This is fun.
I thought it was funny that a woman who could breathe fire in the court was so easily unnerved by talking to little ole me. It made my heart smile.
“I haven’t been in my room all morning. I’ll look at it later. Now, about last night—”
She put her hand up in front of her and shook her head. “I said in the note that last night is not a topic I want to revisit. Let’s just archive that and never return to it, okay?” She looked at me expectantly.
I had two options. I could play it her way and just agree to let it go and never mention it again, or I could ignore what she just said and keep talking about it. I was irritated that she was closing the subject, so I continued on.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” I said.
Both eyebrows shot up in unison as her mouth gaped open with the realization that I wasn’t going to just let it go. I had to stop myself from laughing out loud.
“I don’t think you heard me correctly. I don’t wish to discuss this any further. Is that clear enough for you?”
What is she so afraid of?
“Crystal,” I agreed finally. It was enough to me that I made her nervous.
She started to walk away, then turned around and spoke. “Don’t follow me, and don’t be in that chair when I come back.” She then went to the diving board and performed a straight dive that was probably the best one I’d ever witnessed. It just made her sexier.
* * *
Later that afternoon,I met my brother and Faith in the underground mall at Caesar’s Palace. Faith was looking up at the painted sky and clouds on the ceiling and watching everyone walk by. I figured she’d be busy doing that for hours.
After several hours of walking around the mall and shopping, we chose a restaurant to have some dinner. The waiter gave Faith some crayons and a coloring book and she settled down to try and color inside the lines. I thought that was pretty advanced for a two-year-old.
“It turns out that I got my information wrong,” Keith said. “I just found out that I do have custody of Faith. However, Layla is going to try and contest it, of course. I wish she would see that she isn’t good for our daughter. She needs to figure out her shit before she even thinks I’ll let her see Faith.”
“Hopefully, the court rules in favor of that. Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked.
“I’ll let you know.” Keith looked at me, squinting as if that would make him see into my soul. “What’s up with you today? You don’t seem yourself.”
“I’m just hungover, that’s all,” I answered. I smiled, hoping that would get him off my back.
No such luck.
“Nope. I’ve been on many alcohol benders with you, Chris. I know you as well as I know myself, and I’m telling you there’s something else, and if I had a clue, I’d bet anything it has to do with the female gender. Fess up.”
I sighed. That was one problem with being a twin. You could never get anything past each other. It worked both ways. “Just my new supervisor, Marilyn. She’s a hotshot lawyer, and she’s here on a case. I was sent on vacation, and not knowing this is where she was, I accidentally booked this vacation here. She’s pissed because she thinks our boss sent me here to spy on her, which they didn’t. We ended up sharing some drinks last night in her hotel room and—”
“You slept with your boss?” Keith asked, his eyes growing huge.
“No! Of course, I didn’t. I’m not that stupid. We merely drank and talked. She told me she wants me to pretend it never happened. But get this, she left me all kinds of paperwork she wants me to get done while I’m on vacation, to get ready for the next case,” I told him.
“That’s not cool, brother. I say don’t do it until you get back, then cram it in the night before,” Keith suggested.
“You know, I just might do that!” I lifted up my soda can, and we made a toast. “To enjoy my vacation instead of slaving away!”
SEVEN
MARILYN
Several weeks after I had returned from my week in Vegas, Laura, our receptionist, buzzed my office. I had asked her to screen my calls earlier that morning and contemplated not answering, but she was really good with only letting important calls come through, so I picked it up.
“Laura?”
“I’m so sorry to bother you, Ms. Alexander. Mr. Farthington, request you in his office in fifteen minutes.” Her voice sounded so apologetic that I let her off easily.