by Remy Blake
I do my best to stay out of their way and fiddle around on my phone, arranging my calendar and answering emails.
The good thing about owning your own business is you can delegate most tasks and pick and choose when to spend time on your business or your broken marriage without having to explain yourself to anyone.
With a box I assume to be the last one in hand, the father and son team stop in front of me and Nick tips his chin up at me. “Are we still good to head to the other location?”
“Yes,” I confirm enthusiastically. “I’ve got the key, so, I’ll drive ahead and open it up for you.”
Running through a mental checklist, I walk through every room in the house and make sure nothing’s been left behind. When I’m satisfied with the way I’ve left the place, I lock up quickly, not giving myself time to acknowledge the sudden sense of closure, and climb into my car.
It only takes another fifteen minutes to arrive on the other side of town, where my new house is. The driveway is big enough for both vehicles to park side by side.
I open up the garage door and instruct them to leave everything inside. All the furniture I’ve ordered will be arriving throughout the week, and I don’t really want to unpack any of my belongings until I’ve set up the house the way I want it. The only thing I need, which is already sitting in my place, in pieces, waiting to be assembled, is my California king bed.
Because nobody wants to sleep on the bed they shared with their ex-husband.
I putz around the house for a little while longer, running through my mental checklist and feeling somewhat satisfied, before leaving for my appointment.
It’s another forty-five minutes till I pull up at my lawyer’s office, and I’m feeling somewhat accomplished and a little bit apprehensive.
If anyone had told me six months ago that I would feel almost giddy about signing my divorce papers, I would’ve told them they didn’t know me at all.
Because six months ago, I was devastated.
Today, after slowly closing the door on this chapter of my life, not so much.
Heading straight for the office, I’m not surprised to see Janine, the receptionist, waiting for me with her megawatt smile and positive attitude. It’s obvious she loves her job, and whether she knows it or not, her warmth has been exactly what I’ve needed every time I’ve stepped into this building.
“Good afternoon, Penelope. It’s so good to see you again.” She gestures to the row of seats lined up across the back wall of the room. “Please make yourself comfortable. Mr. Renner won’t be long.”
Another five minutes passes and Janine ushers me inside to where Ted Renner, my lawyer, is waiting for me in the meeting room. He sits at the head of the oval-shaped meeting table, and perpendicular to him is an empty chair and a stack of papers waiting to be signed.
“Hey,” I greet as I take my seat.
“How are you? Are you ready?”
I pick up the pen and flip over the first page of documents, hoping to extinguish the small talk, not wanting to lose my nerve. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Noticing my eagerness, he points at the sticky tabs poking out of the papers. “You don’t have to read everything if you don’t want, nothing much has changed since we wrote it up, and Eric didn’t contest a single thing. Just sign where the arrows are and you’ll be good to go.”
Swallowing hard, I start the process, signing my signature over and over, right next to Eric’s already scribbled one.
It becomes tedious, and my hand cramps a little, but by the time I reach the last page, I feel the remaining connection to my past finally slip away.
I did it
Exhaling loudly, I drop the pen and let myself relax into the leather chair. Ending my ten-year-long marriage wasn’t something I wanted to do, but rather it became the only option I had left. Backed into a corner, it was either fight or flight, and after fighting and failing, I finally chose flight.
I finally chose me.
“How does it feel to officially be divorced?” asks Ted, his question instantly bringing me back to the present.
“I didn’t think I’d get here,” I admit honestly. “Thank you so much for helping me with all of this.”
Ted Renner is Merlot’s best attorney. And for the last six months, he’s turned into somewhat of a confidant as I navigated the unchartered territory of my new life, going above and beyond his duty as my lawyer.
“It was my pleasure.” He swivels his chair in my direction, straightens his back, and buttons up his blazer. For a man in his forties, he sure does scrub up nicely. He’s a gorgeous silver fox, with kind eyes but a shrewd tongue. It’s easy to see why he’s the best at what he does; luring opponents in just enough to trust him, only to slice them down till there’s nothing left.
Taking a deep breath, he places his hand over mine, something he’s never done before. “I was actually hoping we could go out and celebrate.”
“Go out and celebrate?” I echo.
“Well.” He swallows hard and rubs his free hand over the back of his neck. “Since I’m no longer your lawyer, I was hoping it would be more like a date.”
“A date?”
He shakes his head and chuckles awkwardly. “I’m sorry, I’m doing this all wrong,” he stammers. “I didn’t mean to overstep.”
This apologetic, nervous side of him has yet to be seen, and in fact, is quite endearing, but I don’t think it’s enough to have me agreeing to a date with him.
“Look, Ted.” I use his first name, hoping he can hear the sincerity in my voice. I slowly stand up and face him. “You are a wonderful man, but I just don’t think I’m there yet. It would seem insensitive of me to agree to something with no clear vision of a future. You deserve better than that.”
“I had a feeling you’d say that,” he says, his voice full of disappointment. “I was hoping these last few months were kind of proof of how good we could be together.”
