Chapter 39

CHAPTER

THIRTY-NINE

DANI

The last bell rang fifteen minutes ago, signaling the end of school. My Dad picked up Tyler to work on some secret Thanksgiving day surprise. I’m not sure what it is, but I’m grateful for the extra time to get my life in order. Or at least just have a quiet moment to mentally rehash the mess I’m in.

There’s a knock at my classroom door. I look up to see Mr. Davis escorting a stunning woman in her mid-forties, dressed very professionally for this setting. I’d bet her shoes have red bottoms. She's rocking a flawless chignon, with not a hair out of place.

She’s a stark contrast to me today. I’m wearing chocolate milk from a lunch mishap, and what little makeup I had on this morning washed away with my afternoon tears.

“Hey Mr. Davis. What can I do for you?”

“This lovely woman was asking to see you, but wasn’t on the visitor list. I hope it’s okay that I brought her to you. ”

“It’s fine. Thanks Mr. Davis.” He gives an appreciative look at our visitor and smiles.

“It was nice meeting you,” he says to her. “Dani, let me know if you need anything.”

“I will, thanks.” I haven’t shared any of my legal issues with him, or frankly, anyone. It’s too much. It’s embarrassing. I turn my attention to the woman at my door.

“Hi Dani. May I come in?” I nod at her as my stomach rolls. I have a bad feeling about this.

She steps into the room and closes the door. Her heels click as she makes her way to me. While Mickey enjoys his exercise ball on the floor, I’m petting Joe at my desk. Her expression morphs from power suit to childlike wonder almost instantly. These hedgehogs have a way of doing that to people. It makes me think of Xander, and I give her a weak smile.

“He’s adorable. May I?” She’s reaching out to pet him.

“Of course. His name is Joe. You can hold him if you’d like, but I don’t want him to mess up your clothes.” The moment I say yes, her eyes light up.

“Oh, I don’t care. He’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” She takes him from me and snuggles, cooing at him like a baby.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” I say to get us back on task. I don’t know what she wants, but I doubt it’s good. I might as well address it head-on. Another wave of Xander’s memories washes over me. He’s rubbed off on me.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. How unprofessional of me.” She shifts Joe to one hand and offers me her other. “I’m Courtney Brown, an attorney with Hargrove and Associates.”

I shake her hand as my smile falters. An attorney. Now what am I being served with?

“How can I help you, Ms. Brown?”

“Courtney, please. And I’m here to help you. Our firm handles celebrity cases, especially assault cases against women. I was part of the team that got Taylor Swift her victory in court after that horrible man groped her. I’m tired of women being victimized b y men and then again in the courtroom. It’s not fair, and I’m sick of it. I help women fight back. Do you have counsel for your case involving Pauly Jackson?”

Mickey rolls his ball to my feet, and I reach down to pick him up. I open it up and hold him in my hands. Now each of us has a hedgehog. At least we should stay civil at this point. We both cuddle our therapy animals while she waits for my response.

“I’m sorry if I’m a bit confused. First of all, I’m certainly no celebrity, and second, I can’t afford a lawyer.”

“Do you have a dollar?” she asks, holding Joe and rubbing his fur on her face.

“A dollar?”

“Yes, one dollar will retain my services. The rest is pro bono.” She holds Joe up and looks at him eye to eye. She whispers, “That’s free.” She gives him a wink and focuses her attention back on me. “Then, anything you say to me will be attorney-client privilege. Do you have a dollar?” She’s staring me down, challenging me to say no.

I look at her like she’s got two heads. She’s a high-powered, or at least expensive, lawyer, cuddling with a hedgehog, asking me if I have a dollar. I rummage in my pen drawer, find enough change to make a dollar and place it on the desk. I give her a shrug.

“Perfect. Now let’s begin.” She quickly moves Joe to one hand while she pulls out a notebook and a pen.

“Are you aware of exactly what’s going on? Legally, that is?”

“Not really. I have a court date about the assault. The Assistant DA assured me I need to answer the questions directly and honestly, and everything will be fine.”

“I bet he did,” she mumbles. “Continue.”

“Then a guy shows up at my house serving me with papers that say Pauly Jackson is suing me because he lost his job. He’s suing me for a million dollars,” I scoff. “I’m a teacher and a single mother. I’ll never see a million dollars in my life. The entire thing is ridiculous. During this deposition thing, they accused me o f working with Xan, I mean, Alexander Decker, to set him up. Since the video doesn’t have sound, they said I was blackmailing him or something. It was all lies.” Thinking about that day makes me angry. Thinking about Alexander’s face when I sent him away makes me physically ill.

She looks at me with a harshness that would make me buckle on the stand. I’m not made to deal with lawyers. The deposition proved that.

“Anything else?”

“No, not really.”

“What about your romantic relationship with Alexander Decker?”

“What relationship?” I’m not lying. It’s over.

“Are you romantically involved with him?”

“I was.” My heart clenches. What would I give to change my answer to I am?

“Before or after the assault?”

“After. I’d never met him until we attended a Reapers game in his suite.” I remember that day like it was yesterday. The man with the hard exterior but a heart of pure gold.

“Are you in love with him?”

Why is she asking me this? Is it relevant to the case? I don’t know, but I can’t deny it any longer. I can’t deny it to myself or her.

“Yes, I love him. But we aren’t together anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” I swallow. Why aren’t we together? “I broke his heart.”

She screws her mouth as she thinks.

“I can work with that.”