40. Crazy In Love

40

CRAZY IN LOVE

T he next day, Laurel left work a few hours early. She’d left a message for Philip that they needed to talk. She gave him four hours to return her call or she was taking care of his mother on her own.

She didn’t leave any other information than that and she grinned while she’d said it.

If Philip didn’t know what was going on, then he’d try to figure it out on his own.

She was driving Easton’s car. He’d tossed the fob at her this morning and said not to bother moving them around. That he had no plans on going anywhere anyway.

She’d gotten some looks when she showed up in that car from those who saw her in the parking lot, but she didn’t care.

“How was your day?” Easton asked when she arrived home and popped her head into his office. She didn’t want to bother him but just wanted to at least wave.

“Good. Denise came in and apologized to me,” she said. “She said that we got off on the wrong foot and hated the way it turned out. That she hadn’t meant any of it and was just mad that she didn’t get my job and maybe she got carried away with her own frustration over the situation.”

“Do you believe what she said?” he asked.

“I believe she was mad she didn’t get my job,” Laurel said, smiling. “And that she didn’t like the way things turned out, but I don’t believe she was sincere in her apology. We’ll see how things go. I told her that it was out of my control now. That her behavior would dictate her future and it wasn’t my call.”

“I bet she didn’t expect that.”

“Nope. I think she thought I’d go to bat for her. She even mentioned how busy things were going to get and if she was terminated it’d be hard to be down her position.”

“That is one of the stupider things someone could use as an excuse.”

“I bit my tongue when she said that. It wasn’t worth it. I’ll cover for her if I have to. I’m not worried, but I’ve got a backup plan.”

He nodded his head. “I’m going to assume you haven’t heard from Philip yet?”

“No,” she said. “I’m positive he is going to wait until the last possible minute to call me back and I wanted to be home for it. No reason to be at work where other people could hear any more of my business than they already have.”

“I don’t blame you,” he said. “I’ll cook dinner tonight if you don’t mind. I’ll be done in an hour or so. Or at least I’m calling it a day then.”

She looked at her watch. It was barely three. “Sweet,” she said. “You don’t have to do that for me though.”

“I’m doing it for me,” he said.

“I’m going to do some yoga then while you’re working.”

She went upstairs and changed, then pulled her mat out and went out to the deck with it. It was warm out. Maybe too hot for yoga, but sometimes it felt better doing it in the heat.

Thirty minutes later, she was covered in sweat and walking back in with her mat all rolled up and in her hand.

She set it down and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

Easton came out and took one look at her. “Did you hose yourself down out there?”

She grinned and moved closer, then rubbed against him, transferring her sweat from her damp clothing. “I should have. I could have had a Flashdance moment.”

“Fuck,” he said. “If you ever do that you better make sure you call me out to watch.”

“I wouldn’t do it for anyone else other than you,” she said, landing a kiss on his lips.

She moved back and guzzled some water and then grabbed her mat to return to her room and shower.

She got two steps up when her doorbell rang and came back down to see who it was.

Laurel growled in her throat over Philip standing there. She should have expected this but didn’t.

She whipped the door open. It was like a flashback.

“What the hell happened to you?” Philip asked, wrinkling his nose. “Do you not have AC in here?”

“I was working out on the deck,” she said. “Sorry if a little bit of sweat turns you off. And once again, what are you doing here?”

“I felt like I had no choice,” Philip snarled. “And since when do you spend that kind of money on a car? You always gave me shit over my BMW.”

“It’s my car, not hers,” Easton said from behind her.

Oops, had a lapse that she forgot her hot boyfriend was here and going to witness this.

“Who are you?” Philip asked.

“The new boyfriend,” he said. “Easton Cooke.” He put his hand out and she could see Philip didn’t know what to make of the situation. Easton was in shorts and a fitted T-shirt, barefoot and squeezing Philip’s hand enough that her ex winced, but she knew it wasn’t that hard.

Philip was just a wimp.

“This is between Laurel and me,” Philip said. “If you can give us privacy.”

“Nope,” he said. “As the attorney representing her, I need to be here.”

“You’re an attorney?” Philip asked, looking Easton over again. “Guess that was your problem all along. It’s what you wanted and I wasn’t it.”

