I’m in LA next week. Let’s meet for dinner.
“What’s wrong?” Graham asked. I showed him the e-mail, and his nostrils flared when he read it.
“I’m going to give a friend of mine a quick call, okay? She’s a lawyer and I want her take on this.”
He nodded curtly. I felt him pace the room while I called my friend Bridget, expelling a relieved breath when she answered. In quick words, I told her about Jeff’s past e-mails, and asked if she thought meeting with him was a bad idea.
"In my experience, these types of calls come when the party is regretful or looking to make amends. I think you should meet him and keep an open mind."
“An open mind?” It sounded easy in theory, but he’d hurt us both so much.
“Yes. Go to that meeting; see what he wants.”
"Okay, I'll arrange a meeting via e-mail. The least contact I have with him, the better."
"Let me know if there is anything else I can do."
After hanging up, I tossed the phone on my couch and massaged my temples. Graham was watching me intently.
"Lori?"
"My lawyer thinks I should meet with Jeff."
I paced around the living room, trying to shake off the growing unease.
"Lori, talk to me. I want to know what's going through your mind right now."
"I don't even know."
"What are you afraid of?" he asked softly.
"What if he's interested in Milo after all this time? Could he take him away?"
Logically, the fear was irrational. But I wasn't feeling rational. I was scared.
"No! Hell no, he couldn't. We wouldn't let that happen."
We.
"I mean, he's never even paid child support, so I can hold that over his head."
"I'm coming with you to meet him. We'll go together and see what he has to say."
"That isn't a good idea. You don't know each other."
"So what? When someone bothers my girlfriend, I want to be by her side. Unless you don't think I belong there." Graham's eyes were steely with determination, his jaw clenched. God, the last thing I wanted was to hurt him.
"Of course you belong there."
He looked at me like I was his to protect. Like he wouldn't take no for an answer. He came right up to me, wrapping me in those strong arms. Feeling him pressed up to me melted away some of that anxiety.
"We'll go together," I said.
He tightened his arms around me and brought his mouth down on me. His tongue teased my lips, and I parted them instantly, welcoming his heat. The contact electrified me to the tips of my fingers and toes. I braced my palms on his broad shoulders, then smoothed them down his chest, tracing the dents between his muscles. Would I ever be able to be around him and not touch him shamelessly? All evidence suggested the answer was hell no.
"I have something for you," he murmured when we came up for air. He let me go, went to the foyer, and returned with a calendar. I held out my grabby hands when I realized it was the team's calendar.
"Gimme, gimme. I didn't know it was out. Which month is yours?"