Chapter 16
Key West, Florida
“Did my parents make you feel uncomfortable yesterday?”
Charli paused just as she was placing the final meatball in the large cast iron pan. “Not at all. They were wonderful and full of information.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was afraid of,” Jack groaned.
She put the baking sheet in the oven and stood with her hands on her hips, a mischievous smile pasted across her features.
“You know, Jack, it’s not always about you,” she teased.
She pointed toward the kitchen island. “I forgot to tell you. Your mom brought that box over yesterday and told me it had a bunch of pictures that I may find interesting. Some of Elizabeth, her husband, and son. Let me show you.”
She washed and dried her hands, then picked up the box. She set it on the table in front of where he sat and carefully lifted the lid. “This box is full of family odds and ends, but I put the most important photos on top.” She handed him a shot of a couple and a baby.
“This is Elizabeth, Anthony, and their baby, Malcolm.” She ran a finger over Anthony. “Remember Amelia’s comments about him? I think he was actually quite handsome. Don’t you? Although those sideburns are something else.”
Jack grunted and picked up another photo of Malcolm as a young boy. “This looks like he was going to school.”
Charli grinned. “I know. Wasn’t that a cute outfit?” She picked up another photo. “Here’s another shot of the three of them several years later. Malcolm looks like a pre-teen.”
“They didn’t have any more children?” Jack asked, his brow beetled.
Charli shook her head. “No, Malcolm was an only child. Amelia mentioned in one of her entries that Elizabeth was having trouble conceiving, so maybe he was their one lucky shot.”
“Hmmmm,” Jack murmured. “When was he born?”
“In 1871...the same year Amelia committed suicide. And all we know about his birth is the year. The rest wasn’t recorded.”
Jack’s brows rose. “Huh. Well, that’s a coincidence.”
Charli shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. Key West didn’t start issuing birth certificates until the 1890s. Most families recorded births and deaths in the family bible.” She glanced at the clock. “We have another fifteen or thirty minutes before the ladies show up.”
She glanced around the kitchen. The wine and sangria bottles were lined up on the kitchen island as well as several trays of hors d’oeuvres. “Anything else we’re missing?”
Jack looked up from the picture he was holding, then squinted his eyes at the food. “Nope. As long as you have the sangria and pigs-in-a-blanket, they’ll be happy as clams. And they usually tend to be early to any event where drinking is involved.”
Charli snorted. “That’s the first time I’ve ever made pigs-in-a-blanket. I can’t believe they eat them.”
Jack met her eyes. “They usually have them at every meeting. The only reason we didn’t have them the night of your initiation is because it was unplanned. We came straight here from the Spent Pickle after they tracked us down, remember?”
Charli grinned. “That’s right...that was a fun night.”
Jack chuckled. “The next morning wasn’t as much fun for you.”
“No, it wasn’t.” Charli shuddered. “And I’ve promised myself I won’t have a repeat.”
“Don’t worry, baby.” Jack smiled and grabbed her hand to pull her close. “I’ll cut you off before you reach the point of no return.”
“My hero,” Charli breathed before she leaned down to kiss him.
Right before her lips met his, her phone began blaring a loud, obnoxious ring. She scrunched up and face and looked down over at the counter where her phone sat, knowing from the ring who was calling her.
“What the hell does he want,” she mumbled as she crossed to the counter.
“What does who want?” Jack asked as she picked up her phone and hit the accept button.
She pressed speakerphone and held the phone up to her chin. “Hello, Mr. Stewart. This is an unexpected call.”
“Charli. Hello.” There was a brief pause before he continued. “It’s good to talk to you.”
Charli closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself to be professional but her anger was more than she could overcome.
She leaned against the counter and replied bitterly, “That’s odd, Mr. Stewart.
The last time we spoke, I was Miss Harris to you and the conversation was less than pleasant. ”
“Yes, well...” Mr. Stewart cleared his throat. “I hope you’re not holding any resentments toward us for the reorganization. You weren’t the only attorney who had their cases reshuffled.”
“My cases weren’t reshuffled, Mr. Stewart. They were given to Evan because he’s engaged to Mr. Davis’ daughter, Genevieve.” She released a bitter huff. “By the way, how did that work out for you?”
“Well, Charli—”
“I think it should remain Miss Harris, thank you,” she responded coolly. She glanced and met Jack’s eyes from across the kitchen. His eyes were wide and his jaw tense, silently taking in the conversation.
