Chapter Eight
There was an old adage that on St. Patrick’s Day everyone became Irish, and as Colin stepped out of his office at nine-thirty, he had to acknowledge that Lancaster and Morris agreed. Everywhere he glimpsed traces of “the mother country,” as his very Irish paralegal, Megan O’Grady, called Ireland. He’d even succumbed himself, adding a dark green tie to accent a crisp white button-down shirt and a navy blue suit.
“You know you have that meeting with your father about the Rochester case,” Megan reminded him.
“On my way there now,” Colin told her, tapping the legal-size file folder he held in his hand. He glanced down at her desk, seeing the half-eaten glazed donut with green sprinkles. Kim’s Diner had outdone itself today, from what he’d heard. Breakfast had had a ten-minute wait, which was an eternity in this town. Everyone was used to simply walking in and sitting down.
Lunch would also be crowded. Colin almost wished he wouldn’t be missing the annual corned-beef-and-cabbage feast Kim’s Diner threw every year. He only hoped the school cafeteria did as decent a job. If nothing else, the cupcakes would be delicious, should he be lucky enough to get one.
He smiled to himself. He’d gotten a kiss. That was worth much more.
“Right on time,” his father greeted him as Colin entered Reginald’s spacious office. Odd to think that years from now, this coveted space would be his, and Bruce would take his father’s at the other end of the building.
At Reginald’s gesture, Colin shut the door behind him and sat down in front of his father’s desk. His dad stood for a second more, admiring the view of Kim’s Diner, and then he settled into his oversize leather chair. “The fax regarding the Rochester settlement offer arrived as scheduled. I had a copy made for your files. I want to know what you think.”
“Let me take a look.” Colin reached for the paperwork and began to read. The Rochester case was something he and his father had been working on for over a year. At first Colin had been uncertain about partnering on a case with his father, but the experience had turned out to be a positive one.
“I think we can push them a bit more,” Colin said as he finished reading the settlement offer. “They know they’ve lost the case, but they’re lowballing us and trying to save their client money. They want to see if we’ll go for it.”
“My thought exactly. I was planning on countering with…” Reginald named a figure. “That’s high enough that any counteroffer should get them into the range we believe fair compensation. If you agree, I’ll have Shelley type up our response.” Shelley was Reginald’s paralegal.
“I agree with the decision,” Colin said.
“Good.” Reginald nodded, satisfied. Colin and his father discussed a few more legal matters before his father said, “So are you heading over to Kim’s for lunch? Place is going to be a madhouse today.”
“Can’t. I’m Libby’s special guest for her school luncheon.”
Reginald blinked as he remembered. “Ah, that’s right. You’re in charge of cupcakes, last I heard.”
Colin glanced at his watch. “I’m picking them up in about twenty minutes. Rachel baked them last night and finished decorating them this morning.”
“That was nice of her.” His father’s voice carried a questioning undertone.
“She said she did it for Libby, not me,” Colin admitted.
“Sure she did,” Reginald said with a small, knowing smile.
Colin attempted to remain neutral but could feel the heat under his collar. He’d thought of that kiss all night. With one touch of his lips to hers, his feelings had rushed back. He’d cared for her deeply in high school. Now he had the benefit of age. He’d dated many women and had never found the friendship or the desire he’d experienced with Rachel. If he hadn’t already fallen for her, he was in grave danger of doing so. It didn’t make him afraid. Only her great desire to return to New York did that.
“Speaking of Rachel, what’s the status of her case?” his dad asked.
“I’ve received acknowledgment of our representation and I expect we’ll hear more soon. I said Rachel wasn’t liable for anything and demanded a few things from Marco regarding his own breach of their engagement contract. I’m also working on getting her noncompete clause reduced or removed.”
“Good, good,” Reginald said. “Keep me posted on further developments. Do you foresee any?”
Colin paused as he gathered up the paperwork. “What?”
“Developments.”
He shook his head. “I just told you that we received a letter back.”
