Chapter 8
Eight
Whitney stood there holding her yoga mat, looking at Carina and shaking her head. “Maybe this is why Kally’s books are so good. She lives this stuff. I swear Kally is her own worst enemy.”
“All we can do is provide advice and counsel,” Carina recited.
“I know.” Whitney knew Carina was right. “But they always sweep Kally off her feet. It’s a pattern.”
“Who doesn’t want to get swept off their feet?” Carina said.
“Me. You hear me?” She lifted her finger toward Carina. “William warned me you were playing matchmaker. Consider yourself already checking off that box by connecting Jim and Kally.” Whitney checked an imaginary box in the air.
“I’m not matchmaking. All I said was that I could introduce you,” Carina said.
“That is exactly what I’m talking about. Shelve that thought. Promise me.”
Carina slumped. “Fine. He sounds great. Your loss.”
“I’ll take my chances.” Whitney started for the door. “Let’s go next door and eat.”
They walked out onto the sidewalk.
“Hey girls,” Whitney’s mother called from across the street. “Yoohoo!”
“Mom?” Whitney looked to Carina. “Did you tell her we were coming here?”
“No.” Carina quickly pulled the coil hair tie, letting her ponytail fall, and swept her fingers through her hair. “Oh goodness gracious.”
Whitney’s mother quick-stepped across the street, still waving. “I’m so glad I ran into y’all. Oh wow. You went out looking like that?” She gave Whitney the once-over. “You’re not going to find Mr. Right looking like that.”
“I’m not looking for him,” she said.
“Interesting that you can make time for yoga, but not for a date.” Mom raised her hands in the air. “I’m just saying.”
“Mom!”
“Oh, honey. I started out in family law too. I know how it can sour your view on relationships. I warned you.” Mom circled her manicured pointer finger in her direction.
Mom didn’t even give Whitney a chance to respond before she turned to Carina. “You always look lovely, Carina. Even all sweaty. You really know how to juggle things.”
Carina stood there looking like she wished Mom would disappear.
Who wants to juggle anyway?But Whitney kept the snappy rhetoric to herself. Besides, Carina did somehow juggle everything the world tossed her way.
Whitney clamped her mouth shut before she said something she might regret. Mom scanned the three of them, and then as if Olivia hadn’t been there the whole time, she greeted her. “Hi, Olivia.”
“Hello, Mrs. Winters.”
Whitney felt like a high schooler in a forbidden outfit with Mom standing there in her designer spring pantsuit and heels. “We’re going to grab a quick snack if you want to join us.”
“Thank you, but no. I’ve got things to do, but I’m glad I ran into y’all on my way out of the bookstore.”
“You were in the bookstore?”
Even Carina’s brow lifted in surprise. Mom could never sit still long enough to read a book.
“I know. I had to pick up a donation for the Alzheimer’s Foundation fundraiser. You should see the basket they put together. Gorgeous. You three will be there, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Carina said, and Olivia raised her hand as if asking permission to speak. “I already got my ticket.”
“I can always count on you ladies. Oh, but back to why it’s perfect timing for me to run into you.” She turned to face Whitney straight on. “You won’t believe who I met.”
You’re going to tell me. She held her smile, hoping to look genuinely interested.
“Well, Georgie Keller was in the bookstore and we got to talking, and her son, Josh, was with her. He just moved back. He’s a big-time contractor now. Single. Handy, and he was such a nice young man. I met him once a couple years ago. I think you two would really hit it off.”
“No, Mom. No.”
“Give me just a minute to finish.” Mom shifted her weight. “I told him you’re very busy. So is he. He doesn’t really know anyone in town yet.”
“That’s not entirely true. He grew up here. He’s bound to have old friends still in town.”
“Well, who are we to judge?” She was slightly perturbed. Whitney could tell by the way her lips pursed. “He is very good-looking. And successful.”
“No, thank you. I know you mean well, but you can’t keep fixing me up. We don’t have the same taste in men at all.” It was an old argument, and she was tired of having this discussion.
