“They’re not the same,” Tiffany insisted. “Not even close. I think Charlotte is right. Eric is being an ass because he’s scared about this deal. He wants it badly and he’s afraid to do anything to mess it up. Neither one of you is trusting the people around you to have your backs. I’m your friend, D. I’m going to be your friend whether you ever call me again because I decided a long time ago that’s who I am. This is your moment. Who are you? Are you the woman who lets a guy like Eric go because he’s a dumbass? Or are you woman enough to fight back?”
There was a knock on the door and then she heard Eric’s voice.
“Hey, Deena, sweetheart, can I come in?”
She went to the door and threw the bolt. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
Tiffany sighed. “This is a mistake, D. He’s not your ex-husband.”
“I know that,” she admitted. She still needed the safety of that door between them because she wasn’t sure of what to do. If Eric walked in here, would she dissolve into a puddle of submissive goo at his feet? “At least I know it in my head. My heart is a little slower. I need a minute because I’m mad at him right now.”
There was another knock followed by a male voice. “Yo, Charlie, Mitch and the other lawyer are here. Let’s get this thing done and we might still be able to make out in Sean’s office before we have to pick up the girls.”
That got Charlotte moving. “Excuse me. That man knows how to make out. I hope you get your shit together, Holmes, because Eric needs a partner. The thing is partners argue and fight and then they make out in a convenient space. Well, it’s what people in love do anyway.”
People in love. Was she in love with Eric?
Charlotte opened the door and before it could close again, Eric was walking through. His face dropped the minute he saw her.
“Baby, I am so sorry.”
Was she going to walk away because he’d been a dick? He would probably be a dick again because underneath all that Captain America awesomeness he was a man with flaws and fears. And she was a woman with the same.
Her father had walked out on someone he’d claimed to love. He hadn’t stayed. Hadn’t fought. It finally struck her that she’d misused the word. Her father hadn’t loved her. Fathers who loved their kids didn’t walk out on them. Husbands who loved their wives didn’t throw in the towel and find a new life. There hadn’t been love. Not from her father. Not from her husband. Eric wasn’t sitting somewhere waiting to see if she would take his abuse, planning on how to use her. He’d been an ass and he was standing right here in front of her, his handsome face so earnest it brought tears to her eyes.
“Do you love me?”
“Yes.” He said the word without hesitation. His hands came up to frame her face as he stared down at her. “Oh, baby, I’ve loved you for a long time but I was afraid to say it because I know how you feel about it. I know you won’t trust it.”
But she trusted him. It was a decision like anything else. She’d decided to move on with her life when she’d signed up for college. Wasn’t this a choice, too? To move on with him? “I love you, too.”
His jaw dropped. “Are you serious? Deena, I’m sorry about the way I talked to you. I didn’t mean to make you feel like I don’t respect your opinions.”
“But you did. You were a condescending asshole and if you do it again, we’re going to fight. So you need to sit back and let me do my job. I better have a job because I quit the one I had.”
“You did what?”
It was good to know she could surprise him. “I quit my job so I can run the business end of the restaurant and I think we should save money by moving in together, but first I’m going out and making sure you don’t sign that contract until it’s right. If you want to fight, we can find somewhere to fight, but I’m going to make you see reason because you’re worth more than what they’re offering.”
His lips curled up and his hands moved in front of his chest. “Go for it, baby. This is all you. Where I come from men cook dinner and women deal with the lawyers. By the way, mine is here. Her name is something Jensen. I don’t know. I haven’t actually talked to her yet. You can do that. Right?”
Too much. Too much emotion. Too much stimulation. Way too much coincidence. “Renee Jensen?”
Tiffany gasped. She knew that name.
Eric nodded. “Yes. I think that’s her name. Mitch brought her in from another firm. Why? Is she bad?”
