Never Try To Explain

by Donna McDonald

  “Really?”

  Now her elderly client was curious and it was all her fault. “I got a friend who’s going through some paperwork for me. Feeding him seems the least I can do.”

  “Lawyer? Sweetie, you don’t have to apologize for wooing someone with those skills. I’ve married and divorced five times. I keep a lawyer on retainer even at seventy-two.”

  Jellica giggled. “He’s not a lawyer. He’s an accountant.”

  “Accountant? Those are a dime a dozen. Is he really good looking?”

  She thought about Greg’s long-legged stride and square jaw. His hair was thick. His eyes were blue. His staid clothing choices—and the hug he’d given her—hinted strongly about the spectacular condition of the body beneath the fabric. Just when she had begun to take notice—and how could she not when he was there every day—Greg seemed to have lost interest in her spectacular body condition. She’d traced it back to the moment he’d stepped into her dining room and seen the mess she’d inherited from losing her parents.

  “Yes,” Jellica answered softly, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to confess it to someone who’d never tell him. “Greg’s very good-looking.”

  “Must be really good-looking,” Mrs. Kendrick replied dryly. “He’s got you all moon-eyed. You drifted off for a good five minutes. I was starting to wonder if you were coming back to me.”

  Jellica chuckled. “That's been happening a lot lately. I’m currently overwhelmed.”

  Mrs. Kendrick laughed as she patted Jellica’s cheek. “Good for you. Next time you get overwhelmed, go for a lawyer and let him down gently when you turn him loose.”

  Jellica giggled all the way out the door.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Jellica called as she came through the door.

  When there was no answer back, she put her tote and keys on the hall table. There was no one in the dining room or the kitchen, though she did smell food in there. She wandered through the rest of the house, but no one seemed to be around. She knew at least Greg was there. His BMW was parked in her driveway.

  She stopped short on her summer porch when she saw the three of them in the backyard. Greg had changed clothes. At the moment, he was wearing black sweatpants, a tight t-shirt, and sneakers that had seen better days. He was working his way through a set of Tai Chi forms, his face serene and his gaze focused. Her sons were just starting to tower over the six-foot mark. Greg barely hit it, but the lines of his body were granite sleek and look chiseled as he tensed and moved with purpose. Having promised him hotness lessons, she was honor bound to tell him now that those sweater vests and pleated pants worked totally against him.

  His movements were sure and smooth and well practiced. What else was in his bio? Oh, yeah… he was a rock climber.

  The effort to imitate his movements etched the lines of her sons’ faces. She wanted to go out and join them. It would be so very nice to pretend for a just a little while that her life could have someone like the guy Greg seemed to be all dressed in black and looking so appealingly sure of himself. He looked like someone other guys would size up and not want to mess with—a man with a secret power.

  Yes, that was exactly what he looked like. Dangerous. Appealing. Oozing confidence which would smell like that cologne that still lingered on her confiscated souvenir of their one and only date. Looking like he did now, Greg seemed to be a man who would take charge and get things done… and of course, she’d melt all over him for it. That’s what she did when her feelings got this much involved.

  Which is precisely why she made herself turn around and go back inside to shower and change. The last thing she needed was to hand over what was left of her life to one more man who thought he knew what she needed more than she did.

  “Then what happened?” Ann asked.

  Jellica stared into her barely touched coffee. “I pretended to have a headache and hid in my bedroom until he left. I don’t think I fooled the boys. Actually, I’m not sure what they thought. They were very subdued saying goodbye to me this morning. They’re not used to me dodging issues.”

  She glanced up to see both Georgia and Trudy staring at her like they’d never seen her before. “What did I say now?”

  Her question was met with silence. Ann’s squirming beside her had her worrying. It wasn’t like each of them had never had a cowardly moment with a guy. She’d heard plenty of their stories over the years.

  When the silence went on and on, Trudy cleared her throat. Georgia put out a hand and touched Trudy’s arm. “Let me try. I’ve been hanging with Mariah a lot lately.”

  Jellica frowned at Georgia as Trudy sighed and nodded. Great. Momma Trudy’s chastisement had just been passed to Auntie Georgia.

