17
A iva sat at her desk, reviewing the drawn-up agreement one last time. She had half an hour before they were due to meet, and even though she’d looked over it several times, she figured once more wouldn’t hurt. She’d been sure to include everything needed, as well as a reference to the prenuptial agreement that she would include in the filing.
After reviewing the documentation for a final time, Aiva set it aside and pulled up her calendar on her computer. Signing the paperwork wouldn’t take long, and instead of calling in a mediator, Finx would witness both signatures, along with her and Harvey. It should take only a few minutes, but just in case, she’d made sure that her following appointment wasn’t until ten-thirty.
While she still had some time to spare, she ensured she had everything she needed for that meeting completed and ready to go. It would be her second meeting with them, so she wanted them to look at the proposal she’d drawn up based on what they’d told her they wanted from their upcoming divorce.
“Aiva,” Finx’s voice came over her telephone speaker. “Mr. Chandler’s here.”
She glanced at the time on her computer screen and found that he was ten minutes early, but she wasn’t surprised. Anytime she’d had to meet with him, he’d shown up early. She preferred that over someone always being late.
“Please show him in, Finx.”
A couple of minutes later, Knox walked through her office door, and Aiva stood to greet him, holding her hand out to him. He took hers in his, running his thumb over the back of her hand. When he released it, they both took a seat.
Aiva couldn’t help but look him over. He wore a navy button-up with the sleeves rolled up to his forearm; the fabric hugging his biceps, and a pair of cream pants. It never ceased to amaze her how good he always seemed to look.
When her eyes came back to his, she found he was looking her over as well with those ocean-blue eyes. He wasn’t leering but appreciating, and Aiva didn’t mind one bit. His eyes met hers, and he smiled at her.
“You look beautiful, but then again, you always do.”
It was the first time he’d complimented her, and she wondered if he was doing so now because they were close to the finish line of his divorce.
“Thank you,” Aiva responded, a returning compliment on the tip of her tongue, but Finx’s voice once again rang through her phone speaker, letting her know Harvey had arrived.
“When Mrs. Chandler arrives, please show them in together, Finx.”
She was a bit surprised that he’d shown up without his client, or well, he hadn’t waited for her to arrive before coming into the building. However, Aiva was going to make him wait until Mia arrived and have them both enter together. The last thing she needed was for the other woman to think the three were conspiring against her when she showed up because Aiva did not put it past her.
“I won’t miss that,” Knox stated, leaning back in his chair.
“Hearing Mrs. Chandler?”
“Regarding Mia, yes, but I’m not opposed to getting married again in the future.”
Aiva nodded. It wasn’t rare that her clients felt that marriage a second or even third time around was in the cards for them, especially when they hadn’t gone through an ugly divorce. Not that Knox’s was on the worst end of what she’d been witness to. It wasn’t the prettiest. So, his wanting to give it another try, seemed to speak to how he’d grown in his soon-to-be past marriage.
She also took it as a sign that the experience did not jade or harden him. That was a plus. If she was going to accept his date invitation, she didn’t want to feel like she would be on the chopping block for mistakes Mia made, and he inadvertently projected onto her.
Aiva sat and made small talk with Knox as they waited for Mia to arrive so she and Harvey could be shown in. It was eleven minutes past nine when Finx walked them into her office. Greetings went around, which consisted of her and Harvey speaking and Knox and Harvey shaking hands. Mia didn’t seem to want anything to do with any of them. Which led Aiva to believe it was Harvey who talked her into taking the settlement.
She led them over to the lounge area of her office. Harvey and Mia took the loveseat, and she and Knox were in the two armchairs across from them. Finx stood off to the side to witness. Aiva placed the documents on the table and went over them, being sure to point out everything that was included. She paused each time to receive an acknowledgment of a term from Mia, albeit begrudgingly. She wanted to make sure the other woman heard every single thing she said.
Since Mia had agreed to settle for the terms of the prenup, Knox had taken supervised visitations out of his terms. He still wanted full custody but was fine with Mia seeing Yasmine whenever she wanted to. However, they’d added a clause stating if she attempted to disappear with Yasmine, she would have to pay him every cent of the agreed amount back.
As an extra precaution, when she finished going over everything before allowing them to sign the agreement, she had them both initial by each term. She wanted to make sure Knox was covered as much as possible in the event Mia got amnesia about what she’d agreed to in front of the judge.
Once signed, Aiva made two copies as Finx excused himself. One for Harvey and one to keep for herself. She placed the originals in a manila folder and would go that afternoon to file them with the court.
“Once the documentation is filed, we’ll be placed on the docket, and a judge will sign off. I don’t expect them to be hesitant to do so since we have a signed agreement. Is there anything else we need to discuss?” Aiva questioned.
“How soon after the divorce is finalized can I sell the house?” Mia asked, throwing a smirk at Knox.
“As soon as it has been. Knox agreed to give you the house in the paperwork, so all proceeds from it are yours. You’ll just need him to sign the deed of sale to hand it over to the new owners if you sell it before it has officially been signed over to you,” Aiva informed her.
“Good. It should fetch me a pretty penny. And how soon does the custody agreement go into effect?”
“Immediately upon the ruling,” Harvey responded.
Mia nodded, and if Aiva wasn’t mistaken, she saw a glimpse of sadness take over her face momentarily before it was gone. She watched as Mia and Harvey stood; the latter wishing them a good day before they left the office.
“She only mentioned selling the house because she thought it would irritate me,” Knox spoke.
“Did it?” Aiva asked as she walked over to her desk to file her copy of the documentation.
“No, she chose that house. It isn’t special to me aside from the memories I made with Yas there, but I carry those with me.”
Aiva watched him stand and walk over to her, crowding her space a bit and forcing her to look up at him. She stood five-foot-nine in her heels, and he was still at least six inches taller than she was.
“Now that we have that out of the way. I’d like to take you out this—”
“No,” Aiva stated, cutting him off. “Not yet. I’m still your lawyer until after the judge signs off.”
Knox smirked at her, leaning down. “You said not yet, and I’m taking that to mean you’ll tell me yes when you allow me to ask. Though, you make firing you very appealing.”
Aiva pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, but Knox gripped her chin, using his thumb to free it. His hold was firm but soft as his eyes dropped to her lips.
“Do I really need a lawyer for this last stretch?” He leaned down a bit more, their lips mere micrometers apart, and Aiva swallowed. “Should I fire you, Ms. Neel? Put myself out of my misery.”
Their lips brushed slightly as he spoke, and she wondered if he’d do it. If he’d fire her just to get what he wanted, what they both wanted. She bit her tongue to keep from telling him yes.
“But then again, patience always delivers the best things,” he stated, and with a last brush of his lips, he pressed them more firmly against hers. It was brief, only for a moment, and he was pulling away, releasing her chin. “Let’s hope that sustains my patience for a while. Enjoy the rest of your day, gorgeous.”
Aiva watched Knox leave her office before sinking unceremoniously into her chair. Her mouth felt dry, and the sexual tension that lingered in the room was palpable. She didn’t even understand how that was possible when he’d done nothing more than press his lips to hers in the briefest of kisses. If this was him being patient, she was curious what it would be like when he wasn’t.