his head, and he chose that moment to swing and miss at the easy pitch she'd tossed him. Strike one. "I sent the email with the name of the opposing counsel."
"Great, thank you. I'll work on that in the morning. Hopefully, by the time you've called with news about your dad, I'll have news about the case. I just wish…"
She might be complicated, but he knew he'd sent her into full attorney mode. The sweet, sentimental exchange ended. Maybe someday he'd learn to make the adjustment as quickly as she did. If you loved someone, you had to take the good with the not so good. Love? Yes, no denying it. No admitting it to anyone right now either, but good to know where he stood. "You wish we could understand how they got the image in the first place, don't you?"
"Sorry. An unanswered question is like a thorn in my side. Makes it hard to concentrate on much else."
"Tell me what you're wearing." He enjoyed imagining the look on her face. That's right, sweetheart. Two can play the quick change game.
"What does that have to do with the case?"
He laughed, a pleasant diversion from the seriousness of his life right now. "Not a damn thing. Thinking about you in that big ol' bed of yours might get my mind off my current problems and help me focus on the answer you need."
Nervous laughter skimmed across their connection. "I'm better at that kind of thing in person. How about if I ask you some questions?"
"An interrogation?" Though he wanted to keep talking to her, being drilled by someone who did that kind of thing for a living wasn't how he wanted to finish what had already been a very, very long day.
"No, more of a deposition—a way to help you think about the case while not really thinking about it. Maybe you'll say something that will help me figure this out. We can stop if you get too tired."
The comforting tones of her voice caressed his mind and put him at ease. He smiled. She really was good at her job. "I'm willing to give it a try. Ask away, Counselor."
"When did you first start sketching?"
Cody kicked back in the comfortable recliner at his parents' home. He still loved the family home, even though he'd chosen a life away from the business. With the situation with his dad and his health, that choice would need to be reconsidered. He couldn't leave his mom and sister to handle the farm on their own. He'd figure out how to manage both the farm and pursue a career in creative design. "I drew pictures that Mom put on the fridge just like every other kid. When I hit middle school, though, an art teacher saw something in me and pushed me to hone my skill."
"When did you decide you wanted to pursue a career in graphic design?" Evelyn's voice was more alert and attentive now, the husky timbre of sleep vanished without a trace.
"You're wide awake now, aren't you?" he teased, closing his eyes and imagining her sitting up in bed, clad in nothing but black lace.
"I am and eagerly awaiting your answer. Besides a break in the case, I'm learning about you. That excites me."
Well shit, how could he argue with that logic? "You know how to make a guy feel good, that's for damn sure. All right, the answer to your question is the start of my senior year of high school. I spent every spare moment sketching. The escape it gave me from the never-ending chores of life on the farm was a powerful drug. I designed logos for the different clubs at the school and gained a little popularity with my talent. Figured if people would pay me to do something I loved, no sense in doing anything else, right?"
"Right! I understand the validation you mentioned. Being recognized for your work, especially if it's something you love, is the icing on the cake."
Thoughts of licking icing from Evelyn's curves added a cold shower to his to-do list before bed. "No more mention of icing, whipped cream, or anything else that would taste good covering your skin. Deal?"
"Sorry…"
He could almost feel the heat from her face even though miles of real estate separated them.
"No need to be sorry. I'm missing you a lot right now and can't do a damn thing about it. I wish you were here." It was the truth. Having Evelyn beside him through the good times and bad would be the missing puzzle piece in his life. He'd thought Natasha would be the one to be by his side, but…
"I wish I could be too."
"Natasha."
"What? Cody, are you all right? This is Evelyn…remember?"
If he weren't bursting with realization and excitement over remembering this detail, he would laugh at her confusion. "I'm fine—great even. I think I know how to pull the thorn out of your side."
"Tell me!"
"I briefly mentioned her before, but I think I've put it all together now. Before I left for the service, I invited her over to my parent's home." He stopped short before finishing the confession. Saying it out loud reminded him what a fool he'd been. Why he hadn't mentioned more details before.
"Okay…"
His brain fired on all cylinders in an attempt to find a way to tell Evelyn this story without making him look like a complete loser.
"Cody?"
He had nothing. Not a damn thing to salvage his screw-up.
"Wait. I remember. You dated her, right?"
"Yes." In less than a minute or so, Evelyn would figure how much of an idiot he'd been. Not a detail he looked forward to.
"You worked together. She…"
He sighed into the phone. "She was my boss. Before you say anything, I plead being young and stupid." Wanting to salvage the moment, he added, "Now that I'm older, my choices in women are far better. I prefer attorneys."
