During a couple innocent lunch dates, Craig and I reminisced about old times. Then lunches turned into dinner dates. It was after dinner one night, things heated up for us. All it took was one kiss and all the old feelings for each other resurfaced. Now here we were, discreetly meeting at a hotel, taking it to the next level.
I had realized long ago that my marriage to Mark was quietly suffering. We didn’t even sleep in the same bed anymore. When I came home from work, he would retreat into his office in the spare bedroom and play around on his computer all night. I would get up early, get the girls ready for school, and then go to work. Mark took care of after-school activities for the girls and usually their dinner. We were like two ships passing in the night. A quick hello, peck on the cheek, and that was it. I knew our relationship was in trouble when I couldn’t even remember what made us fall in love in the first place. We were total opposite of each other. He preferred the quiet home life and I loved living the glamorous lifestyle of being a prominent celebrity divorce lawyer.
“What’s on your mind?” Craig asked, bringing me back to the present.
“Just work stuff.” I downed the rest of my champagne and refused another glass. I needed to get back to work soon and didn’t want to be sleepy for the rest of the day.
Craig reached over and caressed my hand with his fingers. “We don’t have to do this. We can take it slow.”
“I know. I’m just a little nervous.”
Craig got up and stood behind me, gently massaging my shoulders. “Let’s go inside and relax a bit. You’re really tense.”
I kicked off my shoes and stretched out onto the bed. Closing my eyes for a minute, I thought I might doze off. Craig sat at the edge of the bed and massaged my feet. Probably not what he had in mind, I thought. While the foot massage felt wonderful, I was ready for something more. I reached down, grabbed his hand, and pulled him up to me. He rolled onto his side, faced me, and cupped his hand around my chin. Ever so gently he kissed me. His lips were so soft and full. It was a sweet kiss but I wanted even more. I returned his kiss with more passion, my tongue exploring his. He groaned as I ran my hand down his chest then unbuttoned his shirt. Within seconds, our clothes were discarded and scattered all over the floor.
“Are you sure?” he whispered in my ear.
I answered by kissing him again. I was sure.
Chapter 7
“Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then.” - Katherine Hepburn
The delicious smell of tomato sauce and garlic bread greeted me as I walked through the back door. Mark, dressed in his usual athletic shorts and ratty UCLA t-shirt, was standing at the kitchen counter grating fresh parmesan into a Caesar salad. I laid my briefcase and purse on a side table and reached into the wine cooler to pull out a bottle of my favorite red.
“Smells great. What’s for dinner?” I asked Mark.
“Lasagna and salad.
“Where are the girls?”
“At the movies.”
“On a school night?”
Mark looked at me with exasperation on his face. “It’s for school. Some Shakespeare film.”
“Oh, okay.” This is pretty much how all our conversations started and ended every day. I felt like my marriage was a doomed runaway train and I didn’t know how to stop it.
Mark pulled the lasagna out of the oven and carefully placed it on a pot holder next to the salad. I noticed his curly dark hair was getting long and he needed a haircut. He didn’t have the model good looks that Craig did, but he was cute in a nerdy kind of way.
“Would you like a glass of wine?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I’ve got work to do.”
What’s new, I thought. Just the other night he had two people over the house to check out the progress of his new gaming software. Sean was Mark’s best friend and co-owned the software company they had started a few years ago. Another woman I didn’t recognize had come with Sean. I assumed she worked with them. Mark didn’t bother introducing us. They stayed late working out the kinks of his new game and by the time I left for work the next morning, Mark was sleeping.
I watched as he fixed himself a plate of heaping lasagna with a small side of salad. He grabbed a Coke out of the fridge, picked up his plate and headed into his man cave. I probably wouldn’t see him again until morning.
What the hell happened to our marriage? I should be feeling guilty about what I did today. But for some reason I didn’t. This was a bad sign.
I scooped a piece of lasagna onto my plate and took a long sip of wine. I ate my dinner in silence while sitting at the kitchen countertop. Putting my marriage problems in the back of mind, I thought about Craig and how wonderful he made me feel. I still had that tingly sensation all over. His kisses were soft and sweet and his caresses were gentle. I felt safe and comfortable in his arms.
“Hey mom!” The girls said in unison as they walked through the door, bringing me back to the present moment.
Aubrey and Allison were twins and my pride and joy. They both attended my alma mater, UCLA, and still lived at home. Aubrey was majoring in fashion design and had scored an internship last summer with a major designer, Jules Tate. She took after me in every way. Fashionable, business savvy, and glamorous to boot. Allison was the complete opposite and more like her dad. She was a computer geek and spent more time in front of the computer than her dad. Her major was computer software and design, to the delight of Mark.
A couple of months after our honeymoon, I found out that I was expecting. I hadn’t plan on getting pregnant so soon, but during an illness I took some strong antibiotics. Apparently they make your birth control pills ineffective (Hope tells me that it happens more than people think). Seven months later, Aubrey and Allison were born. I was twenty-three and in the middle of my first year of law school. It was tough, but with the help of our parents, Mark and I made it work. Thankfully his job as a computer software designer allowed him to work from home. During the day, he took care of the girls and when I got home from school, I took over the night shift. Neither one of us got much sleep during those long three years, but we never regretted our choice.