“It’s just a casual dinner at the vineyard. Tonight. Georgie and Bob are celebrating their winning cabernet. Like the best in the state or something. Wine. Dancing. You know they always do a divine spread at those parties.”
“They are wonderful, but I can’t. I’m busy,” Whitney said, wishing Mom would put all her attention back on redecorating the office. She needed another hobby besides her love life.
Mom looked shocked. “You have plans for tonight?”
“I do,” she stretched the truth.
Mrs. Winters let out a huff. “It’s not a setup. It’s simply company at a public get-together, and I already said you’d be there.”
Olivia piped up. “I’ll go. I don’t have plans. I like handy men and I’m crazy for a good cabernet.”
“Hmmph. See. Someone appreciates a good man when she hears about him.” Mom looked at Olivia. “You’re going to love him.”
“I’ll settle for a nice time,” Olivia said.
“Well, well. We have a winner.” Mom turned and gave Whitney a look. “You’re going to be sorry when Olivia asks you to be in her wedding and makes you wear a hideous dress.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Whitney said. “Besides, Olivia has excellent taste in fashion.”
“I’ll call and give Georgie your name,” Mrs. Winters said to Olivia. “I honestly hope you have the time of your life.”
“Wonderful. Thank you.”
Mrs. Winters strode back across the street, and Carina busted out laughing. “Girl, you took one for the team there,” she said to Olivia.
“Why? Do you know Josh Keller?” Olivia asked.
“No, but he could be one of those egotistical men who is always saying passive aggressive things, or worse, one of those guys with the long beards,” Carina said. “I am not a fan of that look.”
“Not my thing either,” said Whitney with a shiver.
“Nuh-uh. Not so fast.” Olivia lifted and turned her phone to them. “Look. I looked him up on social media while she was talking. He’s very handsome, and his posts are kind of charming.”
“Oh my,” Carina said. “He is very, very good-looking. You messed up,” she said, elbowing Whitney.
Whitney craned over to get a better look. “Oh, wow. He is good-looking.”
“You can have him back,” Olivia said.
“No. No, he’s all yours. Looks aren’t everything.” Whitney took the phone and scrolled through the pictures. “He seems interesting and just your type, though. Hiker. Kayaking. Awww, he has a dog.”
“I saw that. You know how much I love dogs,” Olivia said.
“And how much I don’t. No hiking or kayaking either.”
“Which is why I thought it was safe for me to steal Mr. Wonderful.” Olivia and Carina laughed, but Whitney held her composure.
“And you were worried about me trying to fix you up.” Carina wore a smug smile. “At least I would pick someone who likes the same things you do.”
“Okay, well don’t come complaining to me, Olivia, when Mom lines up dates for you left and right. She’s an incurable romantic.”
“If your mother picks me out a partner that’s half as accommodating as your dad is with her, I’ll be in heaven. He spoils her like crazy. It’s so sweet,” Olivia mused.
Whitney pulled the door to the café open and motioned the girls inside. “Careful what you wish for.”
They grabbed a table on the back patio and placed an order for smoothies with the waitress.
Olivia stacked and placed the menus back in the holder. “Are you sure you don’t want to do the date with Josh?” Olivia asked Whitney. “I’m feeling kind of bad.”
“Positive. You saw. He’s perfect for you. Not me.”
Olivia leaned her forearms on the table. “Yeah, he is, but seriously, what is it you’re looking for in a guy? You and Roger seemed so good together. I always got the vibe he liked you more than just a plus-one,” Olivia said. “Did you ever consider that?”
“I can promise you that’s not the case. He’s been dating between our business events. He’s looking. I’m not. There is no spark there. We’re friends. No strings. No benefits. No problems.” Whitney leaned in. “He didn’t say it was a secret, so I guess it’s okay to share. Roger has met someone. He told me the other day.”
“What? He broke up with you?” Carina said. “That is?—”
“It’s fine. We were just friends. Y’all have got to quit romanticizing it. I’m happy for him.”
