The Bridgewater Case

by R. C. Martin

  After ending the call, she leans her head against my shoulder. I can hear the smile in her voice as she says, “My mom told me to tell you that she appreciates you making sure I have someplace to be today. She also said the only way she can possibly repay you for looking out for me is for you to come to Bakersfield with me when I fly out for Christmas.”

  Amused at her mother’s ploy to meet me, I chuckle softly and reply, “I’ll think about it.”

  Twisting so she can see me, she gives me her eyes, her voice lined with disbelief as she questions, “You will?”

  “Yeah, babe.” Letting her go, I nod my head toward the closet as I insist, “Shoes. Coat. Let’s go.”

  She turns to face me, ignoring my instructions as she grabs hold of the lapels of my jacket. “Lips,” she demands before offering her own.

  Fuck, she’s cute.

  When I lean down to deliver the kiss she’s requested, I pause when she whispers, “Make it a good one, baby. You just made me really happy.”

  Fucking hell.

  Reaching up to hold the back of her neck, I bury my fingers in her hair and close my mouth around hers. She offers me her tongue in the same instant I go seeking it, and I feel her grip tighten around my jacket. I kiss her thoroughly, tasting every bit of the mouth I’ve claimed as mine, and she gives as good as she gets.

  The moment my pants start to feel a little tight, I slow things down, all too aware that we’ve got someplace to be—and that someplace is not back in bed. She doesn’t protest, but offers me the sweetest of smiles before brushing one last soft kiss against my lips and stepping away from me.

  “I’ll just be two seconds. Promise.”

  True to her word, we’re headed to the parking garage not even a minute later. The entire building is like a ghost town, and the sound of our footsteps echo loudly in the almost vacant lot. Nevertheless, while maneuvering our way out of downtown, we find the streets are not nearly as quiet. What should be a twenty-minute drive to my mother’s house in the suburbs of Cherry Creek is closer to forty minutes, and we pull into the driveway just as the caterers are leaving.

  “I’ve never been to a catered Thanksgiving before,” Sigourney mentions as she watches the deliveryman return to his van.

  “Welcome to Heather Croft’s holiday dinner,” I laugh. “Trust me, the caterers are a good sign. It means she wants you to like her, too.”

  We both step out of my SUV, and I meet her in front of the hood, offering her my hand. She takes it with both of hers, holding on tight as I lead her to the door. When I see Rupert standing in the entryway, I imagine he spotted us as we drove up and waited for us to make our entrance. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve seen him, but he looks the same as always. Head full of gray hair, a neatly trimmed beard to match, and a smile that makes his eyes crinkle at the corners.

  My mother loves his eyes and the laugh lines that go with them—and I’m certain a good deal of her laugh lines are because of him. I’ll always respect him for that.

  “Dane! Lovely to see you again. Happy Thanksgiving,” he greets jovially.

  “Good to see you, too, Rupert.”

  Sigourney lets go of my hand long enough for me to offer the man a handshake, and then she clings to my arm as we step inside of the house.

  “You must be Sigourney,” he says after closing the door behind us.

  “Yes. Dane never has, but you can call me Sally,” she assures him, offering him her hand.

  “Well, Sally, it’s nice to meet you.” Accepting her gesture, he grips her fingers, leaning toward her as he whispers, “Heather will be quite jealous that I got to meet you first.”

  “Rupert, dear, was there a—” My mother cuts herself off when she rounds the corner and sees us, no doubt coming from the kitchen. “Well, my god, was no one going to tell me you were here?” she gasps, her focus zeroed in on Sigourney.

  “Try not to be too dramatic, mother. We just arrived,” I tease.

  She scoffs, her eyes barely glancing my way before she walks straight toward my woman.

  “Welcome to my home. You must be the woman my son speaks of so fondly. You should know, I can’t remember the last time he’s done such a thing. I thought this day might never come.”

  Giggling softly, Sigourney looks up at me, and I can’t even be annoyed with my mother for saying such a thing—it brought a smile to my woman’s face, and I don’t see a trace of the nerves I saw in her eyes a couple of hours ago.

