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He shocked me by smiling. “So, it’s you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
He shook his head. “She’s fine. I don’t know where she is.”
The adrenaline surge through my veins crashed into something akin to despair. “Then how do you know she’s fine?”
“I’m sorry, mate, I talked to her, but I didn’t know she wasn’t home. I called for a reference.”
I frowned. My mind was still spinning, and I hadn’t quite caught my breath yet. “Are you looking for secretarial work?”
“No indeed. I need a lawyer. She says you’re the best, so I need you.”
“You told me you didn’t have a wife, so what do you need with a divorce attorney? Or let me guess.” I crossed my arms. “You suddenly remembered you’re actually married. There’s been a lot of that confusion going around lately.”
His jaw went to granite. “My Anna is dead, so you’ll mind the assumptions.”
I closed my eyes and held up a hand. “Sorry. It’s been a day. No excuse to take it out on you.”
“It’s all right.”
I opened my eyes again and got myself back in line as I rounded the desk to take my seat. “I’m a recently unemployed divorce attorney. I don’t know what kind of lawyer you need, but there’s a good chance I’m not it.”
“Ryan recommended you. She told me I wanted you, needed you, in fact, and I do. I’m not above begging, Mr. Shaw. Not in this circumstance.”
I gripped my mouse as I stared unseeingly at my inbox. She hadn’t replied yet, but she’d recommended me. Quite strongly, it sounded like. A commendation of my work from someone like her meant a lot. She wasn’t that familiar with it, but she knew me. Days and hours didn’t matter. Sometimes you just knew.
She might have needed space, but she still believed in me.
I grabbed my legal pad and motioned for him to sit. “Call me Preston. Tell me what’s going on.”
Grant sank into the chair opposite my desk and laid it all out for me. His in-laws lived in the western part of the state, and although they’d mentioned wanting to spend more time with his daughter Poppy since their daughter Anna’s death, he’d thought they’d come to an understanding.
Evidently not.
Yesterday, he was served with papers at work. They were suing for joint custody. He spent too many long hours at his vet practice and then volunteered at the shelter besides, which meant Poppy spent a lot of time with sitters after school.
“They’re right, of course. I can’t be in two places at once. I’d hoped when she was a little older, she might want to work at my practice after school. She loves animals, and she’s so good with them. We have a dog named Bosco and…” He trailed off. “Sorry. Not important. But she’s only 9 yet, and they won’t give me the time.” He braced his elbows on his knees and shoved his hands through his mussed hair.
More time. Never enough of it.
“You said you’re recently unemployed.” Thorne frowned. “Ryan didn’t tell me that. You didn’t lose your license, did you?”
“Definitely not. I’m still a lawyer.” I toyed with my gold pen, one like the many others in my cup. “Last Christmas, I took on my buddy’s custody case.”
Thorne sat up straighter. “Did you win?”
“Well, the mother didn’t want to take care of her child, so that made it easier. But yes.”
As quickly as the light had come into Thorne’s eyes, it dimmed. “My wife would be so hurt by all of this. She never wanted anything more than for all of us to be one big happy family.” He stared down at his hands. “I don’t know why they’re trying to take her from me. She’s all I have left.”
“They won’t take her.”
My vehemence made him lift his head. “Do you really think you can win?”
“I know I will.” I rose. “Let me do some preliminary research, and then I’ll be in touch