“If you say so,” Carina said.
“I do. Enough about me, I’m worried that Kally hasn’t come in to do the prenup,” Whitney said. “I can’t shake it.”
“You don’t own that,” Carina said. “Let it go. We give counsel, but our clients make their decisions. Besides, Jim’s a good guy. It could last forever.”
“You look out for your client. I’ll look out for mine,” Whitney said, only half-joking.
Olivia wiggled in her seat. “You know, that’s what I love about working with y’all. You really do care about the people and the families involved in these matters.”
“We do care.” Whitney took pride in her work, and in helping others. “Sometimes I feel like we could do so much more, though.”
“How so?”
“Here we go again,” said Carina.
“I’ve been thinking we can make an even bigger difference if we also had an arm of the practice helping people prepare for marriage. We could have financial planners, and that’s where we could have the prenup services. It wouldn’t be as ominous as going to the law firm to take care of it.”
“We can’t do everything, and we can’t build our numbers doing prenups.” Carina lunged forward dramatically. “I can barely do the divorces and be a mom and wife.”
“I’d support you no matter what,” Olivia said to Whitney. “If you decide to go that route, I’d love to be first in line to run it for you.”
Carina sputtered. “How would we even market that? Do we put up a billboard with a couple holding hands against the Richmond skyline that reads ‘Don’t Forget the Prenup’?” Carina shuddered. “I don’t know.”
“Couldn’t be any worse than Dad’s billboard,” Whitney groaned. “If only it would blow down in a storm. I’ve been thinking about doing a rain dance.”
“You’d never get that lucky,” teased Carina.
Whitney said, “Our caseload has grown significantly. I know we’re all feeling it. It’s time we bring in another paralegal to help Olivia, even if only temporarily? Then if we do make an expansion, we’d be able to easily transition some of that work.”
Olivia held up her hand and crossed her fingers. “I’d love to work with couples in love. It’s a little bit of a downer to see all the breakups. Some of them are really mean to each other.”
“I like the idea of adding another paralegal to the team,” Whitney said. “Olivia, it would expand your role a little. More leadership and managing the workload across the team. How do you feel about that?”
“I’d love that,” she said.
“You’d be great at it,” Carina added with a nod. “We could justify that.”
The server came up and set the smoothies down in front of them, dropping straws in the center of the table and moving quickly out of the way, not even slowing down their conversation.
“Plus, if we get someone a little more seasoned, I could take that two-week Alaska vacation Mom and I’ve been talking about since Daddy died,” Olivia said. “She’d love that.”
“Done.” Whitney took a sip of her smoothie. “And we’ll let you make the hire,” she said to Olivia.
“Absolutely.” Carina thanked the server and asked for a frittata for them to all share. “Sorry. I’m starving.”
“You know,” Olivia said. “I’m not surprised Kally and Jim Roundtree got together. I remember when Jim met with Carina. I was making copies for Kally, and while she was waiting, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.”
“How do you remember this stuff?” Whitney took a long sip of the frothy pink drink. “I can’t even remember how long ago it was that Kally’s divorce was final.”
“Just over two years,” Olivia said. “Carina was getting ready to go out on maternity leave.”
“Really? It doesn’t seem that long ago to me,” Whitney admitted.
“Time flies,” Carina said. “Speaking of time, Olivia, did you get the impression that Kally and Jim had been dating since then?”
“No.” Olivia shook her head, looking quite certain. “On social media it looks like this is a newish relationship. Definitely not two years in the making.”
As attorneys with the firm, there was a strict no social media policy in the morals clause, and frankly, she was glad to have an excuse not to participate. “I don’t know how you keep up with it all, Olivia. Isn’t it exhausting?”
“You’d be surprised how much people share. I’m more of a lurker,” Olivia admitted.
Whitney knew social media was a hotbed of information. She’d used social media accounts to prove assets and misconduct on more than one occasion, which was also why it was the first thing she told her clients—stay off it.