Chapter 6 Tainted Love
TAINTED LOVE
Thaddeus
The next morning, I slipped beneath the surface of our heated indoor pool, arms slicing through the water in steady strokes, forgetting every unpleasant person I’d come across since returning home.
The best part of my days—since being released—was being able to go for a morning swim.
It was something I’d always taken for granted.
It was a crisp Saturday, and I had no plan but to relax.
After a shower and dressing, I met my father downstairs for lunch for what I suspected would be an impromptu business meeting.
My father never wanted to just have lunch.
He was usually too busy with work or his mistress.
I knew him too well. It didn’t surprise me when I made my way downstairs and heard the voices.
When I turned and spotted the woman from Henry’s house, I jumped a little.
What was she doing here? I tried to remember her name but came up short.
“Good, you’re here. Thaddeus, come meet Mr. Kromelis and his daughter Melissa.”
Melissa didn’t seem as taken aback as I was. She stood and waited for an introduction, like we’d never met before. I hadn’t even noticed the man sitting beside her until he stood.
“Hello, Thaddeus,” Mr. Kromelis said, shaking my hand.
Next, Melissa and I shook hands. “Hi, Thaddeus, nice to meet you.”
I decided to go along with it. “Hi. I’m sorry, did they say your name was Misty?”
She smirked. “No, it’s Melissa.”
“Sorry. Hi, Melissa,” I said, smiling.
Her gaze clung to me. I sensed that there was a huge piece of information bubbling beneath the surface that I wasn’t let in on yet, and curiosity prickled inside of me.
“See, Brad,” my father said to Mr. Kromelis, “they’re getting along well already. I say we set a date for the wedding.”
My jaw fell, and Melissa’s smirk exploded into a grin. Oh shit! That was the business they were here to discuss.
“Maybe Thaddeus would like to get to know me first, and vice versa.” Melissa crossed her legs as she made the reasonable suggestion. Maybe was an understatement.
“What’s there to know? He’s a man. Good looking enough,” my father winked at me, “and you’re a woman, a beautiful one. My grandbabies will be swimming in some good genes.”
I barely held in a groan. My father always thought in material terms, never caring for a moment about emotions. Mom was the one who balanced out his personality in our home, and now that she was gone, there was no one to challenge his superficial ways.
Her father chorused with mine, “We don’t have time. You two can get to know each other during the engagement.”
My chest tightened, and so many thoughts swirled in my head. Engagement? I was already engaged? For fuck’s sake, I just got out of prison. Yes, Father and I talked about a marriage, but he couldn’t be serious. Could he?
“Can you two give me and Mimi a minute?” I butted in, exhaustion lacing my voice. “I want to talk to her in private.” Not waiting for them to answer, I dragged her away to the kitchen.
“Who the hell is Mimi?” I heard my father say.
Inside the kitchen, I released her. “When did you find out about this plan?”
She casually answered. “The day I met you. My father pitched the idea to me, then Ashley told me about your welcome-home party, so I swung by. I’m not a fan of the childish Halloween holiday, so I normally skip Ashley’s costume parties, but I wanted to get an up-close look at you.”
I processed her words as she walked freely around the kitchen, found a glass, and poured herself a drink of water. “So, why didn’t you say anything that night?”
“Never got a chance. You were busy, remember? Threatening to slam a wrecking ball into your ex?”
The cool way she spoke of the plan caught me off guard.
“So, you’re in? Sure you don’t want to wait and marry for love instead?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Love isn’t real. I’ve outgrown the fantasy. The way I see it, we get married, I help you, and you make me one of the richest women in Tarrytown.”
Then I remembered her earlier statement, and my eyes bulged.
I’m sorry, did she just say she hated Halloween?
This was a big red flag for me, but Mimi redeemed herself with her straight-shooting words.
I respected that. She was what I said I wanted; someone sensible, who, when you turned your back, didn’t change.
“Fuck it. Let’s get married,” I said.
Mimi smiled. “I can’t wait to see the group’s faces when news of our engagement spreads.”
A devilish part of me agreed. I’d pay anything to see Summer’s face when she found out.
My father wasted no time. Three days after we’d gotten engaged, the news spread around the little town like wildfire.
As I walked through City Hall to have the first meeting, it was all everyone could talk about.