  “Okay, Jellica. What did you think would happen if Mr. Sweater Vest came into your house in his sweaty workout clothes and old sneakers?”

  Jellica swallowed hard. “I don’t know. It seemed too risky to find out.”

  “Why?” Georgia asked.

  Jellica snorted. “I just said I don’t know.”

  “You’re over forty. You know. You’re in uber denial.”

  “Well, I used to drive for Uber…”

  Georgia laughed wickedly. “Diversion won’t work with us, honey. Save it for your kids.”

  Jellica made a face. “Fine. I guess I thought Greg would take one look at my face and know I was ready to jump him. Well, I’m not ready for him to know that yet. I may never be ready. I don’t even know what came over me last night. In fact, I don’t really want to know.”

  “Going to hide in your bedroom every time he comes over?” Georgia asked.

  Jellica sighed. “I didn’t say hiding was a perfect plan.”

  Trudy lifted a finger and pointed at Jellica. “Sweetie, you’re attracted to him. There’s nothing wrong with that. Greg’s a good guy. You can’t tell me his sweater vest habit bothers you that much.”

  “It doesn’t,” Jellica admitted. “But the idea of handing my life over to another confident man scares the crap out of me. And I would be tempted to do that. I was tempted to last night. I wanted to walk out into my own backyard and fall right into line.”

  “You’re not going to let anything bad happen,” Trudy argued. “We wouldn’t let it happen. But also… Greg isn’t that kind of guy.”

  “How do you know what he’s like?” Jellica demanded.

  Trudy thought quickly. “Ann told me,” she said, blatantly throwing her friend under the bus of Jellica’s suspicions to save herself from confessing. She’d confess she’d gone to see him once Greg and Brandon found out something.

  Jellica turned to glare at Ann. “You only went on one date with him.”

  “So did you,” Ann shot back quickly, proud of saving herself.

  Georgia’s whistle cut the air and their arguing. “This is highly entertaining, but we’re losing track of the real point.”

  “And that would be?” Jellica demanded. “That Jellica’s too dumb to make her own decisions about getting involved with someone who we all know is looking for his perfect woman?”

  “No,” Georgia said sharply. “The point is that Jellica needs to be honest with herself. She needs to make it okay to be attracted to a good man who happens to like her and her children. It’s called ‘taking a chance’ on someone. It’s hard as hell but completely worth the trouble. Stop trying to project a bad guy image onto Mr. Sweater Vest just because you’re afraid of your own feelings. After you start getting laid on the regular again, you’ll not be so worried about the whole power thing. Great sex is mutually gratifying and makes both people feel powerful.”

  “It has never worked that way for me,” Jellica said.

  “Well, it will this time around, if he’s the right person,” Trudy replied firmly. “Georgia’s right. Even if Mr. Sweater Vest—I mean Greg—ends up being Mr. Wrong, hiding out in your bedroom is not the answer.”

  “You didn’t see him, Trudy,” Jellica said quietly. “He’s so muscled under his clothes. It’s like he’s two differ
ent men. That nice, bland accountant is…”

  “A real man through and through? Believe me, I know. I’m planning to marry a man like that,” Trudy supplied.

  “So’s Cal,” Ann said, speaking at last. “Muscled, I mean. And those muscles work for me now. I enjoy them as often as I can.”

  “That’s your idea of innuendo?” Georgia asked.

  “Well, I’m not as dirty-minded as you,” Ann complained, grinning when Georgia laughed. She rounded on Jellica. “Georgia’s right and please don’t make me say that a second time.”

  Jellica sighed and nodded. “All right, but don’t blame me when I have to take out a restraining order to get him out of my life.”

  “Never happening,” Georgia said, waving it away. “Any man with balls enough to wear a sweater vest is capable of hearing lots of hard truths. By the way, how are the hotness lessons going?”

  Jellica glared and lifted her middle finger to Georgia who laughed hard. It was only moments before they were all giggling.

  Chapter Eleven

  Eleanor Skyler rolled out her yoga mat and placed her bolster at the bottom. “Are you sure this is the right class?”