Oh, she was a bitch, all right. There was a time when Deena might have hidden away and hoped that her past didn’t catch up to her, but today was not that day. She might technically be walking across a stage on Saturday, but today was freaking graduation day. It was time to jump in the deep end and be the woman she wanted to be.
“She’s fired is what she is.” Deena threw open the door and stepped out into the hallway, her mind on one thing.
It was her night to take out the trash.
“Okay.” Eric was right behind her. “Is there a particular reason we’re firing her?”
She must have looked as purpose driven as she felt because Javier practically jumped out of the way as she rounded the corner.
“Do we have anything worse than a Code Red?” Javi asked.
“I don’t know. I’m not even sure why we’re firing the lawyer we haven’t met yet,” Eric admitted. “But she’s in charge. I’m just here for the ride.”
Tiffany was hurrying along behind them. “That’s her ex-husband’s new girlfriend. The one he left her for.”
“I’m going to kill Mitch,” Eric swore.
And there she was. Renee Jensen was dressed in a perfect business suit, her dark hair cut in a chic bob, every inch of her face cosmetically enhanced. She leaned over, talking to Mitch Bradford. The big guy in the suit came in for lunch at least once a week. He usually came with his wife and their baby son. Luckily today he was alone, which was good because babies didn’t need to watch their fathers get an asskicking. A verbal one at least.
But first she was going to deal with Renee.
The brunette skank ho turned, her eyes widening in surprise. “Oh my god, is that Deena? Are you working here?” Her lips curled in a snarky grin. “Can you get me a coffee? Two sugars.”
Mitchell frowned as he looked up at her. “Deena? Are you all right?”
She picked up Renee’s probably thousand-dollar briefcase and turned on her heels. “I will be fine once I deal with your shitty contract, but I’m not doing anything with her in my space.”
“Hey, what are you doing with my briefcase?” Renee started to stalk after her in those five-inch heels of hers.
“You are fired. I’m Eric Vail’s business manager and you are never going to be his lawyer,” she said as she approached the door, opened it, and tossed the briefcase straight out and almost into the street. “Get the hell out of here and don’t come back. These are my people.”
“You bitch.” She ran out to grab her briefcase.
Deena took the opportunity to lock the door. She could hear Renee start to knock and scream, but Deena simply turned back to Mitch. “You have terrible taste in lawyers.”
Mitch nodded. “She was simply doing a favor for her boss, Deena. I was unaware of her…” He leaned over and Charlotte whispered something in his ear. He nodded. “Sorry, I was unaware of her status as a complete skank. I will, naturally, bring in another, less skanky attorney.”
Sean sighed and sat down before yelling toward the bar. “Sebastian, screw the wine. We’re going to need some Scotch.”
Eric slipped his hand into hers. “Yes, we’re going to need that because Deena and I have some problems we would like to work out. You want to explain the situation to them?”
All eyes were on her and she kind of wished she’d tucked her shirt in. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was the fact that she was here with him.
She nodded and began to speak.
CHAPTER TEN
Eric looked out at the stage. He was nervous. He was actually nervous about this. It was odd because it was all he’d been able to think about for the last few days. What if she changed her mind? What was he going to do if she turned tail and ran?
Go after her. Bring her home. It was what he would always do with this woman.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Big Tag asked. “Because sometimes playing the field is fun. Think about all those women you could be fucking.”
Eric rolled his eyes because he’d spent enough time with Big Tag to know when he was being an asshole in order to diffuse an emotional situation. “You said if I took the Dom in residence job I couldn’t fuck the clients.”
Tag’s eyes rolled right back. “Yeah, because so many of you listen to me about that. I promise every one of the new hires will be screwing someone they shouldn’t within weeks. I would crack down on it, but hey, I kind of like the drama. Your girl created some nice drama the other day, by the way.”
He couldn’t help but smile. Deena had fought for him and she’d won. Though Big Tag had moaned and complained about every concession, Eric was pretty sure it had all been for show. “She did what she needed to do.”