  “Thank you for having me,” she says, returning her attention to my mother. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

  “I assure you, Sigourney, the feeling is mutual.”

  “Please, call me Sally—unless, of course, you’re as stubborn as your son.”

  A grin spreads across her face as she winks up at me and replies, “As a matter of fact, it is he who’s as stubborn as I. Besides, Sigourney is a beautiful name. I find it very fitting.”

  “Oh,” she breathes bashfully. “Thank you.”

  “Come in, won’t you? Dane, hang her coat. I’ve made sangria,” announces my mother as she turns and heads to the kitchen. “The appetizers smell divine. I hope you’re both hungry.”

  Rupert rubs his hands together as I help Sigourney out of her jacket. He then offers her his elbow before announcing, “Let the feast begin.”

  AFTER SPENDING ALL afternoon with Heather and Rupert, I wonder why I was so nervous to begin with. I swear, we were eating from the moment Dane and I walked into the house until the second we left. Heather had cocktail hour, then dinner and dessert—all of it delicious and done in good taste. I found the woman of the house to be a remarkable host. In many ways, she reminds me of Dane. She’s so refined and poised, but also a joy to speak to and easy to be around.

  Rupert is hilarious and down-to-earth; although, I did see a bit of his business side come out when Dane asked him about work. Heather wouldn’t let them talk shop for long, but it was long enough for me to see why Dane holds him in such high regard. Of course, that’s not the only reason. After bearing witness to how Rupert treats Heather, I understand why he would respect him so much. They love each other, and they don’t hide it.

  “They go well together, your mom and Rupert. They’re cute,” I murmur as Dane drives us back to the office.

  “Yeah. They’ve been together for a few years. They make each other happy.”

  “Do you think they’ll ever get married?”

  “No.”

  He says the answer so fast, without even a hint of hesitation, that it takes me a little bit by surprise. “You seem very sure about that.”

  “It’s because I am. She was married to my father for twenty years. She was unhappy for at least ten of them. Marriage isn’t exactly synonymous with happiness. She’s happy now, so I don’t blame her for wanting to preserve that by keeping marriage off of the table.”

  He doesn’t speak on the matter any further, and I don’t ask anymore questions, regardless of the fact that my head is now buzzing with them. I know he doesn’t like to talk about his childhood. It’s not filled with the happiest of memories, and his dad was a horrible role model in many ways. I know he wishes to be nothing like the man, and any reservations he had about our relationship in the beginning were because of the reputation his father has made for himself. What I didn’t suspect was that his father’s actions, and the ways in which he hurt both Dane and Heather, would have an effect on Dane’s opinion of marriage.

  Obviously, his parents’ marriage was awful—but he can’t possibly believe all marriages are that way, or that a marriage would squander the happiness a couple finds in a dating relationship. Or perhaps that’s exactly what he believes. It makes me wonder if marriage is something he’ll ever be willing to consider, or if that’s not a compromise he’s willing to make. Granted, we’re not there—we’re not anywhere close to there—but I’d be lying if I said I’ve never thought about one day with him.

  Traffic is lighter on our journey home, and it takes us half the time
it did this morning. When we pull into the garage, I decide that whatever Dane’s thoughts on marriage, it doesn’t matter now. Today, he wanted me to meet his mom—and he hinted at being ready to meet mine—and that makes me happy.

  “Dane?” I murmur, turning to look at him as he shifts the Benz into park and kills the engine. I wait for him to return my gaze before I say, “I missed my dad’s green bean casserole, but I had a great day today. Thank you.”

  Leaning over the center console, he brings his lips a hair’s breadth away from mine. I think he’s going to kiss me, but then he doesn’t. Touching the tip of his nose to the tip of mine, he mumbles, “How about we go upstairs and I show you all the things I’m thankful for this year?”

  A grin spreads across my face as I reach up and bury my fingers in his hair, keeping him close as I whisper, “And what are you thankful for, Dane?”

