Chapter 21
Brian
Staying away felt almost impossible. Jess’s girls were here tonight while she and Sloane and Lo had a girls’ night. Asshole that I was, I stayed in my office, working through the Phillips trust reallocation, letting Sully and Cal handle babysitting duty.
But with each minute that passed, it got harder to remain in my office chair, focusing on work.
Through therapy, I’d learned to embrace my feelings.
But Dr. Johnson hadn’t warned me that once I opened up, a dozen emotions I’d never understood would come rushing out along with those I knew I was suppressing.
Desire and longing plagued me, along with the constant fear that I was missing something essential.
Despite my determination to keep my relationship with Jess professional, my mind wandered. And Madame E certainly didn’t help. She’d caught me late that night when Dammit and I were returning from our walk and had blocked me on the stairs.
“I must talk to you. The winds have spoken.”
I looked down at the damn cat, who looked equally confused by this insanity.
“They said it’s a great time for Lake.”
I blinked, I was tired, overworked, and annoyed that my feline overlord had bullied me into a late-night walk. “Great. Should I throw myself in this lake?”
She frowned. “Lake is not water.” Her bracelets jangled. “You need to open your third eye.”
“It’s almost midnight. I can barely keep these two open,” I quipped and her lip curled.
“You need to see, Brian. See yourself. See her.”
She thankfully moved, heading down the stairs toward the door. Where a seventy-something psychic was going at his hour was a mystery, but it was one I’d rather not solve.
Instead, I was left to obsess over her weird-ass predictions.
I’d never been much of a lake-goer, so I couldn’t begin to guess which lake she was referring to. We weren’t exactly surrounded by lakes in Jersey City. We had the Hudson River, but that was possibly the least romantic body of water in history.
So now I was spiraling about lakes, wondering if I should buy a boat, pick up life jackets, or research fishing. Fucking great.
It was almost midnight, and considering how quiet the apartment was, I assumed everyone had turned in. My stomach roiled, I wasn’t sure if it was from stress or the protein shake Greta had made me that included what tasted like an aggressive amount of cinnamon.
I hung the cat’s leash beside the door and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. Halfway there, I found Sloane pacing the living room with the baby.
“Brian,” she whispered. “We need to talk.”
I strode toward her, concerned by her statement. “Everything okay?”
Nodding, she held the baby out to me. “Burp her for me. I gotta get Lo.”
I cradled Tia against my shoulder, patting her firmly and congratulating her when she let out a belch that would make a Big 10 frat boy proud.
When Sloane reappeared, Lo was hot on her heels, dragging a sleepy-looking Cal by the hand.
“Brian,” Lo squeaked, her tone high-pitched.
“Sully’s coming,” Sloane said, clasping her hands. “We have so much to discuss.”
“Bloody hell. It’s midnight. Do we really need to do this tonight?” Sully asked, running his hands through his hair.
“Yeah.” Cal added. “I need to keep an eye on Bubbles. He’s made a miraculous recovery since I gave him his fish vitamins. He’s got a new lease on life.” .
Oh Jesus. Lola flushed and I raised an eyebrow at her. Long live Bubbles the Tenth, I guess.
“Focus,” Sloane chirped. “We need to talk about Brian.”
Annoyance rushed through me. “I’m right here.”
“And Jess,” Lo added. “We loosened her up with wine and cheese, and let me tell you, that woman is into you.”
“So into you.” Sloane bounced up and down. “When she talked about you, she couldn’t stop smiling, and her eyes got all dreamy.”
I sucked in a breath. I’d kept my feelings under control by denying that there was any interest on the other side of this.
“Why are you telling me this?”
Cal threw an arm around Lo’s shoulders. “Because you have to make a move, you plonker.”
“She is my client,” I gritted out, irritated that, after such a long, stressful day, I was now being subjected to a late-night inquisition.
“You’ve already filed her motion,” Lo said.
“One of us can step in for the hearing if necessary,” Sloane added.
Seriously? She was still on maternity leave, but she was offering to step in for the hearing? These people had lost the plot. This could not happen. For so many reasons, but most importantly because it was unethical.
“I know you’re all happy and in love, but don’t let that blind you to the facts. If I were to pursue a romantic relationship with a client, I could be disbarred.”
Sully, who had his phone out and was scrolling, held one finger up. “Actually, according to the New Jersey State Bar Association code of conduct, if the romantic relationship preceded the representation, it’s allowed.”
Sloane beamed at him.
