by Lisa Jordan
Zoe held out Harper’s leash to Griffin. “Hey, Griff, how about if you take Harper to the car? I need to talk to Sully for a minute.”
“Okay, Mom.” Griffin looked at Sully a moment, then took Harper’s leash and patted the side of his leg. “Come on, Harper. Let’s go.”
As he ran with Harper to the car, Sully braced a hand against the door frame and faced Zoe with his other hand on his hip. “What’s up?”
She fingered her necklace. “I’m sorry for what happened back there, and being the reason the girls have to leave. They were having a good time.”
He glanced at his watch. “No, it’s a good time to leave. Our hour is almost up. I’ll take the girls home and keep them busy until lunch. My sister is coming by this afternoon to watch them while I go into work for a few hours.”
Zoe kicked at the pavement with the toe of her sandal. “Listen, Sully, maybe Mrs. Jacoby is right. I’ll talk to Leona and find another trainer for you. You don’t need someone like me around the girls.”
“Someone like you?” He muttered something under his breath, then tipped up her chin so she’d meet his eyes. Lines bracketed his thinned lips. “Why are you even listening to her?”
She wanted to look away so he couldn’t see the shame in her eyes, but his hand kept a gentle but firm hold on her face. She reached up and pulled his hand away, but didn’t let it go. For a moment she needed the strength his touch offered. “She hates me. I killed her son.”
He reached out and tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear and lowered his voice. “Zoe, what happened was tragic. There’s no denying that. And you’ll carry that with you for the rest of your life. I can’t even imagine what you’re dealing with, but you’re not that same woman. You’ve paid the price for what happened.”
She glanced at the backseat where the girls rested their heads against their car seats, half-asleep. “But what about the girls?”
“What about them? You’ve shown them nothing but love and respect. They adore you.”
She took a step back. Being so close to him was dangerous. “I’m sorry my personal life got dragged into our professional relationship.”
“I chose you, Zoe, because I remember the good times we shared. I know what kind of person you are.”
“I’m not that girl anymore.”
“No, you’re not, but I like the woman you’ve become. I know you’re facing tough days, Zoe, but you’re not alone.”
She risked crossing that line between personal and professional, but she needed a friend, especially someone like Sully, who understood and could shed some legal light on her situation. “The Jacobys filed a petition for custody for Griffin. Mom and Dad’s lawyers feel they have no legal grounds, especially since they’ve had very little to do with him since Kyle’s death.”
He scowled. “Surely they know that. So why are they doing it?”
“To get back at me.” Zoe leaned against his car and crossed her arms over her chest. “They said since I took their son, they’re doing everything in their power to take mine.”
“I’m so sorry, Zoe.” He cupped her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb.
“They will never forgive me for what happened to Kyle. Unfortunately, they’re hurting my son in their revenge against me.” The weight of the Jacobys’ threats ate at her like a cancer. She rubbed her stomach, trying to massage away the ache that seemed to be a constant. “The poor kid’s gone through enough. He doesn’t need to be subjected to them, too.”
“What can I do to help?” He curled a loose strand of hair around his finger.
She’d done what she vowed not to do—she tangled professionalism with personal. Stepping away from his car and his tender touch, she forced her lips into a smile. “Nothing, Sully. This isn’t your problem.”
He reached for her hand. “You’re my friend. I hate seeing you in pain. I want to help you.”
“There’s nothing you can do. My family and I will get this sorted out. My parents have been on the phone with their attorney.” She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and checked the time. “You guys did great today. I need to get going.”
She tried to pull her hand out of his warm grasp, but he kept a firm hold and tugged her to him. Without a word, he enveloped her against his chest. “I’m here if you need to talk or anything.”
This definitely crossed those professional boundaries, but for the moment she didn’t care. Since Sully had come back into her life, he’d given her the one thing she’d been craving for a long time—friendship. The problem was, though, the more time she spent with him, the more the lines between friendship and romance were becoming blurred.
She wasn’t so sure she wanted them to come back into focus.
Chapter Five
Caleb tugged his baseball hat lower over his brows as he hurried up the cement steps to the courthouse and opened the heavy wooden door.
If Zoe found out what he was doing, she’d be furious. But he needed to know...for his own peace of mind. Maybe, just maybe, he could do something to help her.
Seeing her this morning left him feeling helpless. And he hated that.
He stepped inside the building located in the center of Shelby Lake’s historical district. The cool air was a welcome relief from the afternoon humidity.
Twin polished wooden staircases with nicked, curved banisters flanked walls painted the color of old parchment. Portraits of judges past and present hung on the walls and stared solemnly as he crossed the gleaming tile floor to the prothonotary’s office.
He opened the frosted-glass door with the office’s name etched in gold and stepped inside, closing it behind him.
