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Authors: Jennifer Ryan
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night?”
“I stayed with Claire at the hospital until they released her, then drove her home.” Tired to the bone, he scrubbed his hands over his face. “I helped clean up her house after Dale broke a window, then I stayed with her to make sure Dale didn’t come back.”
“Oh,” she said, not conveying a bit of sympathy. “Well, I guess she was grateful for your help. You’ve done so much for me, and if she needed you to help her, well, that’s so nice of you.”
He didn’t know what to say, so he kept his mouth shut.
“So, Claire. Do you know her well?” she asked.
“Met her last night. Dropped her off at her shop down the street this morning.”
He kept it vague. He didn’t want anything getting back to Dale, and he certainly didn’t want to discuss his personal life with a client. Especially when his client had a thing for him. Oh, he’d ignored it in the past, thinking she’d get over it once his involvement in her life waned. No such luck. The more Dale interfered in Shannon’s life, the more his involvement with her.
“Shannon, one more thing. Our relationship is strictly professional. I hope you made that clear to Dale.”
“Of course. We’re friends.”
Why did that of course sound like a placating statement that went with a wink? Like, of course our relationship is strictly professional. Wink. Wink.
He gave up. If she wanted to think there was some double meaning behind his words, what could he do? He told her the truth.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do before court this afternoon.”
“You had such a difficult night. Let me make it up to you and take you to dinner.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off before he said one word.
“If you’re not up to going out, I could cook for you at my place. We’ll have a nice relaxing evening.”
“Shannon, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think it’s appropriate. Besides”—he softened his refusal—“I have other plans.”
“Oh, well, some other time. I’ll leave you to your work. I’m off to the pet store,” she said, cheerily refusing to hear what he said.
She held out her hand to shake. Not wanting to be rude, he took it and shook, but she didn’t let him go. Instead, she took his hand in both of hers and held it.
“Thank you, Owen, for always looking out for me. It means so much that you would take such an interest in your client.”
He pulled his hand free and stood to show her out, since she seemed inclined to dawdle. “You’re welcome.”
He led the way out of his office, feeling her eyes on his back. She hurried to catch up, but in the cramped hall with his wide frame she brushed up against him. He thought she’d give him some space, but she didn’t and walked a few steps beside him. He shortened his stride and let her go ahead with a wave of his hand.
“You’re such a gentleman.”
The woman didn’t see the obvious. He wondered if she’d missed all the bad vibes and signals from Dale and married him anyway, hoping he was the dream in her head. Maybe she’d believed she could change him. No such luck. People were who they were, and they didn’t change unless they wanted to or had a compelling reason. Dale proved time and again he didn’t want to change to keep Shannon. He thought of her as nothing more than a possession.
Janine sat at her desk, drinking her coffee and eating her muffin. She popped a bite into her mouth and gave him a huge smile.
“Thanks for stopping by, Shannon, I’ll see you later.” The words left his mouth, her eyes lit up, and he wondered why he said anything. Everything he said, she took the wrong way. He held back a groan and pretended to sort through the files on Janine’s desk, his back to Shannon, dismissing her.
“I’ll call you if I hear anything from Dale.”
“K.”
The door closed behind him and Janine winked. “Wouldn’t surprise me if she encouraged Dale back into her life just to get your attention.”
“She
“I stayed with Claire at the hospital until they released her, then drove her home.” Tired to the bone, he scrubbed his hands over his face. “I helped clean up her house after Dale broke a window, then I stayed with her to make sure Dale didn’t come back.”
“Oh,” she said, not conveying a bit of sympathy. “Well, I guess she was grateful for your help. You’ve done so much for me, and if she needed you to help her, well, that’s so nice of you.”
He didn’t know what to say, so he kept his mouth shut.
“So, Claire. Do you know her well?” she asked.
“Met her last night. Dropped her off at her shop down the street this morning.”
He kept it vague. He didn’t want anything getting back to Dale, and he certainly didn’t want to discuss his personal life with a client. Especially when his client had a thing for him. Oh, he’d ignored it in the past, thinking she’d get over it once his involvement in her life waned. No such luck. The more Dale interfered in Shannon’s life, the more his involvement with her.
“Shannon, one more thing. Our relationship is strictly professional. I hope you made that clear to Dale.”
“Of course. We’re friends.”
Why did that of course sound like a placating statement that went with a wink? Like, of course our relationship is strictly professional. Wink. Wink.
He gave up. If she wanted to think there was some double meaning behind his words, what could he do? He told her the truth.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do before court this afternoon.”
“You had such a difficult night. Let me make it up to you and take you to dinner.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off before he said one word.
“If you’re not up to going out, I could cook for you at my place. We’ll have a nice relaxing evening.”
“Shannon, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think it’s appropriate. Besides”—he softened his refusal—“I have other plans.”
“Oh, well, some other time. I’ll leave you to your work. I’m off to the pet store,” she said, cheerily refusing to hear what he said.
She held out her hand to shake. Not wanting to be rude, he took it and shook, but she didn’t let him go. Instead, she took his hand in both of hers and held it.
“Thank you, Owen, for always looking out for me. It means so much that you would take such an interest in your client.”
He pulled his hand free and stood to show her out, since she seemed inclined to dawdle. “You’re welcome.”
He led the way out of his office, feeling her eyes on his back. She hurried to catch up, but in the cramped hall with his wide frame she brushed up against him. He thought she’d give him some space, but she didn’t and walked a few steps beside him. He shortened his stride and let her go ahead with a wave of his hand.
“You’re such a gentleman.”
The woman didn’t see the obvious. He wondered if she’d missed all the bad vibes and signals from Dale and married him anyway, hoping he was the dream in her head. Maybe she’d believed she could change him. No such luck. People were who they were, and they didn’t change unless they wanted to or had a compelling reason. Dale proved time and again he didn’t want to change to keep Shannon. He thought of her as nothing more than a possession.
Janine sat at her desk, drinking her coffee and eating her muffin. She popped a bite into her mouth and gave him a huge smile.
“Thanks for stopping by, Shannon, I’ll see you later.” The words left his mouth, her eyes lit up, and he wondered why he said anything. Everything he said, she took the wrong way. He held back a groan and pretended to sort through the files on Janine’s desk, his back to Shannon, dismissing her.
“I’ll call you if I hear anything from Dale.”
“K.”
The door closed behind him and Janine winked. “Wouldn’t surprise me if she encouraged Dale back into her life just to get your attention.”
“She
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