Mr. Stewart cleared his throat again. “Of course. Miss Harris. I was calling to determine when you planned to return.”
Charli blinked. “Return? Return to what? My cases were removed, remember?”
“Well, Charli—I mean Miss Harris,” Mr. Stewart blustered. “That was just a trial period. We wanted to see if Evan could handle some serious cases.”
Charli felt her jaw drop as she stared at her phone.
Are you freaking kidding me? Trial period?!?! THIS is how he wants to spin it?
“A trial period? Are you seriously telling me that you sandbagged my career to see if Evan could prove himself?” She laughed bitterly.
“Now, Miss Harris, I can tell you’re still upset and I’m sorry about that. But I’d really like you to consider my offer.”
Charli ground her teeth for a moment, the professional in her warring with her childish side that wanted to tell him to jump off a cliff.
But she had dedicated over a decade to making partner and that made her pause.
..the professional won out for a moment.
She took a deep breath and moderated her tone before replying, “Okay, Mr. Stewart. What’s your offer? ”
“We’d like to have you back in the office on Monday. You’ll have your cases back and we’ll make you a full partner with no buy-in required. And I’ll have you know that’s the first time we’ve ever made this kind of offer. I think you know that our buy-ins sit at five hundred thousand dollars.”
Charli released a long, slow breath. “That’s an interesting offer, Mr. Stewart. May I ask where those cases stand as of today?”
Mr. Stewart cleared his throat yet again, and Charli could practically picture him adjusting his collar in discomfort. “Mr. Parker’s cases have gone to another firm and he’s currently suing us. Now, I think you may be able to persuade him to drop the lawsuit.”
Charli grunted noncommittally. “And the rest?”
Mr. Stewart sighed. “We’ve lost three of the clients, but we’re hoping you can get them back.”
“Just so we’re perfectly clear about your expectations surrounding this deal. Evan ran everything into the ground and you want me to come back and clean up his mess? This includes convincing Mr. Parker to drop his lawsuit and reacquiring the three other lost clients,” she deadpanned.
“Well, to be blunt, yes, we do.”
Charli stared at her phone for a long moment, her mind going in a circle like a roulette wheel.
Suddenly everything settled into place, and she knew her answer.
She pressed her lips together and looked up, meeting Jack’s gaze.
His jaw was clenched and his eyes were wild.
His hands gripped the edges of the table until his knuckles were white.
He was clearly as emotional about this call as she was, but for entirely different reasons she suspected.
God, I love this man. I could never leave him to go back to this nightmare.
“That’s quite an offer, Mr. Stewart.” She held Jack’s gaze.
“But my answer is no. I don’t believe that I could or should succeed under those terms, and I honestly have serious ethical concerns with the way the firm favored a male associate over myself.
I’ve relocated to Key West and plan to open my own firm down here.
” She grinned when her answer registered with Jack.
His mouth dropped, and he seemed to deflate like a balloon.
“But, Charli—” Mr. Stewart shouted.
“Thanks for calling, Mr. Stewart. You’ll have my resignation letter first thing in the morning.” Holding Jack’s gaze, Charli ended the call and tossed the phone on the counter.
“God, that felt good,” she said, feeling a literal weight fall off her shoulders.
Jack still stared at her, not saying a word.
“Are you okay, Jack?”
“Are you serious?” he whispered, his voice cautious. “You’re staying? He offered you the partnership you’ve been working so hard for. Are you sure?”
Charli tilted her head, and her eyelashes fanned down. “Is that all right with you? That means I’ll be underfoot all the time and driving you crazy. But I really think we can do great things with Paradise West and I want to help make that happen.”
Jack stood from the table and slowly walked over to her, the look on his face incredulous.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely thrilled that you’re staying.
It’s what I’ve wanted since the moment I saw you in the terminal.
I just can’t believe you quit your job, and I want to make sure you’ve really thought it through. ”
She reached out to him, her hands lacing together behind is neck. “I quit in my heart a long time ago. My mind just had to catch up.”
Jack’s arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her in tight, his head burying in her neck. He picked her up and twirled her around, tossing his head back and his joyous laugh booming off the walls.
He stopped and set her down, staring intently into her eyes. “I love you, Charli Harris.”
Charli caught her breath as she held his gaze. She gulped and took a deep breath. “I love you, too, Jack Sullivan.”