by Alexa Aston
So, why didn’t he pick up the phone and call her?
Part of it was a trust issue. He’d been burned badly, years ago, when he found out Stephanie allowed Monty to abort Wynn’s baby. His girlfriend hadn’t told him she’d gotten pregnant, much less asked him about whether he’d be in favor of an abortion. As always, Stephanie did what she wanted to do, to further her career, without giving a thought to his feelings about what she was doing to their child. True, having a baby right as they graduated from college wasn’t ideal, but was it ever a good time to have a child?
The fact was the woman he loved and hoped to marry lied by omission and kept her pregnancy from him. The abortion affected him deeply. Ever since then, Wynn found it hard to trust anyone. He hadn’t gotten serious with another woman. Had never planned on marriage or children of his own.
Until Scarlett.
Meeting Scarlett Corrigan changed everything about him overnight. Suddenly, Wynn saw what his future could be, one far different—and far better—than the life he led now. He wanted Scarlett in his life as he made the huge changes in his career. He needed her to be the mother of his children. Wynn let his walls tumble down and opened up to her and her family and friends and made them his own.
That’s why her betrayal stung so much. He had to get over it, though. She hadn’t cheated on him with another guy or had a secret abortion. She had deceived him with a lie of omission but she’d taken care of his legal situation beyond his wildest dreams. Wynn’s gut told him no one but Scarlett could have gone up against Rylon Pictures and come out victorious. With Scarlett winning his freedom from Rylon and the Alpha Tharra franchise, Wynn would be able to pursue the acting jobs he wanted and not be forced into something he had grown to despise.
He also believed, given time, Scarlett would have come clean about what she’d done. He’d merely pushed the issue to the forefront by sharing his ideas with her about starting his own company and charity and insisting she be the only one to handle all the paperwork.
It was their first fight. A doozy of one—but not something to end what they had together. Wynn saw that now. He’d given in to the heat of the moment. His past experience with Stephanie had played into his fears and blown the situation out of control.
Wynn had messed up, big time. He would need to be the one to step up and apologize. He was wrong and not ashamed to admit it. He would do whatever it took to assure Scarlett they were fine.
Knowing he’d never fall asleep again, he threw back the covers and got out of bed. He hadn’t slept much, waking up several times during the night, worrying about everything. Since it was only five, he decided to go for a run on the beach. Physical exertion always relieved stress for him.
An hour later, he was back home and in the shower. He downed a protein drink as he dressed. Grabbing his keys, he stepped out into the garage and got into his Range Rover. Opening the garage door, he started to back out and stopped.
The Spitfire sat in the driveway.
Wynn got out and saw an envelope sitting on the driver’s seat. He opened it and found the keys inside it. No note.
A fresh wave of anger swept through him. Scarlett had returned his gift. She was definitely cutting all ties. He pulled out his phone and decided what he had to say needed to be face to face. He returned the Range Rover to the garage and got behind the wheel of the Spitfire. As he headed south on the PCH, he decided to call Cassie and get the lay of the land before he arrived at the Corrigans’ place.
She answered on the second ring.
“Hey, Wynn. You’re up early.”
“I’m coming your way. Is Scarlett awake by any chance?”
A pause caused his heart to skip a beat.
“No. Scarlett moved back home, Wynn. I told her we appreciate all the help you and she have given us but it was time for all of us to get back to our normal lives, especially the two of you.”
“Why do you say that?” he asked cautiously.
“Rhett and I know how you feel about one another, Wynn. You and Scarlett haven’t had much time alone, attending to all of our needs. You need to be together as a couple and not schlepping our kids around and running errands for us.”
When he didn’t say anything, Cassie asked, “Are you two all right? Scarlett was a little emotional yesterday, especially when I told her how much Rhett and I liked you and liked her with you.”
“I fucked up, Cassie. More than you know.”
“I know you care about Scarlett, Wynn.”
“I love her.”
“Good. It can be fixed, Wynn. Whatever it is. Rhett and I hit a really rough patch. I screwed up and thought he’d never want to see me again. I left and he had no idea where to find me. Fortunately, friends of ours intervened and gave us the chance to come face to face. We worked it out.” She paused. “I can’t imagine what my life without Rhett would be like. If we each hadn’t pushed aside our pride and opened up and been honest with one another, I’d be a different person today. One I doubt I would like very much—because I wouldn’t be with the man who means everything to me.”
She sighed. “What I’m saying is you and Scarlett have something special, Wynn. Don’t give up on it. Or her.”
“I won’t.”
He meant it.
CHAPTER 20
Scarlett went to her office door after a group of three lawyers left and told Erica, “No more interruptions.”
She closed the door and went to her desk, immediately kicking off the uncomfortable heels and pushing them to the side. It was nine-thirty and she hadn’t accomplished a single thing since she’d arrived at the office two hours ago. The only progress she’d made was returning Wynn’s car late last night, leaving it in his driveway and hiking back to the PCH and calling an Uber driver to pick her up.
She understood her colleagues wanted to be friendly and greet her since she’d been away for several weeks but she didn’t want to be around any people. None.
