Chapter 34 Kaelee
Kaelee
NEW YEAR’S EVE
“I know it’s early,” Greta started as she tinkered with the candles lining a low shelf.
The entire place was warm and festive, but Greta was forever adjusting this or that.
Kaelee was fairly sure that entire tree had been rearranged over the past week.
The cute little bear ornament that was near the top had definitely been in the middle yesterday.
I ought to take pictures next year, Kaelee thought with a fond smile. That thought, however, was quickly followed by the realization that she thought they’d still be doing whatever dating thing they were currently trying out an entire year from then.
Will I be that lucky?
Kaelee watched Greta eye one of her various branches of pine or whatever sort of evergreen it was.
“Can we really just get this meeting out of the way before we start the New Year?” Greta asked, eyes wide and hands on her hips. Her entire body was tense. “Are you sure? Risa called and—”
“Of course. Tell the attorney that it’s fine. First…” Kaelee walked over to her and wrapped her arms around Greta, tugging her into a loose embrace. She stared down at her. “I want to say that I really like you.”
“Oh?” Greta’s tension visibly relaxed.
“I do. I was just thinking about next year,” Kaelee admitted. “I think we need to chart the little polar bear on the tree next Christmas. I can count at least five places you’ve moved it this year.”
Greta’s cheeks pinked. “I want everything to be perfect. I may be a little nervous about not messing up.”
“Everything is perfect. You are perfect. I like being in your home. I like the meals and the wine and the snuggling on your sofa. I like the days you walk around naked. I like touching you and discovering all the ways you sigh or moan. I like when you put your hands or mouth on me. I like when you tell me random things.” Kaelee brushed Greta’s hair back, partly because she liked touching her and partly because Greta leaned into every caress like it was the most wonderful thing ever.
Her eyelids fluttered closed as Kaelee kissed her temple before continuing, “And I like when you curl up and read next to me. You’re like a book review in motion.
I know when a book is good or okay or startling or exciting simply by watching your face. ”
“Kaelee…”
“You have made this the single best holiday in my life,” Kaelee whispered against her ear. “And I hope you still want me here next year. I know what I can give you might not be enough for—”
“It is. Anything with you is enough,” Greta countered. “Honestly. Being with you is everything.”
Kaelee pulled her closer. “So let’s get the meeting sorted out. Then I want to dance with you and toast to the new year with you.”
“Yes, please.”
“How much time do we have? You say yes like that, darlin’, and I’m not going to want to meet anyone or go anywhere.” Kaelee kissed along Greta’s throat as Greta tilted her head in invitation. “So, tell me, darlin’. Are you going to be a good girl so we can make it until midnight?”
“If I have to.” Greta pressed closer.
Kaelee caressed her shoulders and arms. “If you wait until after the meeting with the lawyer, we can break out that remote control of yours and take a walk.…”
Greta’s pupils dilated in hunger. “I’ll be very good, then.”
“If we started earlier, I’m not sure you would make it to midnight, darlin’.” Kaelee trailed her hand over Greta’s spine and rested it on the small of her back. “Because once we start, you’re going to have to wait until I say you’re allowed to get off.”
With a deep sigh, Greta rested her head against Kaelee’s chest. “Yes, please.”
Roughly an hour later, two attorneys came to Greta’s apartment, which, to be fair, Kaelee thought was a little odd, but she wasn’t interested in spending the last day of the year in a legal office, so it was perfectly fine. Maybe Greta had paid for the unexpected house call on a holiday.
The first woman, who introduced herself as Marissa Connolly, was a polished-looking woman of average height in her mid- to late thirties.
Her hair was a vibrant red that was pulled back in a tight, simple French braid, and her suit was a subdued charcoal number.
She wore flats, sensible and black. The second woman, Ms. Everette, hadn’t offered a first name.
She was taller, standing roughly eye to eye with Kaelee.
Her suit was tailored, trousers and jacket in a cornflower blue and a darker blue blouse.
Shoulder-length, honey-toned hair, the color of which could only come from regular salon trips, was pinned in a short tail at the back.