  “If you don’t get out of this car, you’ll find out when I haul you into the backseat. I’d prefer the bed, but—”

  “I’ll race you to the elevator,” I declare before scrambling out of my seat.

  I’m halfway there, wondering how I’m still beating him in my heels, and then he takes me by surprise. I squeal and laugh when he wraps both arms around my waist, sweeping me up off my feet and carrying me the rest of the way. He doesn’t put me down when we reach the elevators, but instructs me to press the call button, so I do. It isn’t until the doors open that he gently sets me on my feet.

  I stop laughing abruptly, the look on Meghan’s face silencing me. Then I glance up to find Allen’s eyes focused in my direction, and I get a little sick to my stomach.

  “Well, well, well—what do we have here?” Allen chuckles.

  Taking a step back, I reach for Dane’s hand. He doesn’t take it, but instead slips his arm around my waist and draws me into his side. I go willingly, and Meghan’s Cheshire grin grows even wider. It’s like a statement. Come Monday morning, anyone who cares to know will finally have their answer about Dane and me. Except, right now, standing underneath Dane’s arm as he stares at his father, I realize I don’t care who knows. Right now, being outted doesn’t feel like a loss.

  Right now—being claimed by Dane in front of his father, it means something to me.

  Meeting his mother was important. Spending the day with her was significant to my relationship with Dane, but this? This is different. This is Dane holding me in the same way Allen is holding Meghan, but silently declaring what they have is nothing compared to what we have.

  “Father,” Dane mutters, his voice low and his tone dismissive. He waits for Allen to lead Meghan around us. When he doesn’t, he asks, “Are you coming or going?”

  Laughing under his breath, he shakes his head and replies, “It’s a habit of mine, to rendezvous here instead of at home. Besides, Meghan prefers the desk in my office any chance she can get. Why you’re here, I can’t possibly imagine. You have no wife to hide from—unless, of course, you’re trying to hide your redhead from your mother. She could always smell when another woman had been in the room.”

  “Fuck you,” Dane practically growls.

  “Something tells me Sally’s got that covered,” he chuckles.

  “No. Don’t. As a matter of fact, my woman’s name is never to pass your lips. She doesn’t concern you.”

  Lifting his brow in surprise, he mutters, “Your woman?”

  “You mean your secretary,” Meghan corrects, her smile losing a bit of its shine.

  “No. I don’t,” Dane replies with a shake of his head. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got someplace to be.”

  When Allen and Meghan finally move out of our way, Dane wastes no time escorting me onto the elevator. As he swipes his card in front of the monitor and then hits the button for the forty-ninth floor, I can’t seem to take my attention off of Meghan. I’m not exactly sure what it is I see in her eyes, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was jealousy. As the doors close slowly between us, I press even further into Dane’s side, my stomach fluttering when he tightens his grip around me.

  Wishing not to stoop to her level, I suppress my victorious smile until after the doors have closed between us. Then, as soon as we’re alone, I gaze up at my man and whisper, “When you’re done showing me all the things you’re thankful for, I have a list of my own.”

  He smirks down at me, giving me a squeeze before leaning down to graze his lips against mine. “I look forward to it, babe.”

  MONDAY MORNING, I mentally prepare myself for what a day at the office will be like once word gets out about Dane and me. Except, as soon as I return from my usual coffee run, Dane’s news shifts the focus of my day entirely. He received word that we have a court date for the Bridgewater case. It’s scheduled for the first week in February. I’m heading out of Dane’s office to go phone Janet when it hits me.

  “Wait, the first week in February?” I repeat, turning to face Dane once more. “That’s when my exam is scheduled.”

  “And we’ll be ready,” he states adamantly. “For both. You’ll miss two days, but you can be there for the rest.”

  “Wait, what?” I gasp, taking a step toward him.

  A sly grin tips one corner of his mouth before he says, “Janet will need someone, someone who is well informed about the ins and outs of this case, to hold her hand through the trial. I’ll also require a second chair. Are you up for it?”

  “Oh, my god! Dane!” I glance behind me really quick, then lower my voice before I mock-whisper, “I want to kiss you so badly right now.”

