Chapter 5
five
. . .
Presley
With the West Coast time difference, I was able to wake up fairly early and head out to the stables to check on the horses before getting in a few hours of work.
My horse, Honey, had definitely aged since I’d seen her last, but I couldn’t wait to take her out for a ride.
She was a gorgeous golden-brown Dutch Warmblood, which was the best jumping horse money could buy.
But she’d become more of a friend to me than anything.
I’d won my last national competition riding her my senior year of high school, and I’d decided to stop competing after that.
There was a peacefulness that came over me when I was here, breathing in the country air with the morning sun just peeking through the clouds. The ocean sat in the distance, and there really wasn’t much that compared to this beauty.
My father wouldn’t be up and moving for a while, so the timing was perfect. I’d just finished a meeting with a client and my boss, Phillip, had wanted an update, so we’d agreed to have a Zoom meeting so we could meet face-to-face.
“Good work, Presley. I told you that you could have some time off while you’re home, but from the looks of it, you’re working quite a bit from there.”
“Trust me, I’m not working nearly as much as I normally do. But I’d rather not cancel meetings with clients if I don’t have to.”
“That’s the work ethic that has made it impossible not to make you partner.” He chuckled. “How’s your dad doing?”
“It’s going to be a long road to recovery, but I think he’s up for the fight. It’s been a tough week, but I’m seeing improvement.”
“Yeah, he’s going to be just fine. Shall we discuss the elephant in the room?”
“I told you that we don’t need to discuss Wes. I know he is your client and your friend, and this is… complicated.” I fiddled with the handle of my coffee mug. “You knew him before you knew me.”
“Yeah. But I like you much better,” he said with a chuckle. “Obviously, we represent his production company. I’m assuming he’s seeking his own personal legal representation since you’ve filed for divorce.”
“I honestly don’t know. He hasn’t responded. We have a prenup, so this whole thing could be very simple if he’d just sign. But you know that isn’t really Wes’s style.”
Wes wasn’t a bad guy. Hell, it was the reason I’d agreed to marry him.
I may not have loved him the way I should have—the way I’d loved Cage—but he had this vibrant personality that I’d always found attractive.
When Wes entered a room, he captivated everyone in it.
He was charming and funny and kind. But he was also arrogant and spoiled and entitled.
He wanted to have his cake and eat it, too.
They say most people’s strengths are also their weaknesses. Wes was a perfect example of that. He required a lot of attention, and he liked to win whatever conquest he found attractive at the moment.
I’d quickly learned that after I’d agreed to marry him. He still sought female attention everywhere we went, and after our first year of marriage, I poured myself into work and stopped traveling with him.
So, he traveled without me.
Which clearly brought us to our current situation.
At the end of the day, we grew apart. And we’d never had a strong enough foundation to make either of us fight for the other.
“Is Stew going to apply a bit of pressure?” he asked about my divorce attorney. Stew Bearman was one of the best, and he also happened to be a personal friend.
“Yes. And I have no doubt that he’ll get it done.”
“Good. You know I’m here for you. Veronica wants me to drop Wes as a client, but Grant and Ben are pushing back a bit, of course.
They are all about the bottom line.” Veronica was Phillip’s wife, and she’d become a close friend of mine.
The partners at the firm weren’t loyal to me, nor should they be.
This was a business, and at the end of the day, Wes was a good client.
He just wasn’t a great husband.
But I certainly wasn’t winning any Wife of the Year awards either, though I’d never strayed. I wouldn’t disrespect him that way. I may not be in love with him, but I did care about him.
“Don’t drop him as a client. This will all blow over, and we’ll move on at some point. I just want to have it all behind me before returning home. I don’t need to be sharing an apartment with him.” I forced a chuckle, dreading everything that needed to happen before this was all over.
“That magazine article is going to press this week. No one will be talking about your creep of a husband when they see that you’re blazing the way for women in the legal world.” He smiled as he tapped his pen against the desk.
“Thank you. It’s nice to have something going right in my life.”
“You’re tough, and you’re going to be just fine. I’ll let you go. Keep me posted. We’ll talk soon.”