  Brittany did a toe-touch to stretch out. “I’m sure. The teacher’s name is Angelica Quartz. That’s Greg’s new obsession.”

  Eleanor sunk to the mat. “Quartz. Quartz. That’s familiar. I know a Martin Quartz.”

  Brittany nodded. “He’s the one who divorced his wife and married a woman half her age. I remember you ranting about it. She had two small children.”

  Eleanor huffed. “Oh yes. Handsome red-haired devil. Vicious viper in the courtroom. Cincinnati is the biggest small town in America, you know. Are you sure this woman is the same woman Martin Quartz divorced?”

  “No, but Mason told me her name. He said she’s all Greg can talk about. I’m telling you Mom, he’s smitten as badly as he was before.”

  “Smitten?”

  Brittany snorted. “Don’t start in on my English degree. There’s nothing wrong with that word.”

  “Well, if I can’t tease you about your penchant for archaic terms, then I’m going to run to the bathroom. Save my spot.”

  Eleanor walked out of the room into the hallway. A beautiful woman in yoga gear was stowing her tote into a locker. They exchanged pleasantries and her hand was on the bathroom door when Martin Quartz walked up to the woman big as day. Shock froze Eleanor in place and had her staring rudely.

  “Angelica?”

  The beautiful woman swung to Quartz, obviously startled by his appearance. She put a hand on her chest and stammered when she spoke to him.

  “Martin, what in the world are you doing here?”

  “A stalker would have a field day with your schedule. I’m delivering this to you in person,” he said sternly, handing over an envelope. “I needed to make sure you got it and I didn’t trust your guard dog to deliver. This is just a copy. The original is in the stuff we shipped to his office. You can get it from him.”

  “My what? Whose office?” she asked, fisting a hand on her hip.

  “Don’t pull that innocent act with me. I’m talking about Skyler—the guy you hired behind my back. If you two are planning to sue my office for malpractice, you might want to rethink that plan, Angelica. And I can’t believe you’d stoop so low to come after more money that way. We had a deal. I suggest you stick to it.”

  Eleanor watched the woman struggle to make sense of all Martin was saying. She was suddenly a thousand percent sure suing Martin Quartz had never, ever crossed Angelica Quartz’s mind. Now Greg’s mind? Who knew what her son was up to—could be anything. Greg played things close to his sweater vest covered chest until he knew what was going on.

  “It was a reasonable question since I have no idea what you’re talking about, Martin. Greg’s just a friend who’s doing me a favor in helping me sort out my finances. I’ve got to figure out how to put our sons through college in a few years,” she said.

  “Skyler’s a forensic accountant. What did you do, Angelica? Sleep with him to get him to help you plot against me?”

  “A what? He’s a what?”

  For Eleanor, Martin Quartz’s bullying tactics were the last straw. Whatever Greg was up to, he probably had good reasons to get involved. Maybe it wasn’t love her son felt for Angelica Quartz. Maybe he was just wanting to rescue her from her bastard ex. She was certainly a beautiful damsel in distress and her goodness radiated like a beacon. Men like Quartz could be so stupid sometimes. She was glad her son had turned out to be such a good guy.

  “Martin? Is that really you? God, it’s been years,” Eleanor said brightly as she walked over to Angelica Quartz and put a gentle hand on her arm. The woman looked at her in stunned awe. Eleanor patted and smiled as reassuringly as she could. “If you have something to say to my client, I’d like to hear it too.”

  “Client? I thought you’d retired, Eleanor,” Martin said.

  “Oh, I still have a few clients I help and how is that so strange? I’m her yoga student too,” Eleanor said, volleying back his verbal attack. She nearly laughed when his lip curled in distaste about the yoga. She’d not been a vicious viper in her day. She’d just been very, very smart—far smarter than men like Quartz. “I assume neither of us has time to stand out here trading quips, so once again I ask… can I help you with something, Martin?”

  Martin pointed at the envelope in Angelica’s hand. “There’s a formal severance in that envelope. My law firm shipped all the originals of her case to Skyler’s office. We will no longer represent Angelica in any manner.”