Collapsing into her chair, she tamped down the nausea. Was she more aware of it now that she knew she was pregnant? Or had she known subconsciously and pushed the thought aside the past few mornings when she’d been queasy? Either way, she opened the bottom drawer where she’d stashed her purse and pulled out a bag of Baked Goldfish. She knew most women experiencing nausea ate saltine crackers but she was a Goldfish girl from way back. Crunching on the tiny orange crackers gave her comfort. She ate a few and her stomach seemed to ease a bit.
Without warning, her door flew open, banging against the wall. Henry Lymon stormed in, his face mottled with rage as he slammed it shut.
Waving a single page in his hand, he shouted, “What the fuck, Scarlett?”
Calmly, she responded, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Henry.”
He tossed it onto her desk and the page slid toward her. Picking it up and skimming it quickly, she saw it was a letter firing Henry—and Lymon McGraw.
From Wynn.
Henry placed both palms against her desk and leaned on it. “Is this your way of getting back at me because I took advantage and plucked a plum client from your fold? Did you tell Wynn Gallagher to leave Lymon McGraw?”
“I had nothing to do with this,” she said honestly. “You can see from the letterhead it’s from his brother’s law firm. I suppose Wynn decided to go back to his brother representing him.”
“After I got him out from under Rylon’s thumb?” he shouted, his face now beet red.
Scarlett pushed to her feet. “Excuse me? I wrote every word of those documents. I’m the one who made the pitch to the Rylon executives and legal team. All you did was point where to sign.” She shrugged. “Maybe Wynn merely used our expertise to extricate himself from being tied up for so many movies and years. Has he paid his bill?”
“Yes,” growled Henry. “In full.”
“Then I don’t see a problem. We’ve had clients do this before, Henry. Skate in and out. It’s disappointing but a part of doing business. Clients have a fundamental right to discharge us
at any time, with or without cause.”
A knock sounded on her door and they both looked in that direction as her assistant leaned in.
“Mr. Lymon would like to see both of you in his office at once.”
“Thank you, Erica.”
Scarlett slipped back into her heels and grabbed her iPad. She moved past Henry and went down the corridor until she reached the end. The old man’s assistant asked if she wanted coffee and Scarlett shook her head. Caffeine had to go now that she was pregnant. The young woman waved her in. Little Lymon was already seated next to his grandfather. The old man stood and greeted her with a kiss to the cheek as his son slid into a chair, still seething.
“Good to have you back, my dear. You were missed. I hope everything is fine with your brother and his family.”
“It is. Thank you for asking.” She took a seat and he followed suit.
“You took more days than you told HR you would,” Henry said, reminding her of a tattling schoolboy. “As the managing partner, I have to tell you that sets a bad example. Other partners will get the wrong idea. Not to mention the associates.”
Scarlett looked at him steadily. “Technically, I only took off six days total. The rest of the time, I’ve worked from Rhett’s home office. I was in constant contact with Erica as well as my client list. I closed three sponsorship deals, handled a half-dozen other cases, and settled two other claims. I also helped launch Knox and London Monroe’s furniture and design line. I wasn’t lying on some beach drinking rum punches, Henry. You should know because I’ve already submitted my billable hours to you for the month.”
He glared daggers at her. Scarlett realized he hated being challenged by her in front of his father and son.
“No squabbling,” the old man ordered gruffly. Then in soothing tones he said, “I have something new I want the two of you to work on together. Scarlett, you’ll also be mentoring Trae during the proceedings. I won’t lie to you. It’s complicated. I know how you love a challenge.”
Spending countless hours in Henry Lymon’s company would pile misery upon misery. That was no frame of mind to be in with a baby on the way. Suddenly, sitting at Lymon McGraw was the last place Scarlett wanted to be. She’d enjoyed the freedom of making her own schedule while she’d been at Rhett’s. She worked on the cases that had meaning to her and accomplished more than usual without interruptions.
It hit her that she could leave this firm and strike out on her own. Without a doubt, several clients would follow her, including handling matters for RCDS. Her reputation would bring in new business to compensate for those she lost. She could pick and choose what she wanted to do and whom she would represent. It would be her workload to create and manage.
“This is a case involving—”
“Mr. Lymon, may I speak to you privately?” Scarlett interrupted.
“Now?” He looked baffled.
Trae snickered.
Henry harrumphed.
“Scarlett, I realize you’ve just gotten back into the office,” the founder of the firm began.
“I did. I thought this was what I wanted. To come back and pick up where I left off.” She paused. “It’s not.”
The old man’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I’d like to tender my resignation from the firm.”
Silence greeted her declaration. Her gut told her this was the right choice to make. For her. For her baby. Scarlett pressed on.
“We’ll need to notify our client list that I’m leaving the firm, especially the ones in which I’ve served in the principal role for their legal services. I think a joint notification would be best, once I’ve put out an email to the partners and the rest of the staff at Lymon McGraw.”
She looked to the old man. “Mr. Lymon, you did me a great honor hiring me directly out of law school. You’ve entrusted me with delicate cases and I’ve learned so much from you. My life is changing, though, and I need to make accommodations to see those changes through.”
