“A clown? Are we goin’ to the circus?” Chelsea asked.
Lily laughed. “Not if I can help it. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to soak in the tub and try to wash off this entire day. Then I have a hearing to transcribe.”
She filled the tub with lavender bubbles. Easing into the tepid water, she felt her muscles relax. The soothing warmth wrapped around her like a welcomed pair of arms. A rolled towel tucked under her neck, she closed her eyes, considering Beau’s dinner invitation. She felt ill-equipped to deal with a man like Beau. I’m not well-prepared to deal with any man. Look at the examples I’ve had.
Chapter Twelve
Spurred on by the anger Rick had stirred in her and determined to take charge of her life, Lily called the local legal aid office. “Do you provide legal assistance to a single parent seeking to terminate an absentee parent’s rights?”
“Yes, we do.”
“I’d like to make an appointment.”
“I can schedule you with Suzanne Waters for Thursday at ten a.m.”
“I’ll be there. Thank you.” She hung up and wrote a note to Rick that she needed to take her lunch hour early on Thursday. God, I hope I’m not making a huge mistake. She looked up at the sound of the front door opening.
“Good morning.” Beau’s smile stretched across his tanned, chiseled face.
“Good morning. Rick’s not in, but I expect him shortly.”
“Didn’t come to see Rick. I’m here to see you. Can you take a coffee break?”
“I can’t leave, but I can offer you a cup of coffee.” She went to the coffee pot and poured two cups. “Cream or sugar?”
“No, thanks. Black is fine.”
“Why don’t we sit over here?” she asked, directing him to chairs in the waiting room. “What can I do for you?”
“Have dinner?”
“This isn’t a good time.”
He grinned. “I didn’t mean right now. I was thinking more along the lines of this weekend. Remember?”
“I’m sorry. I meant this isn’t a good time, as in the next few weeks. I have a guest visiting, and I need to get my daughter ready to start school. Didn’t we have this conversation on Sunday?”
“That was Sunday and you said you’d think about it. I’m not going to give up.”
Clear blue eyes bore into hers, and she forced herself not to blink. He is gorgeous. “Beau…”
“I’ll call you again.” He turned on his booted heel and exited the office.
It took a few minutes for her heart rate to return to normal.
Rick breezed in, picked up the stack of messages on the counter, and closed his office door behind him. He soon reappeared with her note in hand. “You need some time off on Thursday?”
“No. I’ll take my lunch break early. I have personal business to tend to.”
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s personal.”
His neck reddened above his shirt collar. The muscle in his jaw twitched. “Fine.” He stomped back into his office.
She hated the tension but had to get some distance from him and from Beau. What is it with these guys?
*
By Wednesday afternoon, the average temperature in the office had dropped below freezing. Rick paused longer than necessary at the counter. Lily continued with her work, her shoulders back and her spine straight.
When he cleared his throat and noisily shifted position, Lily turned and glared at him. “Do you need something?”
“No. Nothing. I’ll, uh…I’ll be in my office, if you need me.” But he didn’t move.
She frowned. “Okay.”
He snatched up the papers he dropped onto the counter and stomped into his office, closing the door. The phone line lit up. He momentarily opened the door again, stalked to the supply closet, and pulled a can of soda from the fridge. He stopped beside Lily’s desk. “What time do you need to leave tomorrow for your appointment?”
“Around nine forty-five. Why?”
“No reason. Leave at nine thirty. Give yourself ample time.” He turned toward his office, then stopped and looked at her. “Lily, is this a medical appointment? Is something wrong?”
“No. It’s business.”
“I know. Personal business. You told me.”
She spun around in her chair. “If you must know, I’m meeting with an attorney.”
“An attorney? This isn’t about your lease.”
“No. It’s about Chelsea.”
Rick set the soda can on the counter and walked to her. Squatting in front her chair, he took her hands and looked into her eyes. “What about Chelsea?”
“I want to have Tyler’s parental rights terminated. I’m tired of looking over my shoulder all the time, waiting for the moment when he shows up and declares himself to her. I can’t take it anymore.”
“Why couldn’t you tell me?”
“Because you’d want to set me up with your attorney, or you’d ride off on your high horse and challenge Tyler to a duel.”
He started to protest but stopped. “You’re right. I thought that’s what women wanted—a man to defend them, protect them.”
She wiped her eyes and smiled. “You really don’t know much about women, do you?”
He sat on the edge of her desk, looking down at her. “Apparently not. That, or I’ve just never met a woman like you.”
“Look, Rick. You’re my boss. I don’t want to drag all of my personal baggage into the office, though lately it seems to be tied to my ankles. There has to be a line here that isn’t crossed. I don’t want to lose this job.”
“You’re not losing your job. So I can’t be a friend and a boss?”
She shook her head. “That’s not what I mean. It’s…it gets complicated. I need it to stay simple.”
“Terminating a man’s parental rights is not a simple matter. When was the last time you spoke with this guy?”
“That would’ve been the day he drove me to the clinic and signed me up for an abortion.”
He blanched. “Oh. When was the last time he saw Chelsea?”
