God, I just can’t deal with you right now, so hush!
“Carter, I’m so sorry, I thought you were… someone else.” I couldn’t very well tell him I thought it had been Nina, or possibly Dirk. I was sure there was some rule that he had to tell Winston Sr. Besides, this was embarrassing enough considering he probably got an earful from the dining room.
Before Carter could respond, Dirk appeared at the end of the hall and went rigid at the sight of us standing together. I wasn't interested in the least about compounding their issues, so I apologized again as I opened the door and slipped off into my bedroom, hoping that Dirk wouldn’t follow.
Of course he did, and he didn’t even knock before he barged in. “Shelby, darling, I’d like to have a word with you if you’d come out to the sitting room, please?” He didn’t let go of the door as he made his demand veiled as a question, and I realized that he was completely serious about not coming into my room until his father gave the go ahead. But while he didn’t sound mad, he wasn’t going to back down either, and I didn’t want to have a witness to however the conversation was going to go if I made him come get me. It was odd, but just about everything had been since the night he proposed.
“Fine, I’ll be right there.” At my agreement, he backed out and shut the door behind him. I didn’t make him wait, just toed my shoes off so my feet weren’t cramped in the heels I’d worn to dinner, then padded out in stockinged feet to join him on the davenport.
After we were both settled, me with my knees tucked up under my dress and Dirk with a glass of alcohol, he started with his reprimand. “I know some of this is trying and probably not what you would choose to do with your free time, but it is necessary. Nina has been vetted and was a loyal employee in the past. She taught and cared for another young lady after Rafe no longer required her, and she left that family on very short notice to come help me. Or more accurately, to help you. The early resignation won’t be so bad on her references, as the girl is almost old enough to not need a nanny, but Nina still risked her reputation and possibly future positions to be here. So I need you to try to get along and listen to her, please.”
I still didn’t like the woman and probably never would, nor would I point out why she had likely jumped ship so quickly, but I could see it really wouldn’t matter what my opinion was, so I nodded along with him. “Good, I’m glad that’s settled then. Also, your points were valid, and I’ve reminded Nina of her place. She’s guiding you and keeping you from making any social gaffes, but she’s now well aware that you will be her employer soon and could refuse to allow her to continue on if she doesn’t stay professional and refrain from overstepping.” I sighed in relief at the pronouncement, and Dirk’s forehead creased between his eyes with concern.
“Darling, if you have issues you can’t resolve, you need to bring them to me.” I didn’t even bother to remind him that I had already done so since the current resolution was good enough for me. I held my breath at his next topic, worried that it wasn’t going to go well. “And about stabbing your bodyguard…” His lips twitched at the corners while amusement filled his gaze. “Well done, darling. No one should be touching what’s mine.” Again, relief filled me, but it was edged with annoyance that it was only because of his possessiveness and not that I was my own person who should have autonomy over my own body.
But it didn’t seem to be worth starting an argument when I essentially got off scot-free, and hopefully, Dirk's talk with Nina had nipped that problem in the bud. So instead, I finished out the evening with Dirk before retiring to bed with only a chaste kiss on the cheek while he went to his office to work a little longer.
* * *
Ishould have known it was too good to be true. Dirk’s reassurances from the night before weren’t quite holding up in the light of day. “Are you sure I don’t need my own attorney? This doesn’t feel right,” I hedged with a pen gripped in my hand while Dirk and two attorneys waited for me to sign the representation contract. Two men had shown up about thirty minutes before, and while they were from the same firm, they’d apparently made some sort of agreement that we could both be represented. They’d shown me the precedent for it, and I believed them, but what I didn’t believe was that the one assigned to me would have my best interests in mind. Really, how could he? The bill was being footed by Dirk, and he worked for the firm that represented the entire family and shipping business.
“Shelby, darling, don’t make a scene. It’s just a formality. You’ve never been interested in my portfolio, and this is only to make that disinterest legal and protect us both.” In the event we don’t last. I could hear his unspoken qualifier, but that bomb took a backseat to the fact that he thought I was making a scene when I couldn’t even quite understand what the contract for representation entailed. I wasn’t stupid by any means, and some of it didn’t seem to pertain to today’s matter—the prenup.
