New York, Actually (From Manhattan with Love 4)

“I thought you might need this. Looking at your face, I’m guessing I was right.”

“I feel as if I spend my entire day fighting. Why wasn’t I a boxer or an MMA fighter? It might have been cleaner.”

“You love fighting. You get that look about you. Clenched jaw. Dangerous ‘don’t mess with me’ glint in your eyes. I assume Elisa didn’t say anything you were pleased to hear.”

“My eyes glint? Why have you never told me this before?”

“Because when they glint I’m mostly too scared to open my mouth in your company, and when they stop glinting I forget to mentio

n it. The flowers arrived and they’re beautiful, thank you. Now tell me why you’re stressed.”

“I’m never stressed. Only calm, and slightly less calm.” Giving up the pretense, he rubbed the back of his neck to relieve the tension. “The ability of the human being to screw up its own life never ceases to amaze me.”

“I hate to be the one to point this out, but that’s the reason this is a busy and thriving law firm. If we all got it right, you’d be out of a job.” She set the files down on his desk. “These are for you. And in case you’ve forgotten, it’s Audrey’s birthday today, too. They’re in the kitchen eating cake. If you have a minute, I know it would mean a lot if you could join them. I don’t want to contemplate what our working day would be like without Audrey, and Max is driving her insane. A few words from you would be compensation.”

Audrey was one of the paralegals. She’d been with the firm for two years and had proved herself indispensable after five minutes.

“Thanks for the reminder. And I’ll speak to Max.” Pushing aside thoughts of Elisa and what a reconciliation would mean for the children, Daniel checked the documents and signed. “Have you ever heard of someone called Aggie?”

“The relationship expert?”

“How is it that everyone knows this woman except me?”

“Are you in the habit of asking for advice on relationships?”

“Why would I ask for advice on relationships? I’ve seen every permutation of relationship known to man. And woman.”

“And yet you’re single.”

“Which is why I’m single. So tell me what you know about Aggie.”

Marsha smiled. “She’s wonderful. I bought her book.”

“She’s written a book?”

“Mate for Life. You didn’t see it? It was at the top of all the bestseller lists and in every bookstore.”

“I shop online, a consequence of never leaving my office during store opening hours.”

“It was online, too. Excellent book. She’s wise and sensible.”

“Really? Because she told Elisa and Henry they should get back together for the sake of the children. I don’t see anything wise or sensible about that.”

Marsha pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Perhaps it would be better for the children.”

“Are you kidding? Elisa and Henry loathe each other. Their children will be permanently scarred. Why people think that is the best outcome completely escapes me.” Intercepting the curious look in Marsha’s face, Daniel inhaled slowly and gestured to his laptop. “Find me something she has written. I need to know more about her.”

“That should be easy.” Marsha walked around his desk. “You could start by reading the letter Max wrote to her.”

“He wrote to her?” Daniel shook his head in disbelief. “As a joke, I assume?”

“Why would you assume that? We both know Max needs serious help in the relationship department. Remember the coffee machine he bought his girlfriend as a gift?”

“Call me insensitive, but my interest in my team’s personal life only extends to serious life events, not gift choices.”

“This was serious.” Marsha clicked on a link. “He bought her a coffee machine. She sold it on eBay. They broke up.”

Daniel frowned. “Why did she sell it? Wrong brand?”