“Our relationship was twenty years ago. This is absurd.”
As if sensing my frustration, Tia fussed in my arms, so I exhaled and willed my muscles to relax.
“Tomorrow I’ll look for precedent on point,” Lo added, ever the paralegal.
“Seriously,” I said, keeping my tone even so I wouldn’t upset the baby again. “We’ve spent the last year trying to save our firm. I’m not going to ruin all that by getting involved with a client.”
Cal barked out a laugh, and Lo and Sloane joined in. Sully wasn’t effusive the way they were, but even he cracked a smile.
“We’ve discussed this.” Sully took the baby from me. “In fact, you and Cal were the ones who spelled it out for me when I was ready to let the firm go to save my marriage. Dad was trying to save us, dumbass. In his own weird misguided way. Not the firm. The wanker wanted to save us from ourselves.”
“And the most ridiculous part is that it worked,” Cal added. “Look at us. The Murphy boys are finally getting their shit together and making Dad proud.”
Sully kissed Tia’s head.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. They were all love drunk and had no idea what they were saying.
“And technically,” Sloane said, “we’re not saying you should jump right in and initiate a sexual relationship. We’re suggesting you lay the groundwork. Show your interest.”
“Because she is interested,” Lo added.
The two of them high-fived.
Terror shot through me. Fuck, how had I ended up in their crosshairs like this? The Murphy brothers were typically the recipients of their shit.
“Her motion should be resolved soon,” Lo said.
“And I can file a motion to appear as co-counsel,” Sloane added. “Just in case.”
Decades of professional conditioning butted up against the feelings that had been steadily growing stronger since Jess had walked back into my life.
The situation was fucked up, and my brain was fried.
All I wanted was to be alone. I wanted to climb into bed, read my Winston Churchill biography, and wallow in my obsession with my college girlfriend.
Cal, ever the negotiator, clapped my shoulder. “She’s your first love. And she walked in the door after decades, desperate for your legal expertise and your broad, manly shoulders.”
“Cal.” I groaned.
“Lay the groundwork, mate.” He shook me. “I got the girl because I strategized.” With a grin, he threw Lo a wink. “Make a gesture.”
“Yes,” Sloane said. “Her ex sounds like a piece of shit, yet she’s risen above it all. She’s busting her ass to be a great mom. Show her you see her. Show her you want to be part of her and her kids’ lives,” she urged.
I respected Kit and Greta as much as I respected Jess, there was no denying that. They made the most of the hand they’d been dealt, and their presence in my life was breaking me out of my workaholic tendencies.
Hope, that sneaky bastard, bloomed in my chest. Was it possible? We should have a resolution soon. And depending on the outcome of the motion, either Cal or Sully could take on her case. Even Sloane when her maternity leave ended.
I paced to the kitchen and back, my mind racing.
What could I do to show my interest? My care?
I couldn’t just go for it and kiss her. I was her attorney. I’d hate for her to misinterpret the act, to feel obligated to reciprocate to show her thanks.
She would have to make the first move.
But a gesture. Something to excite her and her kids. Something to prove that I’d gladly be part of their lives if they wanted me to.
“Lake,” I said quietly. “They love Lake Paige. She’s going on tour, right?”
Lo blinked at me like I was the stupidest man alive. “Um. Yeah. The Moonlight Tour.”
“Okay,” I breathed. “I’ll get tickets. She must be coming to New York.”
“You can’t just get tickets.” Lo spoke to me as if I were a child. “They’ve been sold out for months. The Lake fans crashed the ticket websites when they went on sale, and resale prices are astronomical.”
“I’ll figure it out.” Cost was no object. If I had to drop a couple of grand, then so be it.
I whipped out my phone and typed Lake Paige tour into the search bar. Immediately, I found a list of dates, including one in New York in August. Shit, they’d be in Vermont by then.
“Dammit,” I muttered, and the cat appeared, rubbing up against my legs, as if I’d actually called him.
The more I thought about it, the surer I was that taking them to see Lake Paige was the best way to handle this. Kit and Greta would lose their minds, and it would be incredible to experience this through their eyes.
I scrolled back up the list of dates and hissed. “Yes.” With my phone held up in front of me, I said, “She’ll be in Boston next weekend.”
I had to try. They’d eventually move to Vermont, but I had to take a chance. I had to know whether it was possible that we could really be something. Because I felt it. Deep inside my bones. The universe had sent her back to me, and I didn’t want to ever let her go again.
“I need to call Dylan.”