Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
She’d spent the weekend with Mitchell Bradford and his partner, Lea Stone. They’d been friendly. Well, the high-powered-lawyer version of friendly, which was aggressive with only a hint of fang.
She’d been surprised to find herself spending more time talking to Mitch’s wife, Laurel. She would have told anyone who asked that talking business was her wheelhouse, but she’d found herself having a glass of wine and asking about what it was like growing up with Lila and Lisa. They’d had a lot in common, and she’d relaxed and even talked to her about Quaid.
Bradford and Stone was offering her everything she’d ever wanted. Dallas was a cosmopolitan city with restaurants that didn’t also serve as gas stations or bait shops with Bibles on the side. The wildlife in Dallas didn’t form criminal rings or slow down traffic because they needed to find a sunny spot to bask the afternoon away. She could shop in Dallas, and everyone would admire her expensive shoes. She could build a life in Dallas that would make everyone jealous.
Suddenly she didn’t care if anyone was jealous. Maybe her life should be more than showing everyone around her how far she’d come.
Maybe what she’d done was come full circle, and there was a beauty in that.
“Are you going in?” a familiar voice asked.
She turned and Quaid’s mother was standing on the bottom step, a leash in her hand. Luna tugged gently on it, getting to Jayna, her tail swirling around in excitement. “Hey, sweet girl. I thought I left you with Sienna.”
Quaid had offered to take her dog out to the big house, but it seemed like too much to ask when she knew she could break the man’s heart. That was the other thing that had settled deep inside her. Quaid meant what he said. He wouldn’t lie to her, and he was old enough to know what he wanted. He loved her. She loved him.
Was it enough?
Mrs. Havery moved in. She was wearing a bright pink pantsuit with a white blouse and sturdy white shoes. “Sienna is inside with the rest of the town. It seems they’ve all turned out for closing arguments. I’ve heard it said if Geraldine wins, there might be a celebratory protest, and we should all hide our eyes. Lord. I know I’m supposed to want my son to win, but you need to get in there and save us all. My generation never got over Woodstock, I tell you.”
What was happening? “So you took Luna?”
“I’m supposed to take walks a couple of times a day, and this girl needed to do her business.” Mrs. Havery started up the steps. “Sienna was going to leave her at the office, but then she would be lonely. The bailiff tried to tell me Luna couldn’t be in the courtroom, but I know his mother and I explained that I would call her up right then and tell her all about how her son was trying to keep a creature of God from witnessing one of the most momentous events in the history of Papillon. I’ve learned that if I keep talking with a righteous tone, most of the time I get my way. Not with you, of course. You just argue right back, but it works on most men. They fear women of a certain age, you see. We no longer care, as Geraldine is proving with her every breath.”
Jayna hustled to keep up with her. “Well, I appreciate it. Luna is actually very well-behaved.”
“That won’t matter in Dallas. I bet that fancy new firm of yours won’t let you keep her around,” Mrs. Havery pointed out. “Poor thing will be in a kennel or worse. She could be left at one of the canine day care centers. You never know what kind of influences she’ll be exposed to. You know, I think she likes it here in Papillon. She can go anywhere in town and no one will think anything of it.”
“Except the bailiff.” Had she fallen asleep on the plane and this was a dream?
“Who is very easy to deal with,” Mrs. Havery countered. “I’m merely pointing out that there is a lot Papillon has to offer a woman like you.”
“Okay, I’m confused. I thought you didn’t want me around your son.”
Mrs. Havery stopped at the top step. “Sometimes we think a person is a bad influence, but we’re the ones who are wrong, Jayna. My generation can be quite rigid in our views, but we can learn. Just like you can. My son is in love with you. I thought he needed a proper wife. What I realized is what I think is proper is actually a long list of nonsense. What he needs is the right wife, and it’s become clear that’s you. So I have some work to do.”