“You can be so dense. I meant with Rachel and you,” Reginald said impatiently, tapping a forefinger on the desk. “How was your client dinner? You took her flying?”
Colin didn’t feel like sharing, not after last night’s rejection. “It was fine.”
“That’s it? Surely there’s more. You and I haven’t had a chance to talk lately.”
They hadn’t. Even though he and his father had been at various business and family functions, they hadn’t had any personal conversation time.
He kept the details factual. “She didn’t freak out. I took her to the River Club in Chicago. She actually fell asleep on the flight there. Food was great and the evening gave us a chance to clear the air about some things that happened in high school. We had a misunderstanding about prom. She thought I was taking her and I thought she was joking.”
“And you went with someone else—who, I don’t remember. So what else?” Reginald prompted.
“And that’s it,” Colin said, closing the file folder. “Rachel’s planning to go back to New York at some point. She’s not staying here. Even if I wanted anything to develop, it’s not possible.”
“So you do want something to develop?” Reginald rose and paced a little.
His father was one of the best cross-examiners in the state. “I don’t know what healthy red-blooded male wouldn’t, except maybe her ex, and he still claims he wants her back,” Colin replied. “But I’m starting to realize it’s useless to try to make anything permanent happen between us. Tell Mom not to get her hopes up. I know you both think it’s high time I settled down.”
“Oh.” His father seemed extremely disappointed in the news. “You can’t change Rachel’s mind?”
“About what?”
“Leaving? Dating you? I don’t know.” Reginald appeared exasperated, a rare state for a man usually in complete control. “You tell me. You’re crazy about her. Always have been. We all love her. You two would be perfect together. Everyone agrees.”
“Dad.” Colin shook his head in an attempt to ward off additional questions. “She and I are two different people who now live two different lives. We’re also both grownups. Let us work through this nonexistent relationship thing on our own. She’s my client. I’ve already crossed that line. She’s very worried that all of Morrisville will have us hitched within the week.”
Reginald tilted his head, conceding that point. “Client aside, she’s also your friend. You’ve been emotionally involved since grade school. I’m not going to split hairs about blurring professional lines or ethics. That’s the least of my concerns. I probably haven’t said this enough, but I only want you to be happy.”
“I know.” Colin did. He’d been a typical teenager, and at around age sixteen, he’d started thinking that suddenly his parents had grown extremely stupid and hadn’t understood him anymore. He’d pretty much maintained that attitude until his midtwenties. Not until these past few years had he begun forging a new relationships with his dad, moving from that of parent and child to that of man-to-man and friend-to-friend. The change was good.
“Well, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,” Reginald said, ending the conversation.
“I will.” Colin stood, having gathered up all the legal documents. “I’m off to get the cupcakes and meet Libby. I’ll deal with the rest of this later today.”
“Tomorrow’s not too late. Don’t rush Libby or anything else. It’s a holi
day. At least enjoy a little bit of the day.”
“I will.” Colin exited his father’s office and soon had deposited everything on his own desk. Then he went into the men’s washroom, checked his appearance and headed out the door.
“Hey, Colin!”
Colin pivoted to find his best friend standing down the hall. “Hey! Bruce! I didn’t know you were back!”
“We arrived late last night,” Bruce explained. “I know I wasn’t supposed to return to the office until tomorrow, but I was itching to get back to work. My desk is a mess. Besides, this gets me out of Christina’s hair. She’s nesting or something. Scrubbing the kitchen down, although she just cleaned everything before we left.”
Colin shook his head and laughed. “My sisters were a bit odd during their pregnancies, too. Kristin painted five rooms, and not one of them was the nursery. She claims that type of behavior is normal.” Bruce laughed at that.
“So, did I miss anything while I was gone? The receptionist said some girl came in looking for me, but she didn’t leave her name.”
Possessiveness gripped Colin. “It was Rachel, but I’ve got her case.”
Bruce shifted his weight to his left foot. Since he was technically still on vacation, he wore a long-sleeved green Henley and blue Dockers. “Rachel needed a lawyer?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Colin glanced at his watch. “Listen, not to cut you off, but I have to run over to Libby’s school. I’m her guest at their feast today. Can we catch up later?”