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t know what he meant, because he’s right, for the most part we’re compatible. But that’s just not enough for me right now. I’m carrying so much baggage and so many insecurities when it comes to sex and relationships, that If I’m going to step out of post-divorce hibernation, I don’t want to be just compatible. I want us to have something undeniable. Something that is impossible to walk away from. Something that feels like taking a breath of fresh air, after what I’ve been through.
This isn’t that.
“But if you change your mind,” he continues. “Please, please let me know.”
Placing my other hand over his, I slip my fingers through his and give them a little squeeze. “Ted Renner, I am absolutely flattered by your interest, but I’d be doing a disservice to you if I said yes. You deserve better than what I can offer. You deserve more.”
Leaning forward, I place a soft kiss on his day-old scruff and pull back.
“Thank–”
“Mr. Renner.” A loud voice booms through the intercom, startling me and interrupting my gratitude.
Ted expels a loud sigh, untangles our fingers, and pulls the handset directly in front of him. He presses a button before lowering his head and talking into the built-in speaker. “Yes, Janine, how can I help you?”
She responds immediately. “Your nephew is here to see you.”
He raises his finger off the button and groans, almost like he’s forgotten I’m still here or that his nephew was arriving today.
“Do you need me to leave?” I ask him quickly.
“No. No. Not at all. You may as well meet him since you’ll be seeing him around town soon enough.”
“Is his family new to the area?” Knowing that Ted doesn’t have any extended family here in Merlot, it’s not unusual to know everyone you bump into and to take notice of those who aren’t from here. The majority of us are transplants from the city, but we’ve all now been here long enough to call this place home.
“No, he’s here on a mandatory vacation.” I raise an eyebrow
at his cryptic reply. “He got in trouble with the law, and living here is his punishment.”
“Doesn’t sound like much of a punishment to me.”
“That’s because you’re not the one completing required community service hours and trying to get into my good books.”
“Sir.” Janine’s voice interrupts us again. “He’s asking if he can come in to see you,” she continues in a hushed whisper. “He’s rather agitated, and I’d rather not have to deal with him.”
Ted huffs. “Send him in.”
I don’t know what I’m expecting when Ted’s nephew walks though his office door, but my body’s visceral reaction to him isn’t it.
The first thing I notice is his build. He’s ridiculously tall, his shoulders broad, his arms looking like they’ve been sculpted out of stone.
He’s all muscle and athleticism, but it doesn’t stop there. His jawline is sharp, and his eyes are an intoxicating mix of forest green and honey brown.
He’s both sexy and beautiful, looking like an underwear model, with one too many items of clothing on.
The fact that he’s Ted’s nephew immediately clues me in to the fact that he’s significantly younger than me, therefore unabashedly ogling him is basically a crime.
But I don’t stop. Not even for a second.
He holds all my attention and I can’t figure out why.
He stands in the doorway, and Janine scurries along, seemingly happy to be rid of the young man. He looks over his shoulder, smirking at the older lady, almost impressed with how uncomfortable he made her feel.
“Cord,” Ted barks. “I thought I told you to wait for me at home?”
Cord turns back around, but instead of looking at his uncle, his eyes land on me. My skin tingles from that one look, and my cheeks heat in absolute embarrassment that a stranger could make me feel such magnetism in less than sixty seconds. If he didn’t catch me checking him out before, there’s no denying now he knows what I’m thinking about.
“It was boring,” he answers, still looking at me. He grazes his bottom lip with his teeth and winks at me. “Plus, I wanted to see what Merlot has to offer.”
CORD
“Cord,” Uncle Ted calls out, dragging my gaze from the attractive woman next to him, but not before I notice the way my thorough perusal has her cheeks flushing. He raises one dark eyebrow sardonically. “If you’re bored, I’m sure I can remedy that.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I didn’t realize I wasn’t allowed to leave the house. If that’s the case, I might as well be in jail.”
“If you equate staying with me to being in jail, you better thank your lucky stars you’re not sitting in a cell right now.”
“Don’t you mean I should be thanking you?” I retort.
“I don’t expect your thanks. Your dad has already thanked me, though it wasn’t needed. I’d do anything for my brother.”
I chuckle. “Obviously. You’re stuck with me, after all.”
He shakes his head. “I didn’t say that, you did.” The mystery woman touches his arm. “Ted, I think I should be going.”
He smiles down at her with genuine affection. Is this his girlfriend? “Penelope, I’m sorry for my lack of manners. This is my nephew, Cord. Cord, this is Penelope, a client and friend of mine.” So he’s been friend zoned. I smile. Guess that answers my question.
Stepping forward, I catch a hint of her soft, subtle perfume. Capturing her extended hand, our palms meet, sending a warm tingle of awareness through me. Our eyes connect, green caressing golden brown, and lock on like I’m the missile and she’s my target. I lose my breath for a brief moment, reacting like I’ve been unexpectedly punched in the gut. Dragging in a nostril-pinching breath, I say, “It’s nice to meet you.”
Her smile is tentative. “Likewise.” She turns toward my uncle, breaking our powerful connection, and I breathe easier. “I’m going to head back to my new house and see if I can get my bed frame together. If I start soon, I may be lucky enough to get it done by bedtime.”
