Holy shit. Harry Whittimaker III had an entire wing of the courthouse named after him. He had once been Denver’s best criminal defense attorney.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Sadie said. “Why would you pull a banana on a police officer if you’re Harry Whittimaker?”
Harry smiled a wrinkled smile and his eyes literally twinkled. “Nadzieja says you are the best attorney as long as no one is dead. The woman can talk a man into doing anything to help someone she cares for.”
Sadie took a deep breath, holding it with an expression she was sure did nothing for her appearance. “So you’re going to teach me how to defend you?”
“That’s the plan.” Harry held out his hand to Sadie.
She shook it. “Then let’s get an engagement letter signed. Shall we?”
Sadie had a new client who was not getting a divorce. He was royalty among trial lawyers in Denver. But he was her client. A client she was certain was going to teach her more than she’d learned in all her days of law school.
She was staying.
Really, though, as Marlee pointed out on the sidewalk, she’d made the decision to stay a long time ago.
Harry promised not to point fruit at a police officer again. He also set up a card table near Babushka and Etta in the reception area of Sadie’s office. Sadie was okay with this, given that he was Harry Whittimaker III.
After Harry had gotten settled, Sadie had met her mom for lunch. Now, she hurried past Roman’s office door as she walked to her own.
She hadn’t seen him since the sidewalk situation.
He hadn’t come by.
She hadn’t reached out.
Yet, Babushka’s words from earlier settled over Sadie like a comforting blanket. She only meddled when it mattered. Clearly, Roman and Sadie mattered.
It was that simple—she only had to embrace it. And figure out how to fix things between them. Apologize to him. Make it right.
The elderly squad was stationed in her reception area when Sadie walked in.
“There’s a delivery in your office.” Babushka did the heavy-wink thing again, the one that looked like she was actively having a stroke.
“Babushka, I need you to be totally serious with me for a minute.” There was one thing Sadie needed to know before she talked to Roman.
“I am alvays serious,” Babushka replied.
“The situation with Harry, did Roman put you up to it?” Sadie asked. “Did he tell you to do it so I wouldn’t leave?”
Babushka shook her head. “No. Roman says I am not allowed to help him anymore.”
“He asked you not to get involved?”
“Yes.” For the first time, Babushka didn’t have that look of being an unhinged grandma.
“And you’re going to go along with that?”
“No. I am his babushka. He does not know vhat is best.” She laughed a hearty Russian laugh.
“And you do know what is best?” Sadie asked.
“I am Babushka. Of course, I do.”
That definitely sounded more likely.
Sadie couldn’t help the grin tickling her lips. She’d make things right with Roman. Because she loved him.
She opened her office door and there sat Becca and Marlee.
Sadie’s chest expanded and she squealed.
“Becca?” Sadie ran to her friend. “You’re here.”
“Marlee called,” Becca said.
If Marlee called Becca, then…
“Kellie’s on her way, too,” Marlee said sheepishly. Luke was asleep in his carrier that Marlee’d clipped into some kind of caddy. He’d slept through his auntie’s screech.
Sadie smiled. She had a client and a mentor, and she was going to get Roman back. And now her friends were coming to her rescue.
Roman had told his grandmother not to meddle. Sadie believed it.
“I don’t need to be rescued,” Sadie said.
“Who said you do?” Becca shrugged. “I needed a break from my life. This is the perfect opportunity. I get to look like a saint and an awesome friend, and you get…me.” She held her hands up in illustration of all that Sadie would get.
She was right, that didn’t suck.
“Sadie?” Roman’s voice drifted through the reception area to her office.
“He’s here,” Marlee said, standing and peeking around the corner. “Are you two…? Have you…?”
“No.” Sadie shook her head. “I haven’t seen him since—”
“Sadie?” Roman asked from the open door right next to Marlee.
“Hi,” Sadie said. His appearance in her office made her tingle all the way down to her peep-toe pumps.
“Hi,” Roman said.
“Hi,” Marlee added in a much perkier tone than they had used.
“Hello.” That would be Becca. “You must be Rome? I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Sadie did a quick introduction for Roman and Becca before he handed her a twelve-by-twelve cardboard box. “It came to my office, but it says it’s for you.”
His fingers brushed hers as he made the transfer, setting her damn nerves on fire once more. His scent seemed to fill the space. His cologne—or was it aftershave?—smelled of tea and coffee and cloves. The scent of everything that made Sadie happy. The scent of Roman.
Never one able to wait to open a package, Sadie pulled off the tape and removed a copper water fountain from the packing peanuts. A small card fluttered beside it.
She opened it.
So you can take your wishes with you. - R
“You bought me a fountain?” Sadie asked.
“To keep the fish company,” Roman replied, suddenly sheepish.
“Why a fountain?” Becca asked in a whispered tone that was really not quiet at all.
Marlee shushed her.
Sadie reached into her desk drawer for the penny that Roman had tossed to her in the lobby. She turned it over in her palm, studying the image of Abraham Lincoln. Then, her wish suddenly found her. Wish for everything. Wish for Roman.
She couldn’t help it, her eyes misted.
Sadie glanced at her friends. “Do you two want to give us a minute?”