His faded blue eyes misted over. “You’ve been an asset from the moment you walked through our doors, my dear. Why don’t you inform the firm and then draft the joint letter for me to look over? Be sure to assure our clients that we have their best needs in mind during this transition.”
Henry leaped to his feet. “You’re going to let her write the letter?”
The old man nodded. “I have no doubt Scarlett will word it meticulously. She would never disparage the firm or mislead our clients. They can choose to stay with us or follow her. Over the years, she’s originated several clients and cultivated a relationship with many others.”
“That’s the point, Father. She could walk away with some of our top dollar clientele.”
“As is her right, Henry.”
“I don’t give a fuck about her rights. She owes us. We’ve groomed her for a decade and now she thinks she can walk away from all that we’ve invested in her?”
The old man sighed. “Henry, Henry. All you see are dollar signs. You never see people.”
“He’s never seen me,” Trae interjected. “I never wanted to become a lawyer.”
Henry jerked his head to look at his son. “Being some country musician was no future for a Lymon.”
“I like writing music, Dad. It feeds my soul. Did you even know I still write? That I play in a band on weekends? Mom does. She’s come to see me play.”
“You what? No wonder your briefs are so spotty,” Henry said, his disapproval evident.
Trae stood. “I quit. I have enough saved to go it for a few months.” He grinned at Scarlett. “Thanks to you, I’ll be on the road to Nashville tonight.” He leaned down and hugged his grandfather. “I love you, Pops. Maybe I’ll write a song about all of this someday.”
With that, Trae Lymon sailed from the office as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
“See what you’ve done!” Henry accused Scarlett. “He doesn’t know what he wants.”
“Trae is an adult and knows exactly what he wants,” she replied. “He’s brave enough to go out and search for it.” She stood. “I’ll go draft that letter, sir.”
“You do that,” Henry said snidely. “Write the damn letter. Lymon McGraw doesn’t need you here anyway.” He stormed from the office.
Scarlett turned to the remaining Lymon. “I’m sorry.”
“No. Don’t say that. Henry can’t ever admit he’s wrong about anything. I must say, my dear, you’ve inspired not only Trae. You’ve let me see things with new eyes.”
“How so?”
“I think it’s time I stepped down from Lymon McGraw.”
She gasped.
“I’ve been thinking about it. I’m seventy-eight, you know. Still walk three miles each morning. I’m sitting on a pile of money. Margaret and I have our health. She’s begged me for years to quit so we could travel.” He smiled broadly. “I’m finally going to do it.”
Lymon stood. “Henry, as managing partner, can restructure the firm however he chooses. You draft the joint letter informing our clients of my retirement and your departure. Run it by me so it can go out by noon today.”
“Yes, sir.”
In a daze, Scarlett went back to her office, unsettled by the events of the past few minutes. She motioned for Erica to follow her into her office.
Her assistant closed the door and said, “Spill. Everything.”
She laughed. “We’ve been together seven years, right?”
“Yes. Why? What’s up?” Erica’s eyes widened. “Are you leaving, Scarlett?”
“I’m leaving.” Saying it aloud felt good.
“Then I’m coming with you,” her assistant insisted. “Big firm or small. It doesn’t matter. We’re a team.”
“It’ll only be you and me,” she revealed. “I’m starting my own firm. I may keep it a one-attorney office or it may grow in the future. Right now, I have no idea. All I know is that I need a change.”
Erica grabbed a pen and legal pad from Scarlett’s desk and starting jott
ing down notes. “You’ll need a website. A logo. Business cards. Martin can do those for you.”
“I thought your boyfriend was a fireman.”
Erica smiled. “My new fiancé is a fireman but they all have side jobs for their days off. Martin does web and product design.”
Scarlett grabbed Erica’s hand to look at her engagement ring. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“I was going to. It happened last night. You had a parade of people in and out this morning, though. Anyway, Martin has today and tomorrow off. He can drop whatever he’s doing and have mockups to you by tomorrow. What are you thinking about?”
She laughed. “I haven’t. Hmm. Something clean. Simple but classic.”
“Color scheme?”
Scarlett shrugged. “I’ll leave that to you. And Martin.”
Erica scrawled a few more things and looked up. “When are you quitting?”
“My desk is clear. I’d wrapped up everything existing before I came in this morning. Mr. Lymon wants me to write a letter from the firm and myself to go out to our client list. Once I do that, I’m out of here.”
“Then I am, too. I’ll hand in my resignation to HR now. I have almost three weeks of vacay coming. I’ll ask to be paid for the days instead. I’ll get to work on all the startup. Where will we office?”
“Out of my house to begin with. Later, we can find office space.”
“I’m on it.” Erica hugged Scarlett. “You’re the best boss ever. I can’t wait to start this new adventure with you.” She left, closing the door behind her.
Exhausted, Scarlett sat and removed her heels again. It would be an adventure. Running her own firm. Being a first-time mom.
How did Wynn fit into this picture?
She’d avoided thinking about him, preferring to focus on the baby. She owed it to him to let him know he was going to be a father. The trouble was, Wynn was a sweet man, old-fashioned in a few ways. The minute she broke the news to him, she expected he would propose.
