Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
“It’s so good to see you, Palmer,” Ty said, his dark skin crinkling around his eyes as he smiled and pulled me into a hug. I reached for Dannika next. “I’m sorry Ben and Gray couldn’t come. I was hoping to meet your little guy finally. Dannika just raves about him.”
It had been more than a month since our last double date with Dannika and her husband, Ty, and I couldn’t help feeling sad that I’d had to lie about the pretenses for needing to see them as well as why Ben couldn’t join us.
Ty pulled Dannika’s seat out, letting her sit before he did. “Yeah, he wanted to be here. He just had some errands he had to take care of this morning. Life as a stay-at-home dad doesn’t leave much room for free time.”
Ty’s brow shot up. “I’d imagine so, and I can’t say I envy him.”
The waitress approached our table and took our orders. When she left, we carried on.
“I think he enjoys it, actually, and I can’t say I’m not a little jealous myself.” I unfolded my napkin and placed it in my lap.
Ty leaned back in his chair with a deep, warm chuckle. “Wait ’til you have three. Trust us, you’ll be aching for a chance to get to work.”
Dannika nodded in agreement, casting a joy-filled glance at her husband. “She doesn’t know about that yet. You just let them enjoy the fun honeymoon phase while it lasts.” She patted his chest lovingly.
Ty lifted his fingers from the table, keeping his wrist in place. “Fair enough. Just, like she said, enjoy it while it lasts because it does not.”
I laughed. “How are things at the firm, Ty?”
Having my best friend’s husband be a divorce attorney hadn’t been planned, but using it to my advantage was definitely a perk.
“Well, like I said, that honeymoon phase doesn’t last, and that just happens to make me a whole lot of money.
” His eyes grew wide with pleasure as he spoke, his thin, black mustache bouncing with each word.
“We’ve been busier than usual even, I think it’s the summer heat, but I can’t complain.
” He elbowed Dannika. “Even if I wanted to, she wouldn’t let me. ”
“I told him about your big client, Palmer. About what it could mean for us,” Dannika said, her teeth bared with hope.
“Dani’s been bragging on you. I know how hard you’ve both worked to get where you are. It sounds like you’ll be ready to open up shop soon, huh?”
“That’s the hope,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I’m always the cautious one, especially with Gray now.”
“Hey, I get it,” he said, his expression serious. “It took me years to pull the trigger on going out on my own. Dani was always the one pushing me to do it.”
“And I was right, wasn’t I?” she asked, lips pursed. “Just like I’ll be right this time.”
“Yeah, you were. You’re always right.” He leaned over, pressing his lips to hers.
When they broke apart, the waitress appeared with our food and drinks.
Ty leaned back, letting her place Dannika’s plate in front of her, then Ty’s, and finally mine.
We were stark opposites: Dannika and Ty with their salmon and salad and me with my BLT and fries.
I really should’ve attempted to learn some good habits from them.
“So, I have a question.” I popped a fry in my mouth, trying to appear more casual than I felt.
My hands were shaking, and I hoped he wouldn’t notice.
I’d been rehearsing the question all morning, trying to decide the best way to bring it up.
Best case, he’d ask me if I was considering divorce randomly, as a sales pitch, which of course didn’t happen.
So we were going with the worst case now.
“What’s that?” Dannika asked, already cutting into her meat.
“It’s for Ty, actually. A friend of mine is…well, she’s considering getting a divorce. I was wondering if I could get some free legal advice for her?” I winced.
He took a bite, a closed-mouth grin growing on his lips. When he swallowed, he said, “Sure thing. Whatcha got?”
“Who’s the friend?” Dannika asked as she popped a bite into her mouth. “Anyone I know?”
“Just someone I went to school with,” I said, probably too quickly. “You don’t know her.”
She nodded, taking another bite of her food and looking at Ty, who was looking at me.
“She thinks her husband could be cheating on her,” I said.
“Oh, no,” Dannika said, her voice low.
“Yeah, but, I mean, she doesn’t have a ton of money, but the money they do have is hers. It was hers before they met. A savings account and a few CDs. She doesn’t want to leave him if it will mean splitting everything.” I paused, watching his expression, which turned serious rather quickly.
“Well, as far as the marital estate, there’s not much that can be done unless there was a prenup in place. But, alimony…alimony can be affected by an affair, if there’s irrefutable proof an affair occurred. Does she have proof? You said she thinks he could be cheating… She doesn’t know for sure?”
I shook my head, letting what he’d said wash over me.
If I were to leave Ben, half of what I’d worked for, sacrificed for my whole life, would legally belong to him.
All because he’d cheated on me. I tried to keep the heartbreak from being too evident on my expression, though I doubted I was doing very well.
“No, she doesn’t know for sure. She’s caught him with a woman, lying about where he was, but she still hasn’t found proof that anything happened between them. They met in public.”
He inhaled through his shimmery, white teeth. “See, that’s where she needs to start. Has she brought up the affair to him yet? Does he know she’s suspicious? If he lied to her about it, I guess so…”
“Well, no. He doesn’t know. At least, not as far as I know. She asked him where he was and he lied, but she didn’t confront him about it.”
He took another bite, chewing thoughtfully.
“Your friend’s a smart girl. My advice would be, before she says or does anything, she needs to get proof.
Cell phone records, bank records, photos, video…
whatever she can get. The more evidence she could present to a judge, the better.
Then, once she has what she thinks is enough, she should talk to a lawyer, make sure the case is solid, before she serves him with the papers. Did you give her my number?”
Dannika was watching me closely, and I felt my face warming under her scrutiny. “I haven’t yet. Do you have a business card?”
“Sure thing,” he said, pulling a business card carrier from his pocket on demand. He slid a card to me across the table. “Tell her to give me a call before she does anything rash. Even if I can just answer some questions.”
“Thank you,” I said, placing the card into my purse in the seat next to me. “You’re the best, Ty.”
He grinned. “I’m happy to help. Plus Dannika’d kill me if I didn’t.” He winked.
“No, I wouldn’t,” she said, her lips pressed together as sarcasm hung on her words. “I’d need you to get me off the murder trial.”
“I don’t do criminal trials, so you’d be out of luck, but fair enough,” Ty said as I giggled.
They’d been married eighteen years, had three beautiful children and a lifetime of stories, and still, they were perfect.
All I’d ever wanted was to have something like they did.
When I’d met Ben, I was sure I’d found it.
But apparently I’d been wrong. Again. I was starting to think I’d never have what they did.
Maybe I wasn’t worthy of that forever kind of love after all.
It seemed so few people were lucky enough to get it.
“You okay, Palmer?” Dannika asked, and I realized my vision had begun to blur with tears.
I dusted them away quickly, forcing a warm smile. “I’m fine. Just my allergies.”
She nodded, still watching me closely. It was uncomfortable the way she was locked into me, but I couldn’t blame her. She knew me better than anyone. Which meant, try as I might to deny it, she knew when I was lying.