“No,” Becca replied quickly.
“Absolutely not,” Marlee agreed.
“Go,” Sadie mouthed.
They went.
“I turned down the Chicago job,” Sadie said once they were gone. He needed to know that. Needed to know what she’d chosen. “I’m not leaving.”
Roman released a whole lungful of air, his shoulders relaxing.
“What are you going to wish for then?” he asked.
“You know I’m not supposed to tell you that.” Sadie studied the penny.
“I know you have a lot of rules when you make wishes.”
“It’s been a long time since I made a wish.” Sadie felt Roman’s presence in her blood. The world felt right with him sharing her space. “I think I need new rules.”
“Oh yeah?” Roman asked.
“This one time, I’ll tell you my wish.” Sadie looked up from the penny, melding her gaze with his. “It’s a two-part wish.”
“I can’t wait to hear this,” Roman said.
“I wish for everything.” Hope filled Sadie. “I wish for it with you.”
She tossed the penny into the fountain.
Roman closed his eyes and let out another breath. He brought her in for a hug that turned into a kiss with a promise of everything. The whole time, Sadie thanked her wish-penny and hoped like heck it’d hold true.
She still didn’t believe in blue eyeliner, but Roman could touch her boobs whenever he wanted, and she finally, finally, believed in second chances.
Epilogue
“Sadie?” Roman called from the reception area.
“You will not believe what happened.” She practically bounced out of her office and straight to him.
He opened his arms just in time for her to jump into them.
She leaned back, squealed, and kissed his mouth.
&n
bsp; There it was, Sadie had her sparkle. She lit up the entire office with energy.
Her mouth sealed with his, and oh yeah, buddy. He was all in on whatever had happened. She explored his mouth with her tongue in ways that made him abso-fuckin’-lutely on board with whatever had gone down.
“What’s up?” he asked around her wild kiss.
It seemed important, given her exuberance. A girl didn’t go after a guy’s mouth like that if the news was sad. Or if the news pissed her off.
She peppered kisses all over both of his cheeks.
“I landed a new client,” she said, moving back to his ready and willing lips.
Of course, she did. She was Sadie, and he had no doubt that she could do literally anything she put her mind to.
“It’s going to go to trial.” She squealed. “High-profile breaking and entering with a dash of extortion.”
Roman stared wide-eyed. That didn’t sound too promising for her client. But apparently, theft got Sadie’s blood moving.
“And the best part? He didn’t do it.” Roman couldn’t help but think that he could live off of the sparkle in her eye alone.
She slid down his body so her feet were on the ground again. Once there, she did a little I-landed-a-client dance.
God, he loved her.
“Babushka didn’t even have to bribe him to do it. He did it all on his own,” Sadie said, excited.
“Where is the Babushka squad?” Roman asked.
“Harry isn’t here today, and the ladies are at a training I scheduled for the new phone system.”
“You got a new phone system?” Of course, he knew exactly where Babushka was. She was totally in on his plan for the day.
“I did. So they’d have to leave for an afternoon and attend training.” She practically beamed.
“Proud of you.” He pulled her in for a kiss. A quick peck on the lips so they would still get on with the day. The chaste kiss heated. It’s what happened whenever his lips were near Sadie’s.
They kissed again, hard and hot and everything he’d ever wanted.
Sadie broke the kiss. “Should we go to my party?”
Dammit. He’d gone out of his way to keep this soiree a secret.
“Who told you?” he asked, ready to strangle whoever had spilled the beans.
“Wait, is there really a party?” Sadie grinned and did another dance move. “Happy birthday to me. This is the best day ever.”
Sadie’s birthday was actually the upcoming Wednesday, but with the trial schedule, she had said she didn’t want a party that day.
“You didn’t know?” he asked, jaw slack.
“Not until just now when you answered my question.” She grinned like a woman who had just found out it was the day of her birthday party. “I hope you got me a pony.” She marched right out of her office. “I’ve always wanted one.”
“If I got you a pony, we’d have to call her Nads,” Roman replied, following.
“Nope.” Sadie shook her head, glancing back at him. “That’s your debt to pay, not mine.”
After the months they’d spent together, Roman really hoped it would eventually be her debt, too. He also hoped she liked her birthday present a fuckuva lot more than a pony.
“At least act surprised,” he said. “Your friends and I put a lot of thought into this being a surprise party.”
Sadie made her eyes go wide, her eyebrows go high, and her mouth open in mock shock. “Like this?”
“Something like that.” Roman led her down the hall.
“Wait.” She stopped. “I want something for my birthday.”
He’d give her anything.
“What does milaya mean?” she asked.
Oh. That.
She reached for his hand, tangling his fingers with hers. “I looked it up, but there are several definitions. I wondered which you meant.”
That was a good question…
“I… uh…” He glanced away. “I don’t really know.”
Her mouth parted. The surprised look he had been aiming for before began to take over. “Get out.”
“It’s an endearment. I mean, it means sweetheart or dear or honey. Just in Russian.” He knew that much.
“But you have no idea?”