The same dark wood and parchment-colored walls accented the smaller room. Framed photos of the Shelby Lake community hanging above rows of file cabinets added sparks of color to the bland room. Two women sat behind a chest-high counter that separated visitors from their office area.
Caleb rested his arms on the counter and directed his attention to the petite brunette whose nameplate identified her as Carolyn.
She looked up from her computer and smiled. “May I help you?”
“I’d like to look at a case file.”
“Criminal or civil?”
“Criminal.” The word stuck in his throat like stale bread.
Carolyn pointed to the other woman, another petite brunette, talking on the phone. “Amanda’s the court clerk. As soon as she’s finished with her call, she’ll be able to help you.”
“Thanks.” Caleb backed away from the counter and lowered himself into one of the metal chairs. He picked up an outdated sports magazine, leafed through it and tossed it back onto the other chair. He crossed his foot over his opposite knee and tapped his thumb against his shoe.
What was he doing here?
Why didn’t he just ask Zoe?
Maybe he should leave.
He dropped his foot and started to stand when Amanda hung up the phone and stood. She motioned to Caleb. “Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. If you’ll go through that side door, I’ll show you how to access the public records.”
If he bailed now, he’d look like an idiot for wasting the ladies’ time.
He stood and opened the door that led into a file room filled with rows of metal shelves and carousel-style filing cabinets. The room lacked the air-conditioning the outer office offered. He breathed in the scent of old paper, which took him back to studying in the campus library during his college days.
Zoe had been a work-study student at the library, and he made sure he had a lot of studying to do when he knew she’d be working. With his focus more on her than his assignments, it was a wonder he’d managed to graduate.
Amanda moved to a computer and glanced at him. “What’s the case number?”
“I’m not sure. The defendant was Ja
mes. Zoe James.”
The woman clicked a few keys, scribbled numbers on a notepad sitting beside the computer and tore off the paper. Brushing past him, she walked through the file cabinets until she found what she was looking for. She rolled out the files, retrieved a legal-size folder and handed it to him.
She nodded toward the table where the computer sat. “You’re welcome to use that table to read the case, if you’d like. The computer has internet access if you need to do more research. Once you’re finished, bring the folder back to me, and I’ll file it. Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Thanks.”
As she returned to her desk, Caleb pulled out a straight-backed wooden chair and sat, staring at the folder he’d dropped on the table.
Overhead, the fluorescent lights hummed, and an industrial-size fan blew cool air across the table, cutting through the stuffiness in the room. A large, round clock over the door ticked away the seconds.
Caleb rubbed his palms on his jeans, released a tight breath and opened the folder.
For the next hour, he read and reread the arresting officer’s report, the trial transcript and judge’s remarks.
With his elbows on the table, he dragged his hands through his hair, then pinned his head between his arms. He tried to absorb what he had read several times. No matter how many times he reread the case, his conclusion remained the same—Zoe had paid for a crime she hadn’t committed. Not technically, at least.
Pushing to his feet, he closed the folder and then wandered to the bank of windows overlooking the building’s courtyard.
A man and a woman, both in business attire, shared a bench and a sandwich as they talked on their cell phones. Briefcases and pad folios lay open between them. A lady pushed a stroller outside the courthouse’s wrought-iron fence. She paused at the corner, and then crossed the busy intersection, walking out of sight. An elderly man walked two large dogs, but stopped to chat with a uniformed officer.
They went about their business, oblivious to Caleb’s struggle to pull in normal amounts of oxygen.
After his years on the force, he shouldn’t have been surprised. Not really. He’d been called to testify in cases where the prosecuting team did everything in their power to discredit the defendant.
Sometimes the justice of the American judicial system had blurred lines.
This was one of those times.
Yes, Zoe was guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol—her blood alcohol content over the legal limit proved that. Granted, drinking and driving was stupid. In fact, she never should have gotten behind the wheel if she had had so much as one drink.
The dude who hit her had blown through the red light and plowed into her vehicle. The impact had killed Kyle Jacoby—not Zoe’s drinking.
Unless he missed something, and he didn’t think he had, Zoe had spent four years behind bars paying for someone else’s crime.
Prosecution had argued Zoe’s impairment caused poor judgment and reaction time, leading to her conviction.
What about the guy who caused the accident? Had he been charged?
Zoe’s attorney had tried to argue she wasn’t at fault for the accident. Since alcohol was involved, that muddied the waters.
He couldn’t do anything now to change the past, but maybe he could help Zoe release the burden she carried around and help her to realize she was worth redeeming and getting her second chance.
Maybe, just maybe, he’d get a second chance, too. But was it wise to want it with her? He couldn’t risk his heart again, only to have it returned bruised and broken.
* * *
Since Zoe had left Sully and the girls at the park, she hadn’t been able to get him out of her mind. And that annoyed her.
How many times did she have to remind herself the last thing she needed was to crush on her old college friend? He had enough on his plate without dealing with her baggage, too.
