“Well, I’m excited,” I said, taking a swift step away when her fingers brushed against mine.
Dorothy suddenly stood up again, caging me in from behind.
Fuck.
“We were actually just in the middle of something, Anne darling. Would you excuse us?” She batted her spidery long lashes at her so-called friend.
I shook my head. “Don’t worry about it, Anne. Stay. Please. Dorothy and I were just talking about Shannon.”
“Oh, you poor thing.” An arm wrapped around me from the side, and I twisted to see Samantha—a former underwear model—standing in the row behind mine. She was glaring at Dorothy, but they’d hated each other since—
Wait. Since when do I waste my time thinking about gossip?
“I’m sure Jacob doesn’t want to talk about that bitch.” She lifted her chin, and I extracted myself from her grip while lifting my hands and giving her a tight smile.
“There’s no need for name-calling,” I said. “She’s moved on. She’s doing well, and I’m happy for her.”
Knowing that I only had to keep them entertained for a few more minutes before the show was set to start, I vowed never to arrive early to any school event again. Ever.
Being bombarded with questions and flirtations wasn’t my idea of a good time. Especially because every single one of them knew I wasn’t interested in them that way.
They were great women, and it was easy to make them laugh by telling them some of the more ridiculous things that happened in court rooms around the country, but I fucking hated feeling like a piece of prime rib they were fighting over.
Especially because they were all fierce as fuck. They might laugh easily at my jokes, but I’d never made the mistake of underestimating a woman, and I wouldn’t start now. All of these women would have me for breakfast if I let them.
They weren’t playing games, but I wasn’t either. Being charming and funny until the curtain call was one thing. Getting tossed around between them as they tore their teeth into me was quite another.
Chapter 9
Laurie
“Roger! Anita!” Someone called my parents’ names when we walked into the foyer at the school.
Katie was in the Thanksgiving play, and we were all happy she’d decided to participate this year.
All three of us turned at the same time to see a couple my parents were friends with manning the cider stand. They waved and grinned, and Mom looped her arm around mine as we made our way toward them.
“It’s so good to see you,” she said when she hugged Mrs. Trent. “Is little Trent in the play?”
Oh, yeah. They have a grandkid named Trent Trent. I forgot all about that. Smiling while I greeted them, I got a hug from each one before stepping back and letting them catch up.
My parents got caught up with their friends, who turned out to have no fewer than four grandchildren in the play. Mr. Trent passed me a cider with a fond smile on his face.
“All the proceeds from the cider go to the school’s theater classes,” he said, smiling as he filled cups for my parents as well. “It’s a great program. Does Katie enjoy it?”
“She loves it.” My mother beamed, her green eyes glassy as she wiped a finger beneath each one. “Katherine used to be a natural on stage. Katie definitely takes after her.”
My father slung his arm around my shoulders, poking me in the ribs with the fingers of his hand not holding his contribution to the theater classes. “Laurie preferred writing the plays to acting in them.”
“Maybe you’ll be able to give them some tips after the show this evening,” Mrs. Trent suggested in a kind tone. “I know they’re always after good writers.”
“Laurie’s the best,” Mom said while I just blinked. I hadn’t really thought about volunteering, but I knew moms were expected to be involved with all kinds of stuff at school if they could.
“I’ll look into it,” I said. “It would be fun to help out if I can.”
The Trents and my parents kept chatting for a few minutes before we had to go find our seats. Mom looped her arm around my waist and hugged me from the side.
“You’re already a great mom to her, honey. If you want to volunteer to help with the theater class, then you do it. If not, don’t feel obliged.”
I nodded and rested my head against hers as we made our way into the packed auditorium. “Thanks, but I think it would be fun. I need to get over this mental block somehow. Doing something with Katie might be the way to go.”
Waiting on Eric Starkey certainly did not seem to be the best way to go about it. I’d taken a few positive steps toward getting things back under my control over the last couple of weeks.
The boxes were almost unpacked, I’d gotten a lot of administrative stuff expected of authors done, and I’d even come up with a new idea for a plot. The only problem was that it refused to come together whenever I tried to get it on paper.
Give it time. It will happen. It was my new mantra, but I didn’t need only a catchy jingle playing in my head. I needed words on paper.
“You should find out later how you can get involved if you’re really interested,” Dad said, as supportive as always. He pointed at three empty seats in the fourth row from the front. “That’s us. Dear Lord, that’s a lot of people who’re going to have to move for us to get past.”
He sighed but Mom clapped him on the shoulder. “Relax, Roger. We’ve got this.”
She went first, and since no one could refuse a smile as bright or radiant as hers, the awkward knee shuffle we had to do went a lot better than it could have. When we finally found our seats, I turned to the stage and spotted a man surrounded by women near the front.
Almost immediately, I realized who it was. Shaking my head at the fancy Mercedes jerk, I rolled my eyes at the way he was holding court. Typical attention hog.
There were four women around him, all laughing and pawing at him like he was their favorite softest cashmere sweater and they just couldn’t stop touching him. Mom nudged my arm with hers, shooting me a questioning look when I faced her.
