“Only because I thought you might figure out who I was and refuse to see me. I wanted to tell you in person.”
“Did you tell Griff?”
“No. I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Would you mind if I handled that in my own way?” Chelsie asked.
Amanda shook her head.
Somehow, Chelsie would have to explain. Because she’d withdrawn her complaint against her husband for purely selfish reasons, she had freed him to abuse someone else. It wasn’t something she could admit lightly, but she did need to see the past rectified. Now she had her chance.
In the process, maybe she’d even ease some of the guilt that had been building inside her for years. Until faced with Amanda’s courage to walk out before any harm came to her child, Chelsie hadn’t realized what a huge burden she’d been carrying.
Time to face her past, she thought, as well as herself. To do that, she had to begin with being honest.
Chelsie turned towards Amanda. “If you need anything, someone to talk to or whatever, don’t hesitate to call.” After rummaging through her purse, Chelsie withdrew an old business card. Though Amanda probably already had the number, Chelsie jotted down Griff s office phone just in case. “You can reach me here, or leave a message. I check in periodically.” Chelsie paused. “Call anytime.”
Fingering the card in her hand, Amanda gave Chelsie a grateful smile. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. One more question before we go in.”
“What?”
“Why me? Why look me up? Why ask me to represent you?”
The other woman stared out the window. “The night before I left, I confronted Jeff with the fact that he’d been married. We argued about his lie, and I asked him why you divorced.” She paused, obviously uncomfortable with the rest.
Chelsie could handle whatever came next. As far as she was concerned, the worst had already befallen her.
“He said his—I mean, he said your work came first.”
A grim smile touched Chelsie’s lips. “Please don’t sugarcoat this for my sake.” She’d heard Jeffrey at his most vulgar, maybe not in the beginning of their marriage, but certainly at the bitter end. “Be honest, please.”
Amanda sucked in a breath of air. “He said his frigid wife saved her passion for her work. She couldn’t manage to satisfy him in bed.” Slowly, Amanda turned away from the window. “If Jeffrey bothered to belittle your career, I figured you must be good.” Regret for her admission etched her delicate features. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Chelsie shrugged. There might have been a time she believed those words. Jeff had told her the same thing many times in the course of their short marriage. But one night with Griff taught her how very wrong her ex-husband had been.
Chelsie now knew she hadn’t saved her passion for her work. She had saved it for someone deserving. Someone named Griff.
* * *
Early Saturday morning, Griff buzzed her apartment from downstairs. Chelsie had barely enough time to shower and change after her night at the woman’s shelter downtown before he’d arrived. She let him and Alix, who swung monkey-style from his left arm, into her apartment.
“You know, you’re becoming a master at avoidance techniques.”
“Good morning to you, too,” she said, but she nodded. “I can see how you’d think that, but take a look at my schedule for the last week and tell me where we could have fit in time for a long, personal, important conversation.”
“We couldn’t, which brings me back to my original point. Did you arrange the week on purpose?”
“To avoid you? No. To make sure Amanda got settled at the shelter? Yes.” She had spent three of the last four nights there, helping the other woman out and even getting to know her little boy. In between, she’d fit in quick dinners with Alix, not to mention her already scheduled appointments. She’d seen Griff constantly, but not once had they been alone.
“I respect your work. I just think we have unfinished business.”
Again, she nodded. She couldn’t avoid him much longer. In truth, she didn’t want to. She respected him too much to continue as they’d been. “We just need to find some quiet time—”
As if on cue, Alix squealed loudly, released Griff, and scrambled into Chelsie’s arms. The little girl wouldn’t be ignored. Chelsie laughed. “See?”
With an exasperated groan, Griff gave in and grinned before glancing at his watch. “I’ve got to go. Are you sure you can handle this? I can call Ryan. He’d understand.”
“I think I’ve had enough practice.”