Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
L ila
"Hey, Skye. What are you up to this evening?" I ask my new friend as we make our way to the elevator at the end of the day. I’m glad to be leaving the office.
"Not much," she says, shaking her head. "I think I’m going to go and have a drink. Do you want to join me?"
"I would, but I'm going to do some reconnaissance work tonight."
"Reconnaissance work?" She looks at me in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"So…" I lower my voice and look around to ensure no one's listening to me. "Max has this new case where he is helping a client, a very rich client, file for divorce. Problem is, there's a prenuptial agreement in place that states if she cheats, he doesn't have to pay her anything, and she cheated and there's photographic proof of her cheating."
"What's the problem then?" Skye looks confused as we step inside the elevator.
"Well, he's nervous that the wife is going to go to the press, which I don't even know why she would, but anyway, he wants her to accept a hundred thousand dollars as a settlement."
"I'd accept a hundred thousand dollars,” she says. "That's a lot of money."
"He's worth millions of dollars. Hundreds of millions, actually."
"Oh, okay. But I still don't get it. If there's a prenup…"
"Exactly." I stare her in the eyes.
"Why is he so worried? Why is this such a big deal? It seems to me there's more to the story." She looks at me. "So what are you going to do?"
"I need to try and find her and figure out what the real story is."
"You are going to do what?" she says as we get out of the elevator and walk toward the lobby.
"I want to try and meet her and figure out the real story and then try and persuade Max to do the right thing."
She giggles. "Are you crazy, Lila?"
"What?" I am slightly taken aback by her question. "I just don't like the client. I haven’t said his name because privacy or something, but I think it's okay with you. We both work at the same law firm, right?"
"True."
"Well, his name is Jack Whittington."
"No way. Not the Jack Whittington of Jack’s Shacks."
"Yeah, him. I met him and he's such a jerk off and I just feel like he's trying to screw his wife."
"Okay, and she looks like a sweet, innocent woman?”
"No," I say, shaking my head. "I saw some pictures of her and her social media is all her in bikinis. But I want to give her the benefit of the doubt because he was just so creepy."
"And you think you're going to find out something that's going to make Max not do what his client wants?" she asks with an eyebrow raised.
"I don't know, but I'm hopeful," I admit. "I mean, I just want to see if my hunch is correct."
"Okay, so then what's the plan?"
"So, I was looking on her social media and it looked like she goes to a spin class tonight, and after that, they all head out to a smoothie shop next door. I figure if I go to the spin class, I might get an invite to the smoothie shop and then I can speak to her. You want to come?"
Skye shakes her head. "I would, but I absolutely hate exercise and I am just exhausted. But if you really want me to…"
"No, it's okay." I smile at her. "I don't want you to burn out. Plus, it's an hour-long class."
"Oh, yeah. Then definitely no. There's no way I could handle that."
My phone rings and I look down at it and groan. It's Max. "I have to take this," I say. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Okay, see you tomorrow. Good luck tonight."
"Thanks, Skye," I say as I answer the phone. "Hello, can I help you?"
"Hey there, Lila. It's me. Max."
"I know it's you. What do you want? I'm just leaving the office."
"Oh, so you're still here?"
"I'm not here. I literally just walked out the building and I'm about to?—"
"Are you planning on doing any work this evening?" he asks.
"Um, not technically. Why?"
"What do you mean not technically?"
"I mean I'm trying to do some reconnaissance on Mrs. Whittington, but I don't think you really consider that work."
"I would like to come with you," he says.
"What do you mean you'd like to come with me? You don't even know where I'm going."
“I know that your plan is to try and have a conversation with her, right?"
“Yeah, but..."
"But nothing. I'd like to see you in action."
"What do you mean see me in action? It's not like I really am Sherlock Holmes."
"I know.” He chuckles. “But this is my case and I would like?—"
"Fine," I say, cutting him off. "If you can be outside within five minutes, you can come with me. But if you're not, then you can't."
"I'll be there in three," he says and hangs up. I take a deep breath and quickly brush my fingers through my hair. I don't know why my heart is racing like this.
A few minutes later, Max walks out of the front of the building, a wry smile on his handsome face. "So, where are we off to?" he asks.
"We're going to a spin class." I look him up and down. "So you really are not going to be able to wear that suit."
"I don't think you're going to be able to wear what you're wearing either."
"And that's why I'm headed home first."