"Attorneys make better lovers."
The tease in her voice eased his distress momentarily. "Hell yeah, they do! The best I've ever had, no question."
"Imagine if we ever got to spend more than one night together."
Her statement sobered him immediately. She threw another pitch, and he wanted to take a swing at it. Wanted to, but didn't. Thoughts of his mistakes with jumping in too quickly with Natasha kept his bat steady and unmoving. Strike two.
"Okay then, moving on."
"Sorry, Ev. This thing with Natasha has me off my game. You know I think about you all the time and spending time with you is always high on my list." Not a full swing, but at least an attempt.
"No problem. I'm guessing you were in love with her?"
He rubbed his forehead, the strain of the day now weighing heavily on his forehead. "I thought I was."
"You showed her the sketches you drew after you left ADM, didn't you?"
"Yes. She'd always been very appreciative of my work. I wanted to see the gleam in her eyes one last time before I left." Such a sucker.
"Was she ever alone in the house?"
His mind drifted back to that night, only two days before he had to report for duty and deployment to Afghanistan. He'd only left her side—once—and only for a few minutes. "Yes. I excused myself to go to the bathroom, and she asked me to get her something to drink when I returned. Less than five minutes in total."
"More than enough time to snap a high quality picture of the image and sell it to her client."
Unbelievable. Not only did she use him, but she also took advantage of him on more levels than he could count. "I hope your side feels better now that the thorn is out 'cause I'm pretty sure the damn thing is lodged in my forehead and giving me one hell of a headache."
"I'm sorry. Really, I am, but this has been very helpful. I'm thinking after I talk to opposing counsel, this is all going to go away."
"Great." It was great news, but rehashing this memory sucked. Already painful to begin with, and now with this newest discovery, he worried someone might revoke his man card. He prayed it wasn't Evelyn.
"Relax. You were young. She took advantage. Not your fault."
"Kind of you not to judge my past mistakes, especially those involving romance and dating."
"Remember who you're talking to here. I've made more than enough mistakes in that department. Zero judgment from the recently divorced gallery. We're seated next to the peanut gallery, in case you were wondering where to find us."
Gratitude filled his wounded heart. "Come to the farm for a visit. I'd love to show you the place. I'll wait to introduce you to Dad until his heart is stronger. You're a lethal combination of smart and sexy that wouldn't be good for his health." His smile had returned. Yet again, he'd confessed to some pretty messy mistakes, and she'd not only overlooked them but also refrained from adding to his misery by agreeing with his self-incrimination.
"I'd love to, but I can't."
No "Let me think about it" or "I'll see what I can work out." Nothing except "I can't."
"Okay, I understand." He didn't, but now wasn't the time to address it. Later, at the party, maybe, when they had a quiet moment.
"I'll call you tomorrow evening with updates and to see how your dad is doing."
He needed to end the call before he undid all the progress they'd made. If they'd actually made any. "Thanks for answering the phone, and good luck tomorrow."
"I'm glad I did, too. Sweet dreams."
His dreams of late were always of her. Tonight they'd be bittersweet, plagued by the realization she preferred to keep him at an arm's length. In her life but not really in it. He wasn't ready to call the game, not yet. But there were only so many innings a man could play before he had to take his spot on the bench. "Good night, Ev."
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Evelyn hated being late, especially on a Monday. Cody's late-night call had her mind jumping between the information he'd shared and what he didn't say. The change in the tone of his voice after she'd turned down a visit to the farm had been unmistakable. It's not that she didn't want to go. There were just too many priorities clamoring for her attention. A weekend trip away, as nice as it sounded, would put her behind at work. With the other senior partners breathing down her neck, it was a luxury she couldn't afford right now. I should have explained it better to Cody. She would try and explain the next time they had a chance. It wasn't a solid no, just a not yet.
Because of the less-than-normal sleep, she'd hit the snooze twice on her alarm, sending the day down the slippery slope of suffering from the moment she cut herself with the razor in the shower. The boys had been slow to rise and battled her every minute. Nathan was late picking them up. If the silly grin on his face provided any indication, his morning had been spent in Monique's willing arms. Men!
"Glad you could join us today, Evelyn." Nevil's snide tone pricked at her patience and forced her to bite hard on the retort pressing to escape her colorless lips. A stop at the lady's room would be necessary to pull her appearance together before her first client meeting at nine.
"It's eight fifteen, not like I took a half day. I didn't see you here over the weekend. Feeling nice and refreshed after spending the last two days relaxing?" Normally she wouldn't sink to the petty level of her male counterparts, but the constant criticism wore on her already thin nerves.