He glanced to where their hands were still linked. “It’s what my dedushka called Babushka when he was being sweet.” Which wasn’t terribly often. “It meant a lot to her when he said it. I guess, for us, it’s just another way for me to say I love you.”
Her eyes misted. “That’s way better than the prostitute one.”
Yeah, he thought so, too.
She swung their hands between them as they walked to the door of his studio. “You know, I’ve always wanted a surprise party.”
“Yeah?”
“Is everyone going to jump out and yell surprise?” she asked, her voice rising with excitement. “That’s the best part.”
“You’ll have to wait and find out,” he grumped halfheartedly.
“Wait.” Sadie pulled at his hand to stop him. “Shouldn’t you give them the signal or something? So they know we’re coming?”
“Milaya.” He ran his hands up her arms to her shoulders. “Don’t ruin it.”
She leaned into him, pressing a kiss against his lips. “I love you, too, Rome.”
They entered the room, and everyone shouted, “Surprise!”
Sadie jumped about three seconds too late and managed a remarkably unconvincing eyes-wide, eyebrows-raised, mouth-open combo.
Babushka had bought everyone whistles to blow and confetti to toss. The result sounded like two dozen lifeguards in a hailstorm of confetti. As the confetti blitz fell to the floor, the pink Happy Birthday banner that had been hung from one of his backdrops came into view. Roman had created it himself using photos of Sadie to make the letters.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so surprised,” Sadie said, not surprised at all. “What a surprise this is!”
“Overselling,” Roman muttered against her earlobe as they came to a stop beside his desk.
Marlee sauntered up to them. “Who told you?”
“Seriously, who squealed?” Kellie stepped beside Marlee.
“Was it Babushka?” Becca asked.
“I’ll let Sadie explain,” Roman replied, giving Sadie a side squeeze before heading to check the cake—chocolate with double fudge frosting.
He needed to mark this memory before they cut into it.
“Sadie?” he asked loud enough for her to hear. “Would you hand me Louise?”
Sadie picked up Louise from her special spot on his desk and brought her over.
No one, and he meant no one, touched Louise. Except him, and now Sadie.
Sadie held Louise to her own eye and clicked the shutter.
It’d become their thing—Sadie made sure he spent life in front of the shutter in more ways than just this one.
The party might not have been a surprise, but Roman hoped like hell that what he had in store for Sadie would still dazzle her. Roman took Louise while Sadie did the party circuit, welcoming friends and family.
Finally, she stood right next to him, her hand in his.
As time slipped on, Roman’s heart beat faster. It was time. Present time.
He wiped his palms against his jeans before clearing his throat and calling for attention.
Everyone sardined together in his studio for Sadie’s party. The entirety of his family turned to stare at him. The entirety of Sadie’s family. Their friends, including Rex and Tonya who were still happily married. Roman had been correct, Tonya won after all. Sadie saw it, too, eventually. The marriage stuck this time and Rex had warmed up to Sadie once he got to know her.
Winning meant different things. Sometimes it took a twist of the lens, a shift in perspective, to see the glimmer of light in the jungle trees. People just had to be willing to grab hold of that glimmer and believe that maybe they’d been wrong.
He glanced at her, warming all over when she smiled at him. A firm feelin
g that everything was right took hold.
There was no question about what he wanted his future to look like with Sadie, and in that moment, the nervous energy dissolved. No one else existed in the brightly lit room when she stared at him like that. There was only her. There was only them.
Roman cleared his throat. “I have something I’d like to share with everyone.”
The residual chatter dimmed until no one spoke.
“It’s Sadie’s birthday. She figured out the surprise because I am apparently an easy target.”
Everyone chuckled in response.
“It’s true,” Babushka shouted. “He’s very easy.”
“The thing is, I fell in love,” he said, not looking away from Sadie.
No one spoke, not even Babushka.
Which was fine—the pounding of his heart was loud enough, he didn’t need outside noises.
Sadie’s entire face had gone soft. She reached out and squeezed his hand.
“I fell in love with Sadie ten years ago.” Fuck, his voice wobbled like his heart in his chest. “I was just too caught up in myself to realize it was love or that it could happen so fast.”
Sadie’s eyes misted over like the fountain he’d bought her for her office.
“More recently, I fell in love with her all over again.”
There. That sounded good. Not rehearsed. Not planned. Still good.
“Maybe I never stopped loving her.”
That was definitely the case.
“Rome,” Sadie whispered.
“And I hope she’ll be mine.” Roman cleared his throat. “Forever.”
He moved his eyes away from Sadie to allow his gaze to wander over the room. Over his grandmother and her boyfriend of the moment, Etta, his parents, her parents, his brother and Heather—everyone. They all waited with rapt attention.
His gaze fell back on Sadie. Sadie, who didn’t seem to be breathing.
He wasn’t good with words when he was nervous, so he dropped to his knee and held out a velvet ring box with a princess-cut diamond in a gold setting.
“Marry me?” he asked, his knee digging into the floor.
Sadie’s expression went blank. Babushka gasped loudly. Lothario yipped.
But there was only Sadie and Roman. The two of them in a room of everyone they cared about.
Do Me a Favor: A second chance, hilarious rom com! (Mile High Matched Book 4) Page 25