"Well, I guess I will have to head home as well."
"Okay. I'll text you the location of the?—"
"No," he says, cutting me off. I see him signal to Henry and I frown.
"What do you mean no?"
"Henry will drive you home, and then he'll drive me, and then he'll drive us to the class and take us home afterwards."
"Oh, he doesn't have to do that. I am perfectly capable of getting there by myself."
"You're doing work so you can use work resources."
"But—"
"But nothing, Lila," he says, smiling. "Plus, I'd quite like to see where you live."
"Oh, you don't have to come in or anything. I'm literally just going to run upstairs, change my clothes, and come back out."
"You don't want me to see where you live?"
"Not particularly. It's not like I'm going to see where you live."
"You can see where I live if you want." He grins. "I have no bodies buried in my apartment."
"I have no bodies buried in mine either," I say.
"Will your boyfriend be there?" he asks, and I just roll my eyes.
"You and I both know I don't really have a boyfriend."
"I know." He grins. "But I was just waiting for you to admit it."
"What do you mean you were waiting for me to admit it? I just..." I pause. "Anyway, so there you have it. That doesn't mean you're coming inside."
"We'll see." Henry pulls up to the front and Max opens the back of the car and I slide in.
"Hi, Henry."
"Hello, Miss Haversham," he says, nodding his head. Max slides in beside me.
"Give him your address, Lila," he says.
"Henry, we're going to drop Lila off for a second. We'll wait. She'll change. Then we'll go to my place, I'll change, and then we're going to a spin class."
"Yes, Mr. Spector," he says.
I look over at Max. "Poor Henry should get the afternoon off."
"Henry doesn't mind driving in the afternoon, do you?"
"No sir. You pay me very well, sir."
I roll my eyes. "Just because you pay him well doesn't mean he doesn't want to have a life."
I can see Henry grinning from the front as I look over at Max.
"Yes, well, I guess we all make sacrifices," Max says as he leans back and pulls out his phone. "So spin, huh?"
"If you're nervous about it, you don't have to come."
"Why would I be nervous?" He looks confused as he glances up at me.
"Because, it's..." I pause as I look over his body. "I guess maybe you're in better shape than me, so maybe you wouldn't be nervous. Maybe you know you're going to ace it."
"You don't think you're going to ace it?" He stares at my lips for some reason.
"Let's just say it's an hour-long class and I will be grateful if I can last twenty minutes without falling to the ground."
"Sounds like you're not getting enough cardio." He grins.
"I mean, I could definitely work out a little bit more."
"I could help you with that if you want."
I stare at him without saying anything.
"I mean, would you like that, Lila?"
"What exactly are you saying?" I lean forward. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"What do you think I'm saying?" He grins.
"Are you trying to say you can help me with cardio in the bedroom?"
"I don't know. Do you have an elliptical or a treadmill in your bedroom?" He chuckles and I roll my eyes.
"I know you weren't talking about an elliptical or a treadmill."
"What do you think I was talking about?"
"You were talking about me being some sort of cowgirl."
"Is that what you like?" He chuckles.
I stare at him as I blush. "I plead the Fifth."
"You're not on the stand, Lila. You don't have to plead the Fifth."
"Well, then it's none of your business," I say, and he laughs.
"I guess that's true, but I am curious."
"What are you curious about if that's your favorite position?"
"Max!" I say. "You can't ask me that."
"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."
"I'm not telling you my favorite position right now," I say, staring at him.
"Later, then?"
I shake my head and I pull out my phone.
"I'm not having this conversation with you, Mr. Spector."
"Pity," he says.
We drive in companionable silence for the next fifteen minutes until Henry pulls up outside my apartment building. I open the door and jump out.
"I'll be back."
"Okay," Max says. "You sure I can't come up with you and?—"
"You have no reason to come up into my building," I say, flustered. “It’s not like you really want to come up anyway.”
"I mean, I wouldn't say no if you invited me up." He makes to get out of the car and I’m not sure why my heart races. It’s not like he wants to come up so we can share a kiss or anything. This is a post-date mating ritual.
"But I'm not inviting you up," I say, stepping back as he attempts to slide out of the car. “Max...you’re not coming up.”
“This time.” He grins. “But next time, maybe?”
“Who says there will be a next time?”
“I think we both know there will be a next time.” The smug look on his face infuriates me and I slam the door shut before hurrying into my building.