Bruce nodded. “Let’s. Are you available tonight? I could do an early dinner. Bella has Girl Scouts or something and Christina will be busy.”
Yeah, Colin was free. Rachel had rejected his offer for food. “How does five at the country club sound?”
“Perfect,” Bruce said. “Meet you there.”
The two men separated, and soon Colin had crossed the parking lot and the street and entered Kim’s Diner. Even though the breakfast had ended and the lunch hour hadn’t started, the place remained packed.
“Hey, Colin,” Kim greeted him as she passed a customer’s order to a waitress. “I’m assuming you’re here for your cupcakes.”
“Yes,” Colin said, scanning the diner for Rachel.
“Don’t bother looking. She’s not here. She looked like crud, almost like she’s getting a cold. I sent her home an hour ago. But I’ve got Libby’s cupcakes. They’re cute. Rachel did a fantastic job.”
Kim disappeared into the kitchen and returned carrying two white paperboard containers. She set the boxes on the counter and opened the lids. The cupcakes had perfectly piped green frosting crowning them, and Rachel had indeed covered the swirled frosting with green and white sprinkles. “I hope Libby likes them,” Kim said.
“I’m sure she will,” Colin said as Kim closed the lids. He already knew how delicious the frosting was and he had no doubt the confections would be sweet sensations. He wasn’t certain how much a class of second graders would appreciate Rachel’s fine culinary effort, but he knew he was thankful for all that Rachel had put in, especially if she was coming down with a cold. He frowned as the implications struck him. Their late night had probably contributed to her being run-down.
Cupcakes in hand, Colin made his way to Libby’s school. Lunchtime found him having fun, despite sitting on those tiny elementary-school chairs that brought adult knees almost up to the chest. Libby’s twin sister, Maggie, had invited her grandmother, so Colin saw his mother before the entire event ended and he headed back to his car.
He climbed into the Aura and glanced at the clock. Not quite 1:00 p.m. He had plenty of time, he instantly decided. Everyone at the law firm would be taking a long, corned-beef-and-cabbage lunch at Kim’s. No one would be in a hurry to return to work, and not much would get done at Lancaster and Morris the rest of the day. That was why his father had said tomorrow was early enough to get the response out on the Rochester case.
So instead of heading back to the office, Colin drove his car in the opposite direction and retraced the path Rachel had driven last night.
SHE WAS GOING to kill whoever was making that awful racket. The pounding was enough to wake up the dead, which was exactly how she looked, Rachel noted with a grimace as she passed the hallway mirror. She could see a shadow of someone through the stained-glass inset in the front door.
“Hold your horses,” she called, shuffling the few extra feet. She turned the handle and opened the door to reveal the perpetrator, Colin Morris.
He was shivering, as if he’d been out in the forty-degree weather awhile. “Did I wake you?”
Rachel stared at him, her jaw dropping. “No. I always look like this.” A blast of cold air swirled around her bare feet; she’d left her slippers upstairs. “In or out. It’s cold and I’m freezing.”
“Tell me about it,” Colin said, stepping forward. “I’ve been enjoying the weather out here for over five minutes. Your doorbell doesn’t work.”
“Hasn’t for years. You could have walked in. The door’s never locked.” Rachel padded her way to the sitting room, where her grandmother kept an afghan on the couch. She sat down and wrapped the blanket protectively around her, taking extra care to cover her feet.
“Libby loved the cupcakes. Thank you. They were a big hit with her classmates.” Colin followed her and hovered nearby.
Rachel yawned. “Good. So it’s afternoon already?”
“A little after one,” Colin replied. He sat on a chair perpendicular to the sofa she was on. “Kim told me you weren’t feeling well so I decided to check on you.”
“I’m fine, really. Just tired,” Rachel admitted. “I’ve been going at top speed since mid-February and my body is starting to rebel. It doesn’t want to bake all the Easter cakes I’ve got to make this week. Says it wants time off.”
