Six of Hearts(86)

I rub my neck self-consciously. “Um, thanks, but that’s okay. Do you have an appointment?” I know she doesn’t have an appointment. Of course she doesn’t. I just can’t think of anything else to say.

“I don’t. This is just a flying visit. I was rather upset to arrive at work this morning and be told by my boss that we’re being sued because of a few articles I wrote. I wanted to come and check out what we’re up against. Now that I’m here, it’s laughable, really. I mean, does Jay Fields actually think he can win this thing with representation from a shoddy two-bit firm like this one?”

I stare at her, open-mouthed.

“I was actually worried for a second. Now I see this is all just a pathetic joke.”

Getting up from my seat, I put a hand on my hip. “Are you for real?”

She purses her lips and moves her catty eyes back to me. “I’m always for real, my dear. Don’t take offence. I’m sure this is hardly your dream job.” She laughs, the sound grating on my nerves.

“This is my dad’s practice,” I tell her, jaw tight.

Her eyes widen, and a little smirk forms. “Oops. In that case, no offence.”

“Too late for that. If you only came here to look down your nose at us, then you should leave.”

“That’s not why I came here. I wanted to speak to, well, to your father. Ask him if he knows what kind of man he’s representing.”

“A better man than whatever kind of woman you are, I’m sure.”

Her tittering laugh makes me clench my fist, and I’ve never been a fist-clencher. I’ve hardly got a violent bone in my body. It’s funny, the things Una Harris’ mocking laughter can bring out of people.

“Oh, dear, do you have a little crush on him? I get it, really, I do. Jay Fields is sex on a stick, but he’s also a dangerous man with a God complex. Have you ever read any of his fan websites? They all think what he does is real or some other such nonsense, and that’s not a good thing for someone with as big a following as he has. Don’t you remember the People’s Temple and Jim Jones? Oh, you’re so young, so probably not.”

“I know who Jim Jones is.”

She glances at her well-manicured nails. “Well, then, you’ll also know how precarious Jay’s influence is on all those young people who follow him. I’m sure that if he told them to jump off a cliff, they’d all do it.”

Jesus, this woman is deluded. “He’s a performer. He’s not trying to start up his own religion.”

“Yeah, and the only one who’s been drinking Kool-Aid around here is you, Una. Your own. What in the fuck do you think you’re doing?” asks Jay, stalking angrily into the office. There’s something in his gait that puts me in mind of a panther that’s about to attack.

“Why, Mr Fields, what a pleasant surprise,” she purrs, and struts over to him, running a long, sharp fingernail down the front of his shirt. His eyes are stormy when he takes a measured step back, recoiling from her touch.

“Get. Out,” he fumes. “You have no business being here.”

“I was just having a little chitchat with the lovely receptionist. You know how it is with us girls — we love to gossip.” Her emerging smile denotes how pleased she is with Jay’s anger. He needs to calm down and not allow her to get to him. I make an effort to defuse the situation with humour.

“Yeah, Miss Harris offered to give me the number of her plastic surgeon. I’m thinking of going up a few cup sizes. You know, get myself a nice pair of beach ball boobs.”

Jay’s mouth twitches, his eyes gleaming with affection when they land on me for a second. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long.

“You don’t need a boob job,” says Una, her disinterested gaze on my chest before moving to my neck. “It’s that god-awful scar that’s the problem.” She says it like she’s telling me she enjoys sugar in her tea, the barb barely registering on her radar, but Jay’s reaction to her words is the exact opposite.

He takes two strides toward her. “Oh, you really need to get going, Una. I’ll never hit a lady, but I’ll slap a bitch.”

Her pouty mouth falls open as a huff of outrage escapes her. “Is that a threat?”

Jay rolls his eyes. “Just get the fuck out.”

“Fine,” she hisses. “I’m leaving, but just know that this little case of yours is never going to get to trial. Mr Scott will offer you a sum of money during mediation, and you, Mr Fields, will take it.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that.”

She slams the office door shut behind her, and I let out the breath I’d been holding. Jay’s eyes connect with mine, and I can’t help it — I burst out laughing.