innocent smile when he reappeared with the bourbon. “Vander, your drink.”
He took the drink and played along. “Thank you, Jeffries.”
The man bowed and left, and Vander handed Gail the glass. After taking another healthy sip, she sighed and said, “Bourbon is so delicious, don’t you think? Especially on a Monday morning.”
“It’s almost noon, Gail,” Vander said to make her feel a little better.
“It is indeed,” Gail replied, rearranging her boa. “I’m not surprised Shelby didn’t mention that she works for me. The girl is special that way. She doesn’t use her connection to me like she might. Because of that and all of the good she has done me over these years, I’d like to pay your fee. That’s why I asked you to come in today, Vander.”
He sat back in his chair. “You want to foot the bill? She must be special to you.”
“She is,” Gail said, patting her heart. “And pretty too.”
While he agreed, he still rolled his eyes. “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you’re getting too old to still be a bachelor around these parts,” Gail said with a wink.
While he might be having a recurrent nightmare about his dad asking him what more he was going to do with his life, he wasn’t prepared to give Gail any indication he was doing a personal inventory of it.
“I don’t want to end up divorced and paying alimony to no-good exes like someone else I know,” he said, both because it was partly true and because he could be balls-to-the-wall honest with Gail. “You’re not my only client who’s gotten screwed, blued, and tattooed by an ex.”
“That’s why I like you, Vander,” she said, leaning forward and giving him an enchanting smile. “You tell it like it is. When you marry, and despite your cynicism, I expect you will—you’re too handsome and kind-hearted to remain alone forever—you’ll choose well. No mere girl would suit you. That’s why I thought you might go for me. I’m a seasoned woman.”
Hearing Gail refer to him as kind-hearted made him more than a little uncomfortable, so he tried to keep things light. He let a smile snake across his lips. “Seasoned, huh? Is that what they’re calling it these days?”
She slapped him in the face with her white boa. “I’ll ignore that unchivalrous remark. Now, tell me what you’ve found out about Shelby’s daddy so far. I know y’all met on Friday. Plenty of time for you to run him.”
“Gail,” he said, leaning on the edge of his chair. “You might want to foot the bill for this case as a kindness to Shelby, but I can’t share any information with you. It’s unethical.”
“Unethical,” Gail harrumphed. “That’s ridiculous! I’m only trying to be supportive.”
Vander stood and buttoned his jacket, making a show of eyeing his watch. “I have another meeting. You can ask Shelby about the case, but not me. We need to get that straight right now. And no late-night calls or texts either.”
Her mouth pursed, and she threw her white boa over her shoulder again. When a feather landed on her lips, making her cough to clear it, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Fine!” She stood and fluffed her boa, sending more white feathers dancing into the air.
When she stuck out her hand, he shook it. “Deal.”
Rather than release his hand, she pulled him closer. “It was good to see you, Vander.”
He kissed her cheek. “You too, Gail. Behave for once.”
“I’ll go to my grave misbehaving,” Gail said, picking up his bourbon and toasting him. “You know where I live if you change your mind.”
She was as flirtatious as she was tenacious, but she’d never taken it any further, which is why he allowed it.
“Enjoy my bourbon,” he said as he left the parlor.
“Oh, I plan to,” she called out to him.
Jeffries appeared in the foyer as if by magic and opened the front door. Vander took note of the white BMW convertible cruising down the drive, but he didn’t realize it was Shelby until
He took the drink and played along. “Thank you, Jeffries.”
The man bowed and left, and Vander handed Gail the glass. After taking another healthy sip, she sighed and said, “Bourbon is so delicious, don’t you think? Especially on a Monday morning.”
“It’s almost noon, Gail,” Vander said to make her feel a little better.
“It is indeed,” Gail replied, rearranging her boa. “I’m not surprised Shelby didn’t mention that she works for me. The girl is special that way. She doesn’t use her connection to me like she might. Because of that and all of the good she has done me over these years, I’d like to pay your fee. That’s why I asked you to come in today, Vander.”
He sat back in his chair. “You want to foot the bill? She must be special to you.”
“She is,” Gail said, patting her heart. “And pretty too.”
While he agreed, he still rolled his eyes. “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you’re getting too old to still be a bachelor around these parts,” Gail said with a wink.
While he might be having a recurrent nightmare about his dad asking him what more he was going to do with his life, he wasn’t prepared to give Gail any indication he was doing a personal inventory of it.
“I don’t want to end up divorced and paying alimony to no-good exes like someone else I know,” he said, both because it was partly true and because he could be balls-to-the-wall honest with Gail. “You’re not my only client who’s gotten screwed, blued, and tattooed by an ex.”
“That’s why I like you, Vander,” she said, leaning forward and giving him an enchanting smile. “You tell it like it is. When you marry, and despite your cynicism, I expect you will—you’re too handsome and kind-hearted to remain alone forever—you’ll choose well. No mere girl would suit you. That’s why I thought you might go for me. I’m a seasoned woman.”
Hearing Gail refer to him as kind-hearted made him more than a little uncomfortable, so he tried to keep things light. He let a smile snake across his lips. “Seasoned, huh? Is that what they’re calling it these days?”
She slapped him in the face with her white boa. “I’ll ignore that unchivalrous remark. Now, tell me what you’ve found out about Shelby’s daddy so far. I know y’all met on Friday. Plenty of time for you to run him.”
“Gail,” he said, leaning on the edge of his chair. “You might want to foot the bill for this case as a kindness to Shelby, but I can’t share any information with you. It’s unethical.”
“Unethical,” Gail harrumphed. “That’s ridiculous! I’m only trying to be supportive.”
Vander stood and buttoned his jacket, making a show of eyeing his watch. “I have another meeting. You can ask Shelby about the case, but not me. We need to get that straight right now. And no late-night calls or texts either.”
Her mouth pursed, and she threw her white boa over her shoulder again. When a feather landed on her lips, making her cough to clear it, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Fine!” She stood and fluffed her boa, sending more white feathers dancing into the air.
When she stuck out her hand, he shook it. “Deal.”
Rather than release his hand, she pulled him closer. “It was good to see you, Vander.”
He kissed her cheek. “You too, Gail. Behave for once.”
“I’ll go to my grave misbehaving,” Gail said, picking up his bourbon and toasting him. “You know where I live if you change your mind.”
She was as flirtatious as she was tenacious, but she’d never taken it any further, which is why he allowed it.
“Enjoy my bourbon,” he said as he left the parlor.
“Oh, I plan to,” she called out to him.
Jeffries appeared in the foyer as if by magic and opened the front door. Vander took note of the white BMW convertible cruising down the drive, but he didn’t realize it was Shelby until
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