“You have to take better care of yourself,” Colin said, sincerity evident. He removed his coat and laid it over the arm of the chair.
“I’m trying,” Rachel said. She stretched her neck and then paused as she realized that Colin had shown up on her doorstep. “Don’t worry about me. I took my temperature and I don’t have a fever. And no sniffles. No congestion. Simple fatigue. I’m going to start taking vitamin supplements tonight. My mother said she’d pick some up on the way home.”
“I could run out and get them for you,” he offered. “What do you need?”
She curled her feet closer to her. “That’s sweet, but a few hours won’t make a difference. Like I said, I’ve just worn myself down. You can only go so far before stress catches up with you.”
“True,” Colin agreed. “Which means that from here on out, you must relax more. As your lawyer and your friend, I insist on it.”
She studied him. She was about to ask, And what will you do if I don’t? but the question died on her tongue. She’d never seen such intense concern before—at least, not directed toward her. “Okay,” she said, caving in.
“You’re not going to fight me on this?” He seemed surprised, and for the first time she noticed his green tie.
The corners of her lips inched upward. “No. Even I’m not that radical. I know when to fold my hand. This is my health. Exhausting myself sabotages my goal of starting my business and getting back to New York.”
“Exactly,” Colin agreed, although he appeared uncomfortable with the latter part of her assertion. “If you’re sick, who will bake all the cakes for Easter? I’d help, but you remember how useful I was last night.”
She smiled at this. “You managed to sift the flour. I’m sure that with some training you could be tolerable in the kitchen. Even top chefs have had to start somewhere.” She laughed as he made a sour face at her and stuck out his tongue.
He leaned forward. “Are you hungry? I might not be a cook, but I can at least find things in the kitchen, especially if you want something. Have you eaten anything?”
“Not since early this morning. I came home and fell asleep,” Rachel admitted.
“You need to eat. What can I get
you?” Colin stood. “No excuses. I’m already on my feet.”
Colin’s sincerity was sweet and she gave in. His concern was touching. He shed his suit coat and rolled up the sleeves on his white dress shirt. “There’s some leftover broccoli-cheese soup in the refrigerator. Second shelf. You just have to reheat it. About one minute on high.”
“One thing you should learn about me is that I’m the king of the microwave. I can warm up anything. Be right back.”
He was gone about five minutes, and Rachel used the time to close her eyes and simply rest. She hadn’t realized until this morning how physically deflated she was. She’d had to drag herself out of bed to finish Libby’s cupcakes. She hadn’t minded the work, but she’d found herself unmotivated. As if she needed a vacation from her vacation. Not that moving back to Morrisville had been a picnic. Hardly. If anything, the man now out of sight in the kitchen had compounded her stress.
One thing was for certain. If nothing else, Colin’s reappearance in her life had opened her eyes to the fact that she’d deluded herself about Marco. She’d escaped to New York, only to trap herself in a false dream.
Now, Colin…The man oozed excitement. Just seeing him on her doorstep had sent a thrill through her. He’d come because he cared, not because her being AWOL from work had caused him any type of distress. Marco worried only about the appearance of the person. Colin worried about the person.
Which was probably a good thing, Rachel thought ruefully as she touched the top of her head. Her hair was a bird’s nest of tangles. She didn’t have any makeup on. She hadn’t brushed her teeth since this morning. She surely reeked of both cupcakes and simmering cabbage—not a pleasant combination.
But Colin didn’t seem to mind. There he was, dressed in pants she knew had cost a pretty penny, carrying a tray of steaming-hot soup. “I found some crackers in the pantry and brought you a glass of orange juice. That’s supposed to help, isn’t it? I remember my mother always forcing me to drink at least a gallon when I was younger and she believed I was catching some deadly virus.”
“OJ has vitamin C in it,” Rachel said as Colin set down the tray. He’d even added a small vase and a flower, which she knew he’d lifted from the center of the kitchen table.
The Marriage Recipe Page 11