Steeling myself against the censure of the three men in Dirk’s study, I squared my shoulders and fired off my misgivings. “If someone said that to you, Dirk, you’d put them in their place. Please don’t talk down to me, especially in front of company. It’s rude, darling. As for Mr. Cates and Mr. Bolling, I’m sure they’ve seen more than one scene in their careers, and I do believe they’re gagged with attorney-client confidentiality even if I haven’t signed anything because it would expose you as well, and you do have an agreement with them.” My fiancé turned a deep shade of red, and it was enough to make me wonder if he had blood pressure issues, but I wasn’t about to back down and lose my footing, shaky as it may be. “This isn’t a standard contract. I’m not sure I ever mentioned it, but at one point, before my dreams of leaving home and going to college were dashed, I wanted to be a lawyer. I even took a course at the community college my senior year in high school for extra credits, not that I needed them to graduate.” The attorneys appeared amused, and I wasn’t about to admit it was an intro course, but there had been general contracts introduced in the curriculum, and this was one of those. “There is more here than a basic agreement, and I’m not comfortable signing it until I know what it all means. Which is why I planned to hire my own attorney, but I haven’t been able to leave for a consultation!”
My temper got the better of me for a moment, but darn it, I didn’t even have a vehicle or a way into town without asking for it, and no one was offering to help. Even the attorneys shared a glance, and that right there sealed it for me. I wasn’t doing it. I set my pen down and crossed my arms, refusing to speak on the subject again until I knew I wasn’t signing my life away. I loved Dirk, but his father wasn’t above calling me out upon first meeting me. There was little doubt that he’d have me legally hogtied if he could, and I wasn't so confident that Dirk wouldn’t go along to keep the peace. Or his piece of the pie at any rate.
A knock sounded at the closed door before Jerry appeared with a neutral expression fixed on his face. “I apologize for the interruption, sirs, but Mr. Caldwell is here to join the meeting. He was retained on Miss Shelby’s behalf.” His attention turned from Dirk, who looked even more pissed if possible, to me, and a hint of warmth entered his gaze. “If you don’t mind my forwardness, Miss Shelby, he’s the same attorney handling your mother’s affairs.” And that fixed it in my mind. Jerry had gone over everything that was being handled for Mama, and I was perfectly fine with it.
Nearly slumping in relief, I barely reminded myself about keeping my posture before smiling back at the steward—that was what he’d finally told me his position was called when I had gotten up the courage to ask. “That’s perfect, and I don’t mind at all, Jerry, thank you.”
Mr. Caldwell was an older gentleman with bushy brows and a ready smile. I liked him right away, and when he asked to review the contract I’d been asked to sign, the other attorney was quick to say it wasn’t necessary as he would go back to representing the interests of Dirk’s family. I knew that thing had been hinky, and that just cemented it in my mind.
I’d suggest you find a way to thank Jerry profusely. He just saved your sweet behind from who knows what, but it couldn’t have been good. If you’re going to keep on with this mess, you’d better make him some cupcakes or something to keep him on your side. The good Lord only knows what would happen if you pissed him off.
Yes, thank you, I already figured that out for myself. Now go away before the nice attorney thinks I’m a flighty crackpot for ignoring him. And I’m marrying Dirk, not his family. This is all just a means to an end, and I won’t be run off by some paperwork!
If you say so, dumbass.
And of course my mind always had to devolve into an argument. At least I hadn’t missed anything other than the attorneys sizing each other up and making arrangements for me and mine to go over the prenuptial agreement. Dirk remained strangely silent despite his complexion having run a gamut of colors along with his facial reactions. I could only guess that it was something he was advised to do and hated that this might come between us.
“Miss Tamblin, would you like to step into the next room so we can go over this and see if any changes are required?” I liked Mr. Caldwell even more when he shushed Dirk’s pair as they tried to protest about some time constraint. “Are you denying my client the right to review the materials?” They quickly assured him that that wasn’t the case. Supposedly, they had another meeting that afternoon and had hoped to wrap this up, as they’d been told it was more of a formality than anything. I wasn’t the only one that gave Dirk a glare at the revelation, but there wasn’t anything to be done about it, and I wanted it over with too.
“Mr. Caldwell, that’s probably my fault, Dirk knows I don’t want to marry him for his money, and likely passed that on. Oh, and please, call me Shelby.”
My attorney looked like he was going to argue, but instead he opened the door, telling me to lead the way. I had no idea which room we were supposed to go to, but Jerry was there again, directing us to the proper one. It was furnished in much the same way as Dirk’s, and I wondered if it was a theme or if he had once occupied the smaller office. My attention was pulled to Mr. Caldwell as he spread the documents over the table and had me sign the representation contract, one that was much simpler than the last, then we got down to business.