So, what was it about the man that kept him front and center in her mind?
She simply had to keep busy, which was why she’d offered to help her friend Gina pack as she prepared for her move out of Agape House and into her mother’s house, where her three daughters waited for her to come back home.
Agape House had been Zoe and Gina’s home for the past twelve months. Zoe had left a few weeks ago, and now Gina’s fresh start would begin soon.
“Mom, how do you know that guy again?” Griffin’s question from the backseat pulled her away from her thoughts.
Zoe turned down the radio and glanced in the rearview mirror, her eyes connecting with Griffin’s. “Which guy, honey? Sully?”
“Yeah.” He nodded, then looked out the window, his brows knitted together.
What was going on inside his head? She returned her focus to the road, but tightened her hold on the steering wheel. “We were friends in college.”
Sunlight flickered through the trees. She slid her sunglasses off the top of her head and settled them on the bridge of her nose.
“Did he know my dad?”
“Yes, they were roommates.”
“Really? Cool. Maybe he could tell me some stories.”
Sully probably had a lot of stories to share about Kyle, but she doubted if they were fitting for a nine-year-old boy. Despite having her dad and brother as solid male role models for Griffin, he missed not having his own dad around. She hated being the cause of that.
“So that’s how my grandma knows him?”
“Yes.” Zoe massaged her stomach, trying to soothe the residing pain. She rolled down the window to pull in a few breaths of fresh air.
“I wish Grandma wasn’t so angry with you.” A sulky tone coated his words.
“Honey, no matter how your grandparents feel about me, they still love you very much.” At least she knew that to be true. From the moment Griffin was born, they showered him with expensive gifts—things she couldn’t afford.
She glanced in the rearview mirror again to find him still looking out the open window with the wind rustling through his hair.
“Yeah, I know. They give me all kinds of presents and stuff.”
Kyle had been the same way—trying to buy her love. Whenever they fought, he’d show up with expensive chocolates, flowers, or sometimes even jewelry. All she’d wanted was an apology. Or just a moment for him to really hear what she was saying.
Funny thing—about the time she had decided to end their relationship, she learned she was pregnant with Griffin. Believing a child needed a father, too, she stayed with him, hoping to work things out.
Telling her parents about her pregnancy had widened the rift between her and her father. He hadn’t said it, but she could see the disappointment in his eyes. She had let him down again. At least he didn’t take his feelings out on Griffin. He doted on his grandson.
Griffin leaned forward and grabbed her headrest. “Mom?”
“What?”
“You’re zoning out.”
“Sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?”
“I wanted to know what Grandma meant when she said soon she wouldn’t have to settle for weekend visits?”
“When did she say that?”
“When she was talking to Sully. You were getting the drinks out of his car.”
Zoe wasn’t about to lie to Griffin or play dumb, but what could she say so he would understand? She puffed her cheeks and blew out a breath. “You know how you live with Grandpa Pete and Grandma Charlotte?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, the Jacobys want you to come and live with them instead.”
“No way! I’m going to live with you. You promised. We’re going to be a family again.” His voice rose as he slammed against the backseat and crossed his arms.
Tears blurred her vision, but she forced them back. She wanted
to pull the car over and wrap him in a hug. “Oh, baby, we will always be a family, but yes, you are going to come and live with me.”
“When?”
“Soon. I promise.” And that was one promise she wasn’t going to back out of. Not again. She’d simply have to make sure the courts understood she had changed. She wouldn’t make the same mistakes that cost her son so much already.
“You keep saying that. Why do we have to wait?”
“Grandma and Grandpa want to be sure I’m able to be the kind of mom you deserve.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re my mom. That’s enough.”
“Thank you, honey. They want to make sure my job is going well so I can provide for you.”
“Well, I don’t know why my other grandma would say that then.”
“Honey, let the grown-ups work it out. You just focus on being awesome, okay?”
“Well, I won’t have to try very hard.” He gave her a sideways grin.
She laughed. “No, you won’t. So, after we help Gina pack, wanna go for a late afternoon swim at the lake?”
“Can Jimmy come?”
“Sure, if his mom says it’s okay.”
“Yes!” He thrust a fist in the air.
Would she be out of line by calling Sully to see if he and the girls wanted to join them?
Probably not a great idea. He’d said something about his sister coming today anyway. It would do her some good to keep some distance between them.
Maybe she’d give Ian and Agnes a call and see if they wanted to join them instead. They could build a fire on the beach and roast hot dogs. The boys would love that.
Right now, though, she needed to focus on helping Gina pack her things so she could leave Agape House.
As the gray-sided house with an abundance of flowerbeds—thanks to June, the housemother’s green thumb—came into view, Zoe slowed and turned into the driveway, parking behind Dad’s truck.
“Grandpa’s here.”
What was Dad doing here during the middle of a workday?