“He’s never seen her. No phone calls, no letters, nothing.”
“Seems he already relinquished his rights.”
“Yeah, but there’s all this legal stuff you have to go through to make sure he receives notification. God. It has to be listed in the newspaper. Now I can never go home, for sure.”
“About this boss versus friend thing. Can we agree to a fifty-fifty split? Sounds to me like you could use a friend.”
She nodded. “I could. Thank you. I’m sorry about Sunday, the way I reacted. I guess everything’s coming in on me at once.”
“And I’m sorry if I was too pushy. Take as much time as you need tomorrow. I have a meeting, too, at ten o’clock.”
“Thanks.” She turned back to the computer. Maybe I need to paint that line in iridescent yellow.
*
Lily coiled the strap of her purse around her fingers. The legal aid office was nothing like the law offices where she’d worked. The walls of the storefront reception area were painted a dull beige. The large oak desk in front of the receptionist showed signs of wear and tear. Metal folding chairs lined the walls around the room.
The click of footsteps approaching from the hallway behind the receptionist drew Lily’s attention. A tall woman with mocha-toned skin entered the waiting area. She glanced around and her eyes fixed on Lily as she approached.
“Miss Champion? I’m Suzanne Waters.” She reached out a long, slender arm, extending her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Lily jumped to her feet. “Thank you. Nice to meet you.”
“Would you care for a cup of coffee before we go back to my office?”
“Oh, no. Thanks.”
Lily followed behind, noticing the perfect cut of an obviously expensive suit.
During the next half-hour, Lily told Suzanne her entire history.
Suzanne dropped the pen onto the yellow legal pad. “Your ch
ild’s father has never tried to contact you? Never once asked about your daughter? Never offered any financial support?”
“No to all three questions.”
A smiled revealed perfect white teeth. “This is going to be easy. I’ll draw up a petition and file it with the court. I’ll receive notification of a hearing date before the judge and will let you know.”
“Chelsea won’t have to be there, will she?”
“I don’t see any reason she should. If Mr. Dixon were to contest the proceedings, that could change things. You have no idea where he is?”
She shook her head. “A friend of mine said she saw him a few months ago in Lakewood but thought he was there just to visit family. She said she thinks he lives in Chicago. His parents still live in Lakewood.”
“We’ll post notification of the proceedings in the Lakewood newspaper. That’s required by law. I don’t expect any problem.” Suzanne stood behind the desk.
Lily’s feet felt like cement blocks as she stood and stepped forward to shake the attorney’s hand. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your help. I used to work in a law office.” She looked around the sparsely furnished room. “This isn’t quite what I expected.”
Suzanne rounded the desk, laughing. “Tight budget. It does kind of look like Lawyers-Are-Us. I volunteer services here one day a week. Several attorneys do the same, so we share the office space.” She opened the door and waited for Lily to exit first. “Try not to worry. It may take a few weeks before we hear from the court.”
“What if…what if Tyler contests?” Lily stopped and faced the attorney.
“Then we go to court and ask where he’s been for the past four, almost five, years. He’ll have a hard time explaining that.”
“I don’t want Chelsea to have to go through court proceedings for custody.”
Suzanne rested a hand on Lily’s shoulder. “I understand. I’m going to do everything to see that doesn’t happen. Call me if you have any questions.” She handed Lily a business card.
Lily thanked her and stepped out into the bright sunlight. She squinted and felt around in her purse for sunglasses. Once inside the car, she leaned forward, grasping the steering wheel and resting her forehead on her hands. The tears she’d held back all morning began to flow.
*
By the time Lily returned the office, it was noon. She needed to take a breather, so she headed to Malone’s for lunch. As she approached an empty table, she heard Beau’s voice and looked to the back booth. Both Beau and Rick sat with her landlord, Alan Sanders.
Beau’s eyes flashed with anger. “Okay, Gardner. That’s enough. You’re talking about Lily like she’s a piece of property to be bought and sold.”
Rick didn’t respond, but looked beyond Beau, to where Lily stood a few feet away. Blood drained from his face.
Following Rick’s gaze, Beau turned. “Lily. What a nice surprise.” He flashed a smile at her.
She stared at him, back at Rick, and then to Alan Sanders. Words escaped her. She turned and hurried from the restaurant.
Murmurings from the outer office told Lily they had followed her. She emerged from the restroom, stopped and stared at Rick and Beau. “Don’t say one word, either of you. And don’t get within arm’s reach, or I swear…”
“Lily, if I can just explain.” Beau stepped around Rick.
She picked up the first thing her hand located and sailed it through the air. Beau ducked, and the message pad hit Rick on the shoulder.
“Hey, watch it. There’s no need for violence,” Rick said.
Heated anger roiled through her. “Violence? You think that’s violent? I swear, if I could pick up this damn monitor…”
Rick put both hands in front of him, palms out. “Lily, stop. Please let us…let me explain.”
“Yeah. Let Rick explain,” Beau echoed.
She folded her arms across her chest. “Fine. Explain to me why I found the two of you hidden in the corner of Malone’s, in a secret meeting with my landlord, and talking about me like…like I’m a prize at the bottom of a Crackerjack box.”