  His laughter fills the room, only increasing my longing, and I have to bite my lip to keep from acting on my impulse.

  “I’ll do my best to be done at a decent hour tonight. I’m yours as soon as I’m finished for the day.”

  “In that case, get to work.”

  I make my exit, not even trying to contain my grin, and return to my desk. When I see Lydia and Chandler heading toward Dane’s office, I don’t miss the way she glares at me as they pass, but I’m in too good of a mood to care. As soon as they’re out of sight, they’re out of mind. After a phone call to Janet, I spend the rest of my morning buried in tasks. It isn’t until Ava plops her ass on the corner of my desk, insisting we go to lunch, that I realize I’m hungry.

  I go to check in with Dane, and then I remember he left over an hour ago for a client appointment. With nothing holding me back from joining Ava, I grab my coat and my purse, and we make our way toward the elevators.

  “So, there’s a rumor circulating,” she mumbles under her breath.

  “Oh?”

  “Mmmhmm,” she hums through a closed-mouth grin.

  Suddenly remembering the events of Thursday evening, I nod and confess, “Dane and I were coming back from dinner with his mom on Thanksgiving and we ran into Allen and Meghan.”

  “Well, as the story is being told, Allen was alone when he ran into you. But that’s not the point. Word is, Dane’s referring to you as his woman.”

  When an elevator arrives, we wait for the occupants to get off before we step on. As the doors close behind us, I shrug and reply, “I guess the truth was going to get out eventually.”

  “Sally—you’re missing the point,” she laughs.

  “I am?”

  “Nobody cares that you’re sleeping with your boss. That’s not the rumor. The rumor is—you’ve charmed the firm’s permanent bachelor. We all knew for sure he wasn’t gay; but it was no secret he had never settled down with anyone. Now he’s got himself a woman—and that woman is you.”

  “Wait,” I mumble, scrunching my brow in confusion. “Are you implying that I’m somehow…legendary?”

  “That is exactly what I’m saying.”

  “And—nobody is calling me the office slut?”

  A hesitant smile tugs at the corners of my mouth as she throws her head back in laughter. “Sorry, honey, that title was claimed a long time ago. Even before she started screwing Croft senior, Meghan was asking for it with that wardrobe. Hate to
be a bitch, but facts are facts.”

  “Wow,” I murmur, shaking my head in surprise. “I was prepared for her to confirm suspicions, but I didn’t imagine people would be impressed.”

  “You want to know what I think?” She doesn’t wait for me to answer before she tells me, “I think she wasn’t expecting it, either. If she knew this was somehow going to turn out in your favor, she wouldn’t have said anything. I’ll admit, I was a little worried. I wasn’t going to say anything to anyone not just because you trust me and you’re my friend, but also because you’re nice and Dane values you. I would never want to ruin that for you. But it’s those same qualities that make you the legend people claim you are. You kick ass, girl.”

  I cough out an insecure laugh, not sure how I feel about any of this. Yes, it’s nice that people aren’t bad-mouthing me, but being the topic of anyone’s conversation isn’t exactly something to be thrilled about—especially considering it’s my relationship they’re discussing.

  “I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry about it,” she insists, bumping her shoulder against mine. “You guys will be old news soon enough. Just do you, Sally.”

  Hoping she’s right, and deciding there’s nothing I can do about it anyway, I agree. The best thing I can do is live my life as I have been. Nothing’s different.

  “Oh, by the way, where are we going?” Ava asks as we reach the lobby.

  This time, it’s me who throws my head back in laughter.

  Yup—nothing is different at all.

  After agreeing that a cup of soup is what sounds best on this cold, snowy afternoon, we walk the short distance to the restaurant she took me to on my first day. While we eat, she tells me about her holiday weekend, and I give her the shareable details of mine. My belly clenches in excitement when I think back over the last few days. It snowed almost all weekend, and Dane and I spent most of our time under a blanket—just like I told mom I’d wanted to do—except we did a lot more than cuddle. A lot more.