She moved with the ease of a person who either practiced yoga or barre, the posture that hinted at ballet or equestrian lessons, and the general arrogance that said she was born to wealth.
Like recognizes like.
Kaelee wondered briefly if Ms. Everette had personal reasons to want to strike out at the Aldens or if it was merely the awareness that defeating Tripp’s team would be an ego boost. Either way, Kaelee was glad that the chilly woman was on her side.
Tripp would never hire a woman, so there was only one side open to her when legal matters included her father.
Women were not seen as his equals.
The two attorneys made themselves at home at Greta’s table, pulling out forms to sign that would, ideally, protect Kaelee from harassment and safeguard her privacy.
There was also an affidavit from several therapists, employers at the university, professors, and Greta herself expressing that Kaelee was of sound mind and was not a danger to herself or others.
“His best play is to manage to declare you in need of a conservatorship. He has suggested that you are mentally unwell.” Ms. Everette tapped the signed papers on the table to straighten them. “If he controls your money, he controls your freedom. That would enable him to force you into compliance.”
“I’ll change my identity and live off the grid before I allow that.” Kaelee folded her arms to hide the shudder that rippled through her at the thought of such an infantilizing state. “And his version of mental illness is simply that I’m a lesbian. That’s not an illness.”
“That’s why we’re here,” Marissa, the calmer of the two lawyers, spoke in a comforting voice.
“If we can prove he knew you were alive, we can also use the pressure of embarrassing him for holding a memorial,” Ms. Everette said in an almost gleeful tone.
“I don’t care about embarrassing him or getting revenge. I just want them to stay out of my life,” Kaelee stressed.
“His attorneys agreed to no contact with the stipulation that the book is canceled. Mr. Alden has offered to pay the kill fee, replace the advance the publisher has paid to date, and pay damages. That offer is on the table, and as your representation, we need to present it to you. His attorneys are submitting a similar offer to the publisher, as well as to you, to compensate them for the time and money spent and recoup the portion of the advance they have already paid to you.”
Greta looked at Kaelee. “If it would make your life easier…”
“I sold two novels. I am not canceling them.” Kaelee folded her hands tightly together. “These aren’t tell-all biographies or memoirs. They are fictional.”
“His attorneys also made the offer to pay you the sum that the books were advanced, as well as an additional seventy-five thousand dollars if you would agree to cancel them.” Ms. Everette stared at Kaelee.
“As your attorney, I am obligated to share this generous offer. Book projection from his research”—she slid a sheet toward Kaelee and a copy of it to Greta—“shows this as the likely high end of royalties earned after recouping the advance.”
“Fuck him. I’d give the publisher another book for free before I accepted anything from Tripp.”
Greta smiled. “Well, if this research is correct, we’ll definitely not be expecting a free book, and Emily certainly will expect an increase in your next advance.” To the attorneys, she said, “Her agent. You met her at my office.”
The meeting went far to ease a lot of Kaelee’s worries. In essence, Tripp was trying to throw money around to get his way, but she had no realistic legal issues he could exploit.
“What about a protection order?” Greta asked after the team finished going over everything to date. “Risa? You mentioned—”
“Sorry.” Marissa shook her head. “A father making one phone call and an envelope of news clippings with a letter from a mother were not considered grounds for an order of no contact. Those are for domestic violence, stalking, or harassment. Nothing here meets that criteria. His legal actions mean that until the matter is resolved, we might be able to present it as an attempt at manipulating you, but when we started this, the legal matters weren’t yet in play. ”
“He knew you were hired, and that was enough to make him initiate this nonsense.” Kaelee stood and paced away from the table. “What about Kyle?”
“Your former fiancé? He’s reached out?” Ms. Everette leaned forward. “Was there a reason to argue no contact there?”
“He assaulted me. Sexually. No, I didn’t file charges or report anything. I left. Changed my name.” Kaelee shrugged like it was no big deal, and although she had included that in the information Greta had disclosed previously, it stung to have to tell anyone what had been done to her.
“We’ll generate the paperwork. You’ll need to sign an affidavit indicating that his sexual contact with you was nonconsensual.” Ms. Everette was very matter-of-fact, no pity, no softening. It made Kaelee like her just a little more.