“Who’re you staring at with such disgust?”
I nodded at the jerk. “That guy.”
My dad followed my gaze. “Jacob Parker? Why are you scowling at him?”
“Who is he anyway? A friend told me that he was a pretty big deal around here, and now you know him too?”
“Of course, we know him.” Mom grinned and pointed a thumb at her chest. “I might be old, but I still have eyes, you know.”
Dad rolled his eyes at her, but his smile didn’t fade or turn hard. He knew she loved him more than life itself. He turned his attention on me instead of my mother, who was now pretending to fan herself.
“He’s a big-shot lawyer. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of him. He’s in the news all the time because he has an air-tight reputation for representing the little guys and winning.”
“He represents the little guys?” My brows jumped up. “No way. You don’t afford a watch like his by representing the little guys.”
“He does,” Dad insisted. “I just read an article last week about a family he represented in a wrongful death suit against a construction company. The week before, it was that guy who almost died because of some medicine, and the week before that—”
I lifted my hand to stop him. “I get it. The guy loves being in the news.”
“I don’t think he goes to the reporters, honey.” Mom lowered her chin to give me her serious look. “I’m quite sure they go to him. He also might very well be the most eligible bachelor in the city. And it’s no wonder. He’s very good looking, isn’t he? I’d also have hounded him if I was a reporter.”
“So he deserves to be all over the news just because he’s good looking? He’s a jerk,” I said sharply and folded my arms around myself.
“He’s not a jerk.” Dad scoffed. “Why on earth would you say something like that? I’ve met him, and he’s very polite.”
“Definitely not a jerk,” Mom agreed. �
�I’ve heard a lot about him from some of the teachers here and from friends as well. He appears to be a perfectly decent human being for someone of his reputation.”
Both of my parents steadfastly disagreed with my assessment, but they hadn’t changed my mind by the time the lights went down. Or at least, the auditorium lights went down.
Jacob’s light went up. As the play began, he lifted his phone and proceeded to record the entire thing. I scowled at him, wishing he could feel the angry heat of my eyes burning into the back of his neck.
The whole thing was super distracting. I couldn’t concentrate for a minute with that damn light catching the corner of my eye the whole time. Why wasn’t anybody around him telling him off? Is everyone in love with this guy or something?
I managed to pay attention to Katie when she appeared with a few other children in their roles as pilgrims, but I could still see his light. The poor people sitting in the rows right behind him.
As far as I was concerned, it was just another example of how completely self-absorbed he was. Most of us wanted a recording of our kids in the play, but the rest of us ordinary people were willing to wait for the official recording from the school.
Mom and Dad didn’t seem to notice it. Although if our conversation before was anything to go by, they were just as in love with him as the rest of the darn auditorium seemed to be. I wonder how he’s managed to fool them all.
Especially my parents. They were real good judges of character, and yet, I knew I wasn’t wrong about him. I’d seen—and was seeing at this very moment—how completely selfish and self-involved he was.
Sighing, I sent him one last glare and tried my best to focus on blocking out his light so I could enjoy the rest of the play. It was always there in the corner of my eye, but eventually, I could ignore it just enough that I actually managed to have a good time.
At the end when all the kids came back onto the stage to do their bows, I jumped to my feet and clapped so hard my hands stung. Mom hugged me again, pressing a kiss to my shoulder as she smiled up at me.
“She was just marvelous, darling. I know you two worked very hard on those few lines, but your work definitely paid off.”
I returned Mom’s hug before I excused myself to go greet Katie when she came out of the back. Mom and Dad agreed to meet us at the car and joined the crowd moving toward the parking lot while I headed for the stage.
Katie came running out soon after, and I dropped to my haunches to give her a proper hug. She launched herself into my arms, holding me tight while she practically screamed into my ear. “That was so much fun! I’m going to try out for every play. I made a new friend too. She wants to have a sleepover at her house on Friday night. Please can I go? Please?”
She managed to say it all without taking a single breath, but I suddenly didn’t seem to be able to fill my lungs at all. “You want to go to a sleepover?”
“Yes.” There was so much hope in her eyes that I had no idea how to say no. Seven seemed a bit young for a sleepover, but it wasn’t like she’d never slept over before. She had sleepovers with my parents all the time, but they were her grandparents. That was different. Right?
My mind spun while I tried to figure it out, and Ruth’s words from the other night echoed in my brain. Just when you think you have one phase figured out, they enter the next one.
God, those words were turning out to be prophetic.
Katie was still looking at me with those blue eyes so sparkly and happy. I didn’t know what to do, but I remembered my mother’s response every time we’d asked her, so I went with that.
“I’m going to need to meet your friend’s parents first,” I said.
She bounced on her feet before running over to a dark-haired little girl with her back to us who was standing with a whole group of people. Katie whispered in her ear, and I saw the girl nod before darting into the huddle formed by all the parents she was standing with.
Katie waited for her friend, who emerged holding the hand of none other than Jacob fucking Parker. Spite filled me as he walked over, all confident and suave, with a smile on his face like he owned the whole darn world.
