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)
“I didn’t even get to argue my case.” She took the thick file in front of her and shoved it into her Prada bag. “And I’m pretty sure my client intends to pay me in gumbo.”
That sounded about right. “There’s not a lot of money here, but it can be fun.”
She frowned at him. It seemed to be a theme with her. “You seem to be doing fine, Mr. Havery.”
“Only because I’m the only lawyer in town and I represent the largest businesses in the area. I’ve got more work than I can handle,” he offered. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself and maybe I can hand some of that work over to you.”
“I don’t need charity.” She slung her oversized bag over her shoulder. “I can find my own clients. In fact, I think you’ll discover we’ll be right back here in no time, and I won’t lose again. Good day, Mr. Havery.”
“It’s Quaid,” he called out as she walked away.
He was deeply looking forward to their next encounter.
chapter two
He hadn’t even remembered her name.
Jayna sat on the lawn chair on her mom’s porch as the sun began to go down. It was a ratty piece of furniture that would likely collapse within the next thirty minutes, but her mother never replaced a thing until it died. She was pretty sure these chairs had been around when she was a child.
Something soft rubbed against her leg and when she glanced down Luna was looking up at her with worshipful eyes. She was pretty sure Luna was the only creature in the world who would ever give her that look again.
She’d paid through the nose to keep custody of that white fluffball. If she’d pressed the issue, she might have gotten half the house, but she’d lost so damn much already, she couldn’t lose Luna, too.
The door to the trailer across the way opened and there came another reminder of her childhood here. Her sister stepped out, a trash bag in her hand. From inside she could hear the sounds of giggling children and cartoons playing.
Sienna still wore her Dixie’s Café T-shirt from her earlier shift and her hair was up in a high ponytail, her blond tresses bouncing as she crossed the space between her single-wide and their mom’s.
Once, she’d felt sympathy for Sienna because she’d never made it out of the trailer park they’d grown up in. Now she kind of envied her sister, because at least she had her own single-wide. Jayna was right back in her old room, in her old bed. On her old mattress that had already been uncomfortable when she was fifteen.
She bet Quaid Havery’s bed was comfortable. And probably full.
“Hey, I’m going to make the kids some mac and cheese for dinner. Momma’s got the late shift tonight. You want to join us?” Sienna asked, dumping the bag into the can.
Did Jayna want to eat boxed mac and cheese with a couple of grubby kids? “Sure.”
Her nieces weren’t awful. They were kind of cute. Kelly was a chaotic mess who made her laugh, and Ivy reminded her of herself at that age. She was quiet and liked to read.
Sienna glanced down at the beer in Jayna’s hand. “Is that a celebratory beer, or an ‘I got my ass kicked in court’ kind of beer?”
She sighed and sat back, hoping the chair had another couple of days in it. “It wasn’t an ass kicking. It was the weirdest trial I’ve ever been through. The judge played Hangman while we were waiting on Quaid Havery to finish negotiating a custody agreement for dolls. Or maybe it was cats. I’m not sure.”
“Oh, it was both,” Sienna said with a nod. “The Mallory twins came into the café and they were talking about those creepy dolls their momma collected and how now that she’s gone, they have to take care of them. And then they told me about all those cats and how there was something about them being jealous and seeking revenge for one of them getting better food than the others. I don’t know. I just wanted to take their order. I also heard that Britney Brewer chased her granddad all the way to the clinic.”
“Yeah, he wasn’t looking forward to his yearly physical.” It had been an odd, unsettling day. “I should have won that case. Instead my client gave up the whole thing for some curtains and a trip into Houma. And I spent weeks prepping and I’m probably being paid in gumbo.”
Sienna’s nose wrinkled. “Oh, you should have negotiated better. I’m afraid Geraldine isn’t such a great cook anymore. She gets her salt and sugar mixed up. You should have had her knit you a sweater or something.”
“I was hoping for some cash.” But it wasn’t like she’d pressed the old lady. “Well, and I was hoping to get the word out that there’s another lawyer in town. It seems like Quaid Havery plays fast and loose with everyone.”