His expression morphed from embarrassment to snide condescension. "Learn to take a joke, will you? Must be your time of the month."
He walked away. She allowed herself a brief moment to imagine Lorena Bobbitt removing the extra few inches of his body that he thought made him better than everyone else. She exhaled slowly, trying to dispel the negative energy before she ended up on an episode of Snapped.
Once at her desk, a small measure of calm lined the clouds of tension swirling and following her every step. On the train, she'd retrieved Cody's late night email and made a note of the opposing counsel's name and number. Time to take out some of her frustration on someone who deserved it.
After three rings, the receptionist answered.
"Julie Adams, please."
"May I tell her who's calling?"
"Evelyn Alexander, attorney of record in the case she's filed on behalf of Mega Music against Janice and Cody Jenkins."
"One moment please, Ms. Alexander."
Adrenaline coursed through her veins, excitement settling low in her gut—a tiger ready to pounce. This might be her favorite part of the job. "Thank you."
After almost three minutes, a desperate tactic designed to demonstrate power and control of the situation, Ms. Adams finally graced the conversation with her presence. "Evelyn, what an unexpected surprise. Are you calling to make a settlement offer?"
Evelyn smiled. "I'm sure you'd like that, but it's not going to happen."
"To what do I owe the pleasure of a phone call from my esteemed colleague?" The sarcasm dripping off every word indicated this conversation would be anything but pleasurable. Evelyn's reputation preceded her. If she called opposing counsel prior to a hearing, the case would soon be a mark in the win category for her firm.
"I'm extending a courtesy call prior to the hearing to let you know your client was sold the image they're claiming trademark infringement on under false pretenses."
"What the hell are you talking about? That's a serious allegation!" Julie's sarcasm fled from the conversation, replaced with a hint of fear.
"One I wouldn't make without being able to prove it."
A long pause transpired before the other woman spoke. "I'm listening."
Evelyn's spine straightened, ready to move in for the kill. "I intend to file a motion asking for your client to produce the original artwork of the design. Before you ask, they won't be able to deliver. Want to know why?"
"Why?"
"Because neither they nor their advertising agency, Alpha Design, are in possession of the original. The defendant, Janice Jenkins, would have had the original, a gift from her brother, the other defendant, Cody, a former intern at Alpha. They illegally obtained, reproduced, and sold his image."
"How do you know he didn't create the design for Alpha before giving it to his sister? If he was an intern, they would have the rights…"
Evelyn cut her off, "Former intern. Pay attention. He'd left their employ by the time the image was created. He headed off to serve his country in Afghanistan, and your client took advantage. They should be ashamed. He was shot twice and, now that he's home, he's forced to deal with all of this."
"How can you prove when the design was created?"
Nice try, Counselor, but won't work. "I can establish precedence with other pieces of ar
twork he created. There's a signature and date on the back of each piece. Of course, if your client had the original from the beginning, you would know that."
This time the long pause ended with a sigh. "What do you want?"
"I want you to dismiss the case—today. I also want a formal letter of apology sent from both your client and Alpha Designs to the defendants. This apology should be accompanied by two checks. One for my attorney's fees and another as compensation to my clients for the pain and suffering they've endured as a result of this frivolous lawsuit. I suggest the check be generous enough to help me convince my clients not to file a countersuit."
"I'll need to verify the information you've alleged."
She nodded, even though the other woman couldn't see. "I'd expect nothing less. You have until noon to verify, or I'm filing the motion, and your client's antics are exposed in open court. Once that happens, the stakes get much higher. Fair enough?"
"Do I really have any choice?"
"Pleasure doing business with you."
"I hope your firm appreciates you. If you ever want to leave the big testosterone fish pond and come to a smaller one where girls hang out…"
This was what Evelyn loved—the respect of her colleagues. Which begged the question, why did she stay at a firm where she wasn't respected? At least, not like her male counterparts. "Thank you. I appreciate both your consideration and kind words. Your firm has a great reputation, even if it is filled with estrogen." She made sure the tease in her voice could be heard for her last words.
"Just not the reputation of Tatum, Shaw, Grayson & Walters, the biggest and best. I suppose I see the allure. Looks good on a resume anyway, right? I'll call my client and email you with the terms of their offer for settlement once they confirm what you've said."
"Thanks, Julie. Always a pleasure." She disconnected the line. Julie's final statements rang in her ears. Biggest and best. That explained it. Her unwavering drive for perfection had her spending some of the best years of her life at a firm that didn't fully appreciate her unless she closed million-dollar deals and spent every waking hour toiling to fill their platinum-lined pockets. First Nathan and now her employer. Men were sucking the life right out of her.
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