I said my goodbyes and made my way to the main house. I wanted to be present for both speech therapy and physical therapy today, just to get an idea of how he was doing and what they’d be expecting of him moving forward. I’d stay out of the way so he wouldn’t be embarrassed about me being there.
When I arrived at the house, Brenda was just setting out a fresh vase of peonies and hydrangeas in the entryway. My mother liked things run in a certain way, whether she was staying at this house or not.
“Good morning,” I said, pausing to give her a hug. She’d worked for my family for a long time.
“Hey there, sunshine. I sure do like starting my days seeing your sweet face. I’m glad you’re here. I think it’s helping your dad a lot.”
“Yeah. I’m glad I’m here, too. Is he up?”
“He is. I’ll bring you some coffee up shortly.”
I held up my water bottle. “No need. I’m good for now. And you know I’ll help myself if I need anything.”
I’d married a man who was as wealthy as the family I’d grown up in. But I’d always preferred to do things for myself when I could.
“All right. Come say goodbye before you head out.”
“I will.”
The next few hours were filled with progress and frustration. My father was a strong man, and he didn’t like relying on anyone for help. I understood it. But he was also stubborn, and that could work against him.
“Nice work today,” Baxter said, helping him back into the wheelchair. There was a layer of sweat across my dad’s forehead, and he nodded.
Once we returned to his room, he tipped his head back and chugged some water. “All right, darling.” His words were already getting much clearer, and it had only been a week since he’d started speech therapy. “I’m going to shower and make some calls.”
“You’re back to work?” I shook my head in disbelief.
“Work keeps my mind focused. I’m just going to check on a few things, nothing over the top. Don’t you have to go meet Lola to see that property?” he asked, and his words dragged toward the end because the longer he spoke, the more tired he grew.
“Yes. I’m going to meet her in an hour. She’s excited about it.” My father was going to be an investor in her new business, as was I. My best friend was brilliant, and I had no doubt she would turn this spa into an attraction that everyone on this coast would want to visit.
“You sure you don’t want to throw in the towel on law and move back here and partner up with her?”
My eyes doubled in size. “Says the man who once told me there would be nothing better that I could ever do with my life than to practice law?”
“Well, I said that when I was practicing law.” He chuckled this raspy, hearty laugh that made my chest heavy. “I know you’re going through a lot. That asshole husband of yours better not come around me anytime soon.”
I rolled my eyes. “He messed up, but he isn’t the only reason our marriage is done. I just waited too long to do it myself. We were over long before he had an affair.”
He looked up at me with the same dark eyes as mine. “Life is short, sweetheart. Do what makes you happy.”
“Who are you, and what have you done with my father?” I laughed and did my best to mimic his deep voice. “Life is short, so make a difference in the world while you can. Work hard. Make a name for yourself.”
“You’ve already got my name.” He smirked. “And you graduated from Harvard Law and work at one of the most prestigious firms in the country. There’s nothing left to prove. What I don’t like seeing is the sadness in your eyes.” His voice broke on his last word, and I reached for his hand.
“I’m fine. I just want you to be okay.”
“I will be. You can count on it.”
“All right. Get showered and get some rest. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
There had been a heaviness in my chest since I’d been home. Seeing my dad in his current state, my lack of relationship with my mother more apparent than ever, being in the same town as Cage, and meeting his daughter—it was a lot.
I said goodbye to Brenda as she fixed a tray of food for my father, and I decided to walk to meet Lola downtown. I was so used to being in the city with so many people, and it was nice to be out on a walk and hear the sound of the birds chirping and smell the salt water in the distance.
How long had it been since I’d walked somewhere and took my time getting there?
My phone vibrated, and I glanced down to see yet another text from Wes.
The Devil
I just spoke to your attorney. I will sign the papers if you hear me out.
I’m flying into Cottonwood Cove tonight.
Have dinner with me, let me speak to you in person, and I give you my word that I will sign the papers afterward if that’s what you want.
Tell me where to meet you, and I’ll be there at 8:00 p.m.