Beau raised an eyebrow and looked at Rick.
“Okay. Here’s what happened. Sanders told me he had a buyer for the house. And he said the buyer had offered five thousand over the asking price. But I told him I already found a buyer for the house and had promised it to him. Sanders saw dollar signs and intended to sell to Mr. Moneybags here. I went along to see that everything was done on the up-and-up. I was there in your best interest, Lily.” Rick grinned with self-satisfaction .
Lily glared at him. “Who is the other buyer?”
“The…huh?”
“The other buyer?”
“Yeah, Ricky, who’s the other buyer?” Beau smiled at him.
“It’s…uh…he’s… The buyer prefers to remain anonymous, but I can vouch for him.”
“Know him pretty well, do you?” Beau pressed.
Lily pointed to Rick. “You! You’re the other buyer? I thought we had this discussion and I said no .”
“I…well…”
“You two are pathetic. You deserve each other. Here’s an idea—you both buy the house, and I hope you live happily ever after in it.” She stomped around the counter and into Rick’s office, slamming the door behind her .
*
Lily stood at the window, looking past the parking area to the back alley. She stiffened when she heard the door open.
“Lily, can I come in?”
“It’s your office. I’ll leave.”
He met her midway across the room and took her by the shoulders. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
She shrugged free of his grasp. “I have work to do.” She slid past him, went to her desk and turned on the computer. While she waited for it to boot up, she checked messages.
Rick came out and stood at the counter. “Can we talk?”
“I don’t think so. Here are your messages.” She thrust the pink slips at him and, when he didn’t take them, set them in front of him on the counter.
He opened his mouth to speak, then stopped and pressed his lips into a tight line. He picked up the message slips and returned to his office.
Lily stared at the computer screen for several minutes. She hated conflict, and the tension between herself and Rick would drive her crazy if she didn’t deal with it. She let out a deep, shuddering breath and pushed the chair back from the desk.
Rick looked up when she stopped in the doorway.
“Okay. Let’s talk.”
He stood and motioned for her to sit. “That would be nice.”
She dropped onto the sofa and stared at her hands resting in her lap. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you in front of Mr. Sanders. But I’m not apologizing for getting upset with both you and Beau.”
“I understand.” Rick sat on the far end of the sofa. “I was wrong not to tell you about bidding on the house, even after we discussed it and you didn’t want me to. And Beau, well…”
She looked at him. “Yeah. What’s that about?”
“You honestly don’t know?”
“What would Walker Beaumont want with my little, run-down house?”
Rick grinned. “It’s not about the house, Lily. It’s about you.”
“Me? You mean…?”
“I think Mr. Beaumont is smitten with you.”
Lily laughed. “Who says smitten anymore?” The laugh released some of the tension she’d been holding.
“I didn’t want to say he has the hots for you.”
“Even if that’s true, the way to win me over is not to buy my house out from under me.”
“I think we both figured that out.”
Heat rushed to her face. “I’m sorry I hit you with the note pad.”
“You have a good arm, and good aim. If Beaumont hadn’t ducked, you’d have gotten him square between the eyes. I guess he’s quicker than me because he’s younger.”
She focused on a snag of thread on her skirt. “I’l
l bet you’re wishing you could re-hire Hillary about now, huh?”
He laughed out loud. “Oh, no. You may throw things at me, but you know the alphabet and you make great coffee. And you’re not husband hunting. I’m up to a good fight any day.”
When she looked up at him, her vision blurred. A tear escaped down her cheek. He moved closer and, with his thumb, wiped it away. “Lily.” His fingers rested under her chin, sending a current along her jaw.
She fished a tissue from her pocket. “I’m sorry. It’s all caving in at once—the house, the custody issue.” She blew her nose and looked up at him. “By the way, why would you compete with Beau to buy my house? If he bought the house, wouldn’t that solve my problem?”
He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. “I suppose it would.”
His fingertip grazed her ear, and she shivered. “Rick…”
Raising his hand in surrender, he said, “I know. Friends.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Why can’t we invite Rick to come with us for Auntie Helen’s goodbye dinner?” Chelsea whined.
“Because it’s our special time to thank Auntie Helen for her help this summer.” Lily stood before the mirror and tucked the powder blue silk blouse into charcoal grey pants. The summer seemed to have flown by. Lily had managed to create more social distance from Rick, especially with Chelsea. She was becoming way too attached.
“But Rick likes Auntie Helen, too.”
“I’m sure he does, but we’re not inviting him to dinner. And that’s that. Now go and put on your shoes.”
Chelsea stomped from the room, mumbling to herself.
“What’s her problem?” Helen stood in the hall outside Lily’s room.
“She’s mad because I won’t invite Rick to join us tonight.”
“Well, at least one of the Champion women has succumbed to his charm.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “I almost hope she finds a boyfriend her own age at kindergarten, just to get her mind off Rick.”
“And what about you?” Helen asked.
The sound of a car door closing drew Lily to the window. She watched as Rick strode up the sidewalk and disappeared from her view beneath the porch roof. The doorbell sounded. “What’s he doing here?”
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