There were so many things she wanted to say to that but was going to be the better person and bite her tongue right now.

“Come in, Philip. Let’s get this situated. Did you know your mother is suing me?”

“No,” Philip said. “I only found out because I had to do some digging. Then I finally went to my father. He’s pissed. He didn’t know about it.”

“I find that hard to believe,” she said.

“Just pay her half and it will go away,” Philip said. “Ask your father for it.”

“No,” Easton said.

“I’ve got this,” she said, putting her hand on his arm and then squeezing his fingers after she ran her hand down. She could tell he was tense and she wasn’t sure why. “No. You’re going to tell your mother why our engagement ended. And if you don’t, I’m going to. And I’m going to do it more publicly than my ring in your plate at the country club.”

“You wouldn’t,” Philip said. “It’d only embarrass you and your father.”

“I would,” she said. “I’m not embarrassed. I called it off with you the minute I found out. And once your mother finds out the real reason, she’s going to be the one hiding. So either you tell her and get her to drop this, or I’m going to and it won’t be a nice letter she is served or even a phone call. It’s going to be at the country club, maybe on stage in front of the mic. I might even blow up the screenshots I took of your phone that day and texted to myself. Remember them? They’d look good as posters. They are going to come in handy now.”

“I never realized how much of a bitch you were,” Philip said.

Easton took a step toward her ex. “Watch your mouth,” he snarled.

Philip backed up and tripped on his two feet. She held back the laugh. “Do what I just said and this can all go away. Otherwise, not only will your mother be embarrassed but your father too. He’ll be even more pissed off and you’ll not only have family drama at home but in the office.”

Which she knew Philip hated more than anything.

Everyone talked behind his back about the fact that he wasn’t smart enough to pass the bar. His father never defended him and his mother was the one that forced the job for Philip there.

“I don’t know what I ever saw in you,” Philip said and walked out the door. When he got to the sidewalk, he turned and shouted, “You can have her crazy ass.”

“I’m crazy in love with her ass,” Easton said, laughing.

She laughed. “You have until noon tomorrow for your mother to reach out to me that this matter has been dropped. Otherwise I’m going to do what I said.”

“How is she supposed to reach you?” Philip asked.

“She’ll find a way. Her attorney can send me another certified letter or email. Call or text. Figure it out. Otherwise, the next step is mine. Have a good night.”

She shut the door before he could say another word.

“That was entertaining,” Easton said.

She turned and shook her ass at him. “Crazy drama,” she said. “It feels as if that is all I’ve shown to you since we met.”

He slapped her ass and pulled her close. She knew her workout attire was showing sweat marks in places and his hand was damp from touching her.

“And yet I’m still here, so I’m not bothered by it.”

“Good point,” she said. “How hard did you shake his hand?”

“Not as hard as I slapped your butt just now. He’s soft.”

“He is,” she said. “Glad I got to see the light when I did.”

“Do you think he will talk to his mother?” he asked, moving away from her and then wiping his wet hand on his shorts.

She wasn’t offended either. She would have done the same thing if he was the sweaty one.

“I think so. He’s more afraid of his father than his mother. He’s always been that way. He gives in to his mother because it’s easier. He’ll tell his mother and she’ll back down because she’ll know what will happen if his father finds out what caused the engagement to end.”

“I’m sure his father knows of his son’s cheating ways,” he said.

“I’m positive, but it’s not my concern. You’re my concern. You don’t believe I only wanted you because of what you do for a living, right?”

He burst out laughing and was almost bent over with it. “That’s a joke, right?”

It took her a minute before she remembered the fight they had when she found out that he was an attorney and how deceived and angry she was.

“It wasn’t, but now I realize how funny it is,” she said, laughing.

He hugged her again. “We all have things in our past. We have to move on from them. I don’t think anything of it.”

“Thanks,” she said. “I hope it’s over with soon.”

“If it’s not, then we’ll deal with it. I promise.”

She kissed him and then walked up the stairs grinning. “I’d rather you promise me something else,” she shouted from the top of the stairs. She was positive he was watching her walk up them with his eyes on her ass.

“I’ll give it to you later,” he shouted back and then his laughter faded as he walked back to his office.