“It’s not assembled already? Why didn’t the delivery crew take care of it for you?” Uncle Ted questions.
She raises an elegant shoulder in a half shrug. “There was a mix up when I ordered everything. Apparently, I didn’t pay for assembly, and since they had to get to their next delivery appointment, they didn’t have time to take care of it for me. I guess that’ll teach me to double check things I order online.”
He rubs a hand on her upper arm. “It was an innocent mistake, nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. I think I have the perfect solution to your problem.” His head swivels to me. “Cord, will head over to your place with you now and take care of everything. I’ll swing by on my way home and pick him up.”
“I’m an adult who can make decisions for myself,” I snark.
“You lost that ability last week when you totaled your car,” Uncle Ted retorts.
I bite down, forcing myself to remain silent. I can’t really argue with his point, seeing as it’s valid and all.
“No, I’m sure Cord has better things to do than help me,” Penelope protests.
There are worse things than spending time with a beautiful woman. “As my uncle explained, I really don’t. I’m happy to help you out.”
She smiles at me, and my chest tightens. “I appreciate your help and will accept your offer. Shall we go?”
I nod. “Sounds good.”
“Penelope, I’ll be in touch soon,” Uncle Ted tells her.
“Thank you again, Ted. For everything. I couldn’t have done this without you.” She rises on her toes and presses a kiss on his cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
“You can count on that,” he replies. Man, he’s got it bad, but she’s not into him. If she were, she wouldn’t have stared at me with such intensity.
I gesture for her to precede me as we exit the office. The secretary isn’t at her desk, so we advance right to the elevator without disruption.
The ride down to the lobby is fraught with tense silence. Add in the hot air, and it’s stifling and makes it hard to breathe. I rub a hand across the back of my neck while my eyes zero in on the digital numbers counting down the floors as we descend.
When the doors part, we both bolt free of the metal box and hurry toward the exit. We pause on the sidewalk. “My car is this way.” She tips her head toward the right, and we move along the sidewalk. She pulls her keys from her purse and clicks the small remote, unlocking the doors on a sleek BMW.
“Nice car,” I say before opening my door. We both slide inside, and she wiggles around on the seat.
“Damn, I love leather seats, but they get so hot.”
I laugh. “They do, but I’m partial to them. I have them—had them—in my car,” I say, correcting myself with regard to the state of my car.
The engine turns over with a soft purr. I’ve always been about muscle cars that rumble to life, but this baby is the epitome of luxury. I could get used to riding in style like this.
“So, I noticed you spoke about your vehicle in past tense and Ted made a reference about you totaling your car. What happened? If you don’t want to tell me, no worries. I don’t want to pry. I’m just curious,” she rambles on.
“I don’t mind telling you. I went to a party, drank too much, and made the worst decision of my life.”
“Oh, jeez. Yeah, but you’re okay—physically, I mean,” she says.
“Yeah, I was lucky. I got banged up pretty good and I have a concussion, but it could’ve been so much worse.”
“Were there any other cars involved?” she asks.
“Nope. Thankfully, no one else was around.”
Her eyes briefly flick to me and then back to the road. “You seem remorseful. Unless I’m reading you wrong. Which is possible. It seems I’m not very good at reading men these days.”
“I am. I’ve regretted making the decision to drive that night every single day since. I play the what if game every night before I fall asleep and I’
m sure I always will. What if I had killed someone? What if I’d died? What if I lived but had life-altering injuries?” Why am I confiding all of this to her? Maybe it’s because I’ve been deprived of my friends and family since the accident.
“I’m a frequent player of that horrid game myself. I won’t bore you with the details of why, but it’s the main reason you’re riding in this car with me.”
My gaze studies her elegant profile, tracing over the straight line of her nose and gently curved forehead. “Deductive reasoning tells me you recently got divorced,” I say.
“Am I that transparent?”
“Not at all. But you thanked my uncle and he’s an attorney. You mentioned your new house, which could be a product of a marriage ending. And also you bought new furniture.”
“Very astute of you,” she says, sounding impressed.
“I want to be a police officer,” I explain.
“You’re naturally observant, so you’ll do well, I’m sure.”
“I may have screwed up any chance I had by getting in my accident.”
“Are you in college?”
“I’m about to start my senior year at California State University in a couple of months.”
“You have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t get caught up in one bad decision and let it ruin things for you.”
“There’s been a lot more than one bad decision on my part. I have a history of making them,” I confess. Again, I surprise myself with the level of honesty I’m giving her. There’s something about her that makes me comfortable confiding in her. She’s easy to talk to as well as easy on the eyes.
“You seem like a good person to me,” she reassures me.”
“You shouldn’t be so quick to think the best of me,” I rebound. “I’ll only prove you wrong.” And have fun doing it.
“I guess time will tell if I’m right or not,” she replies, turning the car into a freshly paved driveway. The house in front of us is a new construction, split level style. She parks in front of the one-car garage. “Here we are. Home sweet home.”
“It’s nice. I’ve always liked this style of home.”