  “Severing your business relationship with my client is certainly your prerogative, and quite understandable given you’re divorced, but mailing us a copy would have sufficed for service,” Eleanor said lightly, enjoying the flush of embarrassment on his face. The big bully. “It was good seeing you though, Martin. You’re looking very well for a man your age.”

  Martin didn’t say goodbye. He just turned and left them both staring after him.

  “Why in the world would I sue Martin for anything?” Jellica asked when the doors of the building had closed behind him.

  “I have no idea,” Eleanor said softly. “I know him from my practicing days. Martin can be a bully. Are you alright?”

  “I don’t know,” Jellica said honestly. She pointed. “That was my ex-husband. I haven’t seen him in person in over three years. I have no idea what Martin was talking about or why he’d track me down here.”

  “Greg will probably know,” Eleanor said, patting her arm a final time. “He’s a quiet man like his father and people always underestimate him. But when his gut gets involved in a hunt for the truth—look out.”

  Jellica turned her full attention to the woman. “I have to admit that you’ve surprised me as much as Martin did. How do you know Greg Skyler?”

  Eleanor beamed. “I gave birth to him.”

  “You’re Greg’s mother?” Jellica heard herself screech the words, which echoed loudly in the now empty hallway outside her classroom.

  Eleanor laughed. “Yes. And a lawyer. And your yoga student. The only thing I lied about was our connection. Quartz was being an ass to you, so I don’t really care about lying to him. I trust my son and I’m sure I don’t have to explain a mother’s instincts to you. Brittany tells me you have two sons yourself.”

  “Brittany?”

  “Greg’s sister. She’s married to Mason, Greg’s best friend.”

  It was all too much. Jellica was a firm believer in both divine intervention and synchronicity, but this much in ten minutes was just plain crazy. She shoved the unopened envelope into the locker and secured it. “I have to go teach now. I need sanity.”

  “Sure. Do me a favor. Stall the class for one more minute,” Eleanor ordered.

  “Why?” Jellica asked.

  “I’m over sixty-five, honey, and I never got to pee. At my age, when I have to go, I really have to go.”

  Despite her shock over the request, Jelli
ca laughed at the woman’s honesty. “Hurry then.”

  Giving her a thumbs-up, Eleanor ran through the bathroom door.

  “I can understand why Greg’s falling over himself to help you. You’re a flat knockout,” Brittany said, staring at Jellica over her coffee. “When we saw you and your friends in the restaurant that night, you were wearing all that hairspray and makeup. What in the world was that about?”

  Jellica ignored Brittany’s stream of nosy questions to get to the main point she was determined to make with both women in Greg’s family who’d come to spy on her. “Why are you worried about our relationship? Greg and I are just friends.”

  Her head whipped back when Brittany burst out laughing.

  “How long has it been since you’ve had a guy in your life, Angelica? He called my husband to ask him for advice about fixing a shower. Know anyone with a broken shower?”

  Jellica rubbed her forehead, thought of Greg in his black sweatpants, and hung her head. The sexy, masculine vision was not helpful to this situation. She looked up at Eleanor, desperate to find a distraction. “Why kind of accountant is Greg? I’ve never heard that term Martin used. It made him sound like an undertaker.”

  “Forensic,” Eleanor repeated, peering at Jellica over her reading glasses. She always felt she needed them when eating or drinking. “It means Greg digs through old paperwork until he uncovers truths no one else could have possibly known was hiding there.”

  “Greg said going through paperwork was part of what he did for a living. How in the world would something so simple lead to me suing Martin?”

  Eleanor shrugged. It was exactly what a good-hearted person would wonder. Angelica was no manipulator. “It wouldn’t necessarily. I think Martin is just afraid.”

  “Of what?” Jellica asked, truly befuddled.

  “Perhaps of Greg finding something Martin missed when he first opened the case. Martin would be embarrassed to find out he’d messed up and any failure on his part would be just cause for you to file a malpractice case. Many divorced women would jump at such a chance. Martin must be feeling very guilty about how he’s treated you to be so worried about Greg digging up some dirt.”