I came to a stop and let out a long breath. I knew this was the only way he’d do it, so I could agree to these terms. I responded quickly, and I felt hopeful that this could be closure for both of us.
Thank you. I’ll be at Reynolds’ Bar and Grill at 8:00 p.m.
The Devil
Why am I not surprised you chose Reynolds’ as the meeting place? It’s sort of ironic, isn’t it?
I didn’t respond. Yes, he knew about my history with Cage.
Hell, he blamed that relationship for all that had been wrong with ours.
But Reynolds’ Bar and Grill was the busiest place in town from what I’d heard, and I knew Wes well enough to know that he wouldn’t make a scene in a restaurant with an audience.
Wes was all about image and appearances.
I tucked my phone into my back pocket and looked up to see Lola waving at me as she stood in front of the old firehouse.
“So, this is it, huh?”
“Yep. Brax opened it up for me to show you, and he’ll be back to lock up in an hour. He had an appointment.” Brax was Hugh’s best friend, and he’d grown up in Cottonwood Cove.
“Did you already go inside?”
“I did,” she said. “You’re going to lose your mind. It’s absolutely perfect. I’m hoping it makes you want to be my partner and run this place with me.”
“I am your partner,” I said, shaking my head. “But my life is in New York, and you know that.”
“You’re my financial partner. I want us to work together like we always dreamed we’d do.”
“Lo, I’m about to become a partner at Harper, Walker, and Beezley. It’s everything I’ve worked for. Not to mention, there is an article going to press in a few days that will be singing my praises as having paved the way for women in the legal world. Have you forgotten about all that?”
“I know, and I’m so proud of you. I just… I don’t know,” she said, looking away as her teeth sank into her bottom lip.
“What? Say it.”
“I think you’ve buried yourself in a miserable job, working endless hours all to avoid your unhappy marriage. Life is short, Pres. I want you to be happy. That’s why I left the city and came here. I’m done with the rat race. I want to start living.”
I raised a brow and reached for the door handle, pulling it open and stepping inside. “Don’t put your issues on me. You hated Corporate America. I thrive in it.”
“I’ll bet you thrived having that talk with Cage, too, didn’t you?” She waggled her brows.
“It was fine. I didn’t want to leave things with me being a complete asshole to him while I was drunk. We got some… closure.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” She chuckled and pulled off her coat, and I did the same. “And his daughter sounds adorable.”
“Yeah. She’s really something. He’s a good dad, no doubt about it.” I looked up as I dropped my coat onto the counter beside the door. “And… oh my gosh. This place is spectacular.”
The old firehouse had massive vaulted ceilings and wide-open spaces.
It would take a lot of work to make it what she had visualized for the space, but I listened as we walked through and she explained her plans for the layout.
From yoga classes to several rooms for massages and facials and whatever else she could think of.
There would be a juice bar and a small gift shop selling brand products she wanted me to help create.
My inner artist couldn’t wait to go sit at the cove and sketch some ideas for her.
“Isn’t it fabulous?”
“It is. I can see it. Now, we need to come up with a name and brand idea and then figure out the budget. It’s going to take a lot of work to get this place up and running, but I think it’s going to be worth it.”
“Does it make you want to jump ship on your boring life and join me?”
“It does not. But I will be cheering you on all the way.” I bumped her with my shoulder as we moved up the stairs.
“Can we grab dinner and celebrate that we might actually have found the perfect place?”
I loved that Lola was always a glass-half-full person. We had a long way to go as far as figuring out the expenses and what this particular location would take to get it up and running. But her enthusiasm had always been one of my favorite things about her.
“I can’t tonight. Wes is coming into town.”
Her head whipped around, and her mouth fell open. “Shut the mother fucking front door!”
“Relax. He said he’d sign the papers if I agreed to meet with him. He’s just flying in for dinner.”
“How noble of him. Is he bringing his baby mama with him?”
“That would make for an interesting dinner, wouldn’t it?” I shook my head and laughed. What had felt mortifying just a week ago, had somehow become comical to me now.
Maybe being back here in this small town that I’d always loved was having a healing effect on me.
My life was still a shit show, but somehow, I didn’t feel so alone anymore.