“How do you feel about everything so far?” Abby asks as I take a sip of wine during our dinner date. Abby is young for a lawyer, or at least young for a lawyer as successful as she is. Even though she’s just a few years younger than my thirty-four, she looks twenty-five tops. Her dark hair is cut in a sophisticated bob, and she has a pixie-like baby face that works for her. The people she goes up against never see the pit bull coming.
“I feel good, really good. Free, actually,” I say, watching her expression soften in understanding.
The day I called her about representing me, I never thought that our friendship would fall right back into place, but that’s exactly what happened. Only now the roles have been reversed: she’s been the one looking out for me.
“Good.” She picks up her own glass, taking a sip. “Have you met anyone since you’ve been here? I have a couple of guys I’d like to introduce you to if not.”
“I don’t think I’m ready for that.” I smile. “I don’t know when I will be ready to date again. I am thinking about getting a dog to keep me company.”
“What kind?” she asks, sitting forward and looking excited about the idea, probably because she has three dogs of her own.
“Something small that’s okay with living in the place I have now.” I laugh.
Her nose scrunches up. She knows all about my sublet. “How are things going with the renovations?”
The muscles in my stomach clench. Since my meeting a week ago with Mr. Fremont—who has insisted I call him Lucas—he’s texted me a couple of times with updates about the contractors and to set up a time next week to meet at an appliance warehouse in New Jersey to see a few of the things he’s picked out.
“It’s going, but it’s going to be a long road.”
“I can’t wait to see it when it’s done.”
“Me too. I think I’ll feel more settled once I get into the house and start making a home for myself here in the city.”
“That’s understandable,” she says gently. “Have you heard from Tom?”
“He’s called a few times, but I haven’t answered. I don’t want to speak to him. I’ve talked to his mom, though.”
“How was that?” She knows all about my relationship with Tom’s family, especially his mom.
Shrugging, I let out an audible sigh. “She’s still disappointed that I left. She tried to convince me that if I just gave Tom a chance he would make things right.” I take another sip of wine before continuing. “She’s the only real mom that I have ever known, so it sucks that by ending my relationship with Tom, things between us have become strained.”
“She probably understands that things aren’t like they used to be,” she says quietly.
I shrug once more, not sure she’s right.
“I don’t know. I know that she’s torn, feeling like she has to choose between her son and me, but I also know that she will always take Tom’s side. When I first found out about Tom’s affair and went to her, she told me I should basically turn a blind eye to what her son was doing.”
“Yeah, I remember.” She rolls her eyes. “I know from firsthand experience that a lot of women just look the other way. It happens more than it should. But seriously, what woman in the world would be okay with her husband sleeping with another woman after promising himself to her and her alone?”
“Not me,” I state adamantly.
“Me neither, honey.” She raises her glass and so do I. We clink them together. “I know that I shouldn’t say this out loud, but if I found out what you found out . . . I would be doing a lot more than taking money from my husband. I would be taking his manhood, bronzing it, and hanging it from my rearview mirror as a trophy and a warning to any man who ever thought of wronging me again.”
Laughing at the visual, I shake my head. “There have to be a few good men out there, right?”
“God, I hope so. I’m extremely wary when it comes to the opposite sex after seeing the things I’ve seen and hearing the things I’ve heard in my line of work.”
“I don’t know if I could ever trust another man again,” I admit sadly.
I don’t know if I could ever believe another man who told me that I was all he wanted.
“I don’t blame you. But, like my mom is always telling me, if you dig in the dirt deep enough, you will always end up finding something worth treasuring.”
“I don’t think I will be digging anytime soon,” I say, ignoring the image of Lucas that pops into my head. An image that has popped in a lot since we met.