He threw his head back when he recognized me, laughing as if I’d just told him the funniest joke he’d ever heard. Poser.
“You’re Katie’s mother?” he asked when he’d finally gotten over how completely hilarious he seemed to find this situation.
I didn’t correct him about being Katie’s aunt. It was none of his business what my biological relationship to her was, and I was her mom now. “You know what? This was a mistake.”
I wanted to blow him off so badly, but as I turned to tell Katie she couldn’t have a sleepover with her friend, I saw her clutching Allie’s hand. Both girls looked so hopeful and so sweet and innocent in this mess that I couldn’t be the wicked witch who dashed their hopes.
“You’re okay with this?” I asked him. “Having the girls sleep over at your place on Saturday?”
“Yeah. Sure.” He shrugged, still smiling and looking at me in that way of his. His expression changed as he studied mine, though. It became more serious, and even some of the smooth assholiness he exuded disappeared. “Katie will be safe with us. I promise. I’ll give you my number, the landline number, and the numbers for the front desk and building manager.”
“Please?” the girls asked in unison from my side. They dragged the word out, and I caved.
If Jacob was okay with a sleepover, I was too. “Fine, but I’ll be waiting on all those numbers.”
He nodded. “Of course. I’m Jacob by the way.”
“Laurie.” I pinned him with a glare, taking a step forward so I would be able to speak to him without the girls hearing. “If that little girl comes home with so much as a scratch, I don’t care how much of a big-shot lawyer you are. I will destroy you.”
He smirked, cocking a brow at me again. “And how would you do that?”
I gave him the cruelest smile I could muster. “I’ll tell every man, woman, and other person in this city that you have the tiniest cock I’ve ever seen, but that you can’t even get it up. I’ll write a book series all about you and it won’t be flattering. Then I’ll publish it in the woman’s fiction category on every website out there and dedicate every book to you. Off the top of my head, I’m thinking a modern-day retelling of the little engine that couldn’t might work.”
His smirk had started slipping when I’d said the word “cock” and he was stone-faced by the time I was done. I could see the gears in his head turning, but this time, I would finally be the one who got to walk away first.
“Come on, honey.” I reached for Katie’s hand, smiling at her and then at her friend. “Granny and Grandpa are waiting to congratulate you outside. Bye, Allie. We’ll see you soon.”
Chapter 10
Jacob
Well, what do you know? The angry lady has some balls on her. Ever since she’d delivered that threat at the play, she’d been sneaking into my mind every so often. I didn’t give a damn what she said about me around town or even about whether she really did end up writing that book.
It’d surprised me that she had that kind of mouth on her, and then it had turned me on. In an effort not to give anything away, I’d kept my expression carefully neutral afterward. It didn’t bother me if she thought it was because I was fazed by her so-called threat.
Our doorbell rang, jerking me out of my thoughts. Allie squealed and ran down the stairs to get it. She’d been as excited as I’d ever seen her this past week, and apparently, it was all because of Katie.
The two had grown to be fast friends, spending every minute they could together at school. They’d gotten to know each other because they’d been put in the same group for the play, and it seemed to have been a match made in heaven.
Now I only had to figure out what to do about Katie’s mother. They were prompt, at least. It was exactly four p.m. when Allie yanked the door open and threw her arms around her friend.
Before I even r
eached the entrance hall, I heard Katie saying goodbye to her mother. “I’ll see you tomorrow, honey. Love you.”
“Love you too!” the little girl called when Allie dragged her in before she’d even pulled out of Laurie’s hug.
“Wow, this is your house?” Katie whispered to my daughter, her eyes wide as they went for the stairs with their arms linked. “It’s so big and fancy. Are we allowed to play here?”
Allie laughed. “Of course, we are. Dad’s really cool. Let me give you a tour. My bedroom is on the second level. We’ll start there.”
Katie barely had time to wave hello to me before they were disappearing around the corner. I chuckled as I leaned against the doorframe, my gaze coming to a rest on Laurie’s bright green one.
She was dressed casually again in fitted jeans, white sneakers, and a white oversized jersey. Her dirty-blonde hair hung in a ponytail down her back, but tendrils of it had come loose to frame her face.
Her pink lips were plump and inviting, but when they parted to say something, I knew I had to get what I needed to say out there first. “I’m surprised you’re letting your daughter hang out with mine. I got the feeling you hated me.”
It was more than a feeling actually. Her fire and dislike of me were as obvious as it was amusing. It stood to reason that the one beautiful woman I was genuinely curious about wouldn’t want anything to do with me.
I definitely felt a bit of chemistry between us, but I couldn’t quite tell if I was the only one. Somehow, I didn’t think so, but on the other hand, that could also only have been my ungrateful, immodest ego making me think that way.
“How I feel about you doesn’t matter.” Laurie sighed, her expression not completely hostile for once. “Katie needs friends, and by some miracle, your daughter seems like a nice kid.”
“It is a miracle,” I agreed. Considering everything she’d been through, I wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d ended up being distrustful and closed off.
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