“Hi girls. How was the movie?” I watched as Allison helped herself to a huge slice of lasagna while Aubrey just picked at her salad. That was another difference between the girls. Aubrey was always watching her weight and on a diet, staying stick thin so she could wear her size two model samples. Allison had more of an athletic build and could pretty much eat anything and still stay at a healthy weight. They even wore their hair different. Aubrey was a stunning blonde, with long curly locks. Allison had natural strawberry blonde hair and wore it shoulder length with lots of layers.
“It was alright.” Aubrey shrugged.
“Boring,” Allison answered.
“How was work?” Aubrey asked. She was always fascinated with the celebrity cases that I took on. They both knew that anything I said when I talked shop was strictly confidential and never to be spoken outside these walls.
“I did have an interesting client today.” I told them about Sawyer Winston– leaving out the part of the domestic abuse. Some things would remain private.
“That’s so sad,” Aubrey commented. She was a huge fan of his.
“Yeah,” Allison agreed. “Mind if I take the rest of my dinner upstairs? I’ve got a ton of homework.”
“Sure sweetie…just remember to go to bed early,” I said, as Allison bounded up the stairs before I could finish my sentence. She was a night owl and hardly went to bed before midnight.
“What’s up with your sister?” I asked Aubrey as she reached to take a sip of my wine.
Aubrey shrugged. “I dunno. She’s just moody as usual.”
I rinsed off my plate and shoved it into the dishwasher.
“What’s up with you?” Aubrey turned the tables around on me.
I froze. Aubrey had a keen sixth sense, just like me.
“Wha
t do you mean?” I tried to keep the defensive tone out of my voice.
“When we walked in, you were all flushed and dreamy looking. Did Sawyer Winston do that to you?”
I laughed, hoping it sounded sincere. “Yeah. He is pretty hot.” I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Don’t mention it to your dad, okay?”
Aubrey snickered. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Besides, I don’t think dad would notice. He is so caught up on that new game he’s designing.”
I had to be careful around Aubrey. My teenage daughter was so perceptive. She picked up on even the littlest of emotions.
I washed the rest of our dishes and loaded them in the dishwasher while Aubrey wiped down the countertops and put the leftovers in the fridge. She gave me a hug before going upstairs to tackle her homework.
My cell phone rang and I looked at the caller ID. Venus Vanderbilt. I answered on the second ring.
“What’s up Venus?”
“Hi darling. I was just calling to let you know that I got Candace Lane to plan Hope’s baby shower.”
Candace was the best event planner that money could buy in LA. She did all the parties for the big celebrities and wealthy families in the area. I knew that if Candace was planning the baby shower, then it would be a big success.
“Wow, that’s fantastic. Candace is usually booked a year in advance.”
“You know Candace and I are good friends. She’d drop everything for me.”
“Well, what can I do to help?”
“Nothing, darling. Just wanted to let you know everything was under control.”
“In other words, just write a check?”
“Yes, pretty much.” Venus laughed. “I’m headed up to Toronto tomorrow night but I gave Candace your number in case she needed anything.”
Another call was coming in. My heart skipped a beat as I checked the caller ID. Craig Neven.
“Okay. Have a safe trip.” I switched over to the other line and walked outside to the back patio.
“Hello?”
“Hey, is this a bad time?”
I looked around to be sure no one else was around. “No, not at all. What’s up?”
“I was just missing you.”
“I miss you too.” I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. It was like we were back in high school again.
“Can we get together again tomorrow?”
I thought about it for a moment. It was tempting. But I had such a full day of appointments that I didn’t think it was possible to even take a lunch.
“Don’t think so. I’ve got a pretty busy day.”
“The next day then?”
I was quiet for a moment. Again, for the hundredth time today I wondered what in the world I was doing.
Craig must have sensed my reluctance. “I’m sorry. We said we weren’t going to rush into anything.” He sighed. “I just can’t help it.”
“It’s okay.” I lowered my voice. “I want to see you but I can’t for a couple days. Look, I’ll call you when I can.”
“Everything okay?” Mark’s voice came up from behind me and I jumped, dropping my cell phone. It skidded across the brick paved patio and broke apart in several pieces. As I picked up the battery and cover plate, I watched him carry the trash to the curb. A look of curiosity crossed his face.
“Yes. Just a client.” I took a deep breath, pocketed my battered cell phone, and headed inside.
That was close. Too close.
Chapter 8
“Marriage is too interesting an experiment to be tried only once.” - Eva Gabor
It was a typical Friday morning at Peacock and Spivey. Clyde always made an appearance and brought the staff bagels, coffee, and a fruit spread. I grabbed a sesame bagel, smeared it with strawberry cream cheese, and then took it with a cup of coffee to my office. There were a slew of messages waiting for me as well as a mound of paperwork to go through. Friday was always a busy day for filing motions and other pertinent legal documents. Everybody wanted their stuff done before the courts closed for the weekend.
