“Thanks for joining us today, Whitney,” Cindy said. The pretty blonde had been Matthew’s favorite anchor since he was a teen, but he’d never met her before. Her bubbly personality waseasy to watch, and even when the subject was unpleasant, her empathy delivered the message that made it seem okay.
“So as I understand it, you know these ladies,” Cindy said, presenting the women on the couch. “What do you think about all of this?”
Whitney paused a brief second, but then the words flowed without a hitch. “It’s wonderful to see these women enjoying a second chance at love. Divorce is hard, and some people find it hard to trust themselves to have a second chance.”
“Do you think they learned things to help make these new relationships better?”
“That wouldn’t be for me to say,” Whitney said. “I was their divorce attorney. Surviving divorce can be as difficult as grieving a loved one. Everyone is different, but sometimes you learn something about yourself. Sometimes you learn something about other people that better prepares you to understand what you don’t want.”
Daniel and Cindy laughed at that. “Well, to hear these gals talk, they seem to give you a lot of credit for finding their soulmates,” said Daniel.
“That is not the case. The videos were fun, of course, but relationships are serious.”
“But didn’t you and your fiancé first set eyes on each other in the offices there, Kally?”
“We did. Now, we didn’t act on it right away, but that is where we first connected. It was a passing glance, one of those eyes-holding-a-little-too-long moments.”
Cindy nodded. “Not so unlike the ones in your books.”
“Exactly.”
“And Brooke, you met your guy the night you were celebrating getting your divorce papers, and he happened to be passing through town.”
“That’s right. We’re getting married next April.” She wiggled her fingers, showing off a new ring.
“I don’t know. I think there might be something in the water over there in that historical office building,” Cindy said with a hearty laugh, playing to the camera. “I put two and two together yesterday. Daniel here was telling me you were going to join us today, Whitney. I learned recently that you’ve been seen about town with well-known local artist Matthew McMahon. Then I learned there are several pieces of his work in your offices at Barron, Winters & Wall. So would it be safe to assume you two may have met there too?”
Brooke almost came out of her chair with excitement. “That is so romantic.”
“No. It’s not romantic.” Whitney blanched and turned toward Matthew, stage left. “We have artwork by a lot of wonderful Richmond artists in our building.”
Offstage, he felt helpless and unsure where all of this was going. He shook his head, letting her know he didn’t know this was going to be discussed.
“So you two did meet there?” The anchor didn’t let her off without answering the question.
“Oh my gosh, just like me with Jim!” Kally bounced in her seat and grabbed Brooke’s hand. “We saw each other in the lobby and it was love.”
“No,” Whitney responded firmly, glancing his way again. “Not like that at all.”
They’d caught her off guard. She was holding her own, but he knew she was grasping for something.
It came to him in a flash.
He hopped on one foot, and then jousted and held his hand over his head as if holding an umbrella. It was the weirdest act of charades, a game he sucked at, but he sure hoped she was a good guesser.
“Actually, I didnotmeet Mr. McMahon in my office. We met on the streets of Richmond. It was storming, and I was running back to my office, trying to keep from getting drenched, and not very well, I might add. I looked up and saw something coming for me. I screamed, and somehow he showed up, like out of the blue, and caught this unmanned umbrella that was flying right at me. He literally caught it in midair.”
“Is that true?” Cindy looked on in disbelief. “That is the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.”
“And I might add that Matthew has never been marriedordivorced, and he has never been a client of our firm, mine or otherwise.”
“So there’s not some magical thing going on in your building?” Cindy confirmed.
“No, but people have been filing into my lobby looking for a date. The partners aren’t happy about it. I’ve had people fake their intent to file a divorce just to get into the building, thinking they might meet their Mr. or Mrs. Right in my office because of those videos.”
Whitney’s voice had steadied, and she looked relaxed and poised.
“Romance is a beautiful thing, and I am one of Kally’s biggest fans, but I can promise you that none of these women have me to thank for their newfound love. They are wonderful women, and I’m so happy they did find their soulmates. Divorce is hard on the hearts of the people in them and those that love them too.”