I found the assigned room and walked in to find Summer, the court-appointed mediator, and, to my surprise, Mimi.
I squinted to make sure I wasn’t seeing things and walked over to her. What the hell was she doing?
“I guess we should say congratulations to the happy couple?” the court-assigned mediator said.
Mimi smiled. “Yes. Thad and I can’t wait.”
I leaned in close to her and whispered, “What are you doing here?”
She held her head up a little higher. “I’m the company attorney. Didn’t I mention that? My father’s law firm handles all Fitzgerald business.”
My mouth fell open as every muscle in my body stiffened.
“If the lovebirds don’t mind, can we begin?” Summer raised an eyebrow at me.
Mimi was on her before I got a word out.
“Ms. Cohen, the childish remarks aren’t necessary, plus we can gladly leave if you would prefer.
All Fitzgerald agreed to do was attend these meetings.
We can sit here for a few minutes, go, and still get exactly what we want at the end of thirty calendar days. ”
Smirking, I pulled out a chair for Mimi and winked at Summer.
Summer held her own. It was a startling contrast to see her switch into professional mode.
With every argument Mimi made, Summer countered with precise legal references and a steady voice edged with quiet authority, her spine straight, chin lifted, and eyes locked; this was something she could do in her sleep.
I’d only ever known Summer as a young girl. This was a woman.
The meeting was boring. I felt wholly unqualified to be there, which I was.
At one point, Summer threatened to stir the public into a frenzy.
She said that the court of public opinion was on their side.
I almost wanted to applaud her for the way she carried herself, but I hated her, so that wasn’t going to happen.
To her, Fitzgerald was a monster, kicking people out of their homes.
Mimi countered with the very basic, and very correct stance, that if people remained there and the building stayed in its current state, people would die.
They didn’t have the funds to fix the building.
“Okay, ladies, how about a compromise?” the mediator suggested. “That’s why we’re here.”
Summer spoke first. “Pay for the relocation of all the tenants. That’s the least you can do if you’re ripping away their homes.”
“You mean put them on a bus and drop them off somewhere?” Mimi asked with faux innocence.
I stifled a laugh, and Summer rolled her eyes. You know what, I could get used to my new engagement. Summer getting heated over Mimi’s comments definitely scratched an itch inside me. Unlike the others, she wasn’t blind to this woman’s hypocrisy.
A flicker of irritation crossed her face. “We mean help them find new housing. Housing that meets their needs.”
Mimi nodded. “Sure.”
I sat up straight. “What?”
Mimi gestured with her arm for me to wait. “Since they have no access to computers, we can loan them a laptop and direct each to a few websites they can search for new housing.”
“We think, as a very basic courtesy, Fitzgerald should pay for their relocation costs,” Summer railed.
Mimi shook her head. “Next thing you’ll ask is that we pay for the housing of each tenant until they take their last breath.” Then she turned away from Summer to the court-appointed mediator. “Ms. Cohen is here to waste everyone’s time. There is no way we’ll pay to house all these tenants.”
Summer’s pitch rose. “It’s the decent thing to do.”
I was done listening to this nonsense. “Who says? The building could collapse tomorrow. You’re wasting time with us in here when you should be focusing on getting them out of the building and somewhere safe.”
“Mr. Fitzgerald is right. The town will face liability if the building falls and all those people end up dead while we waste time bickering,” Mimi said.
Towns never want to hear about facing a lawsuit.
The mediator’s eyes shot open. “In how bad of a shape is the building?”
Before Summer could answer, the mediator spoke. “Forget it. I’ll have the building inspected as soon as possible to see if we need to move the residents to safety sooner rather than later.”
I smiled. This was going better than I’d planned.
The entire problem had the potential to be fixed in a single meeting.
Mimi didn’t look pleased, though. “John Fitzgerald is willing to pay to have the people relocated to a state shelter and has pledged to give them a small monetary gift for the items relocating would force them to leave behind.”
I looked at Mimi, trying to read her face.
Summer sighed. “How much?”
“We’ll discuss and get back to you,” I answered. “Right, if that’s all for today . . .” I stood up, signaling that the meeting was over.
Summer’s glare burned a hole into me, and she marched from the room. She hated me before, but now I might have to watch over my shoulder.
Just in case she decided to follow in her father’s footsteps.
Summer