As soon as I settled in behind my desk, I listened to my voice mail. The first message was from Blaine Coulter. She wanted to let me know that she finally got her dog Ginger back. The second, third, and fourth message was also from Blaine, who wanted the status of her divorce settlement. She was still standing firm on her twenty-four million dollars. I’m a good negotiator, arguably one of the best in the business, but I can’t work magic. I made a note on my calendar to call Dalton Balzer again to get an update on the settlement.
The last message was from Sawyer, calling to let me know that he had made a decision and wanted to move forward with the divorce. I picked up the phone to call him right away. After we exchanged pleasantries, he got down to business.
“I should have the financial information from my accountant and business manager this afternoon. I’m planning on taking the kids to Hawaii next week and want to be as far away as possible when this hits the media. Do you think you can swing by the house today so we can go over everything? I’ve already got the press all over me and I’m pretty much housebound.”
I looked at my calendar to make sure I didn’t have any late appointments this afternoon. “Absolutely.”
“Great. Portia is in Atlanta in the middle of filming. I don’t think she has any idea and I’d like to keep it that way. So I’ll see you about six?”
Sawyer gave me his address and I told him I would see him later.
The second call went out to Missy Chambord. She was a former stripper turned reality show millionaire who married a NBA player, Kenton Smith. Missy and Kenton met on the reality show, Cross Country, which featured twenty-four people who raced from LA to New York with nothing but their wits. No money, no friends or family to help them out. Whoever reached the final destination first, won a million dollars. It was a popular show that Aubrey watched and it made several D list celebrities…well somewhat popular. Missy won Cross Country and Kenton won her heart. Within a couple of months, they married in Vegas.
Missy and Kenton rode the celebrity coat tails as long as they could. Missy who couldn’t string a sentence together that didn’t begin with “Like, you know” somehow managed to write a novel about her rise to celebrity status and it hit the New York Times bestseller list for several weeks. Now after three years of marriage, Missy and Kenton were calling it quits. No surprise there.
While I waited for Missy to pick up on the other line, I looked over her financials again. With Missy’s successful tell-all book and her crazy diet and exercise videos (who knew that working a stripper pole would constitute as exercise?) she out-earned her husband. Kenton had made some bad business decisions and lost a ton of money on a failing car dealership and chain of sub sandwich restaurants. Coupled with a recent injury, he was out for the next basketball season and he’d been relying on Missy’s income to pay his bills.
Now Missy was looking for a way out while protecting her assets. Literally.
Missy wanted to discuss the latest legal strategy in her case, which involved giving her husband a small settlement with no spousal support, and retaining the house they bought together as a couple. She didn’t answer so I left a message.
“Ava, your ten o’clock is here,” Meghan informed me over the intercom.
“Ok, thanks. Send him in.”
Richard Ellis was my next appointment. Richard was a Grammy award winning record producer who was engaged to an up-and-coming big country star, Allie Lee. Richard had never been married though he was no stranger to long relationships with other musicians and young starlets. He was finally ready to settle down and wanted me to draw up a pre-nup document, which I thought was a wise move of course.
After a quick look in the mirror and a swipe of lip gloss, I walked out to the lobby to greet Richard. He was on the small side, about five-feet five inches, and rumored to have worn platform shoes to appear taller. I towered over him in my four-inch heels making me five-eleven. If he felt subconscious about that fact
, he didn’t show it.
“Richard, nice to see you,” I greeted him.
“You look beautiful as always Ava.” He kissed me on the cheek.
I’d known Richard for years and he was the real deal. What you see is what you got. I admired him for his straight forward, no-bullshit attitude. Plus he had referred a lot of business my way over the years.
I escorted him to the office. We sat down on the leather chairs that surrounded a glass and cherry wood coffee table. Meghan brought in green tea, coffee, and fruit. Meghan always kept a list of my clients and their food and beverage requirements. You earned bonus points around Hollywood if you remembered what your guests preferred. With Richard, it was green tea and fruit. I knew that he had heart troubles a few years ago and was now a die-hard vegan and loved his green tea.
“So you’re finally taking the leap Richard?” I took a sip of the strong black coffee.
Richard chuckled. “About time, huh? She’s the one. Allie Lee is nothing like I’ve ever seen.” Richard plucked a strawberry from the fruit plate and ate it.
“What is it about Allie that is different than all the other girls you’ve dated?” Knowing Richard’s dating history, I was curious to find out how he knew Allie was the one. Richard was always the self-proclaimed bachelor. He’d always joked that George Clooney and him were the last two good men on the planet.
“Allie Lee is a little firecracker. And I’m not just talking about her red hair. She doesn’t let me get away with anything. She speaks her mind and doesn’t get intimated easily.”
“Sounds like you’ve met your match then?” I asked him.
“Yup. Allie Lee takes care of me like no one else has. She keeps me on the straight and narrow.” Richard patted his stomach. “Allie Lee is the one who insisted on hiring a vegan chef to whip me into shape and help me lose a few pounds.”
“Well, you look fantastic. I’m truly happy for you Richard.” I finished my coffee and got to work on the pre-nup. “So have you discussed the pre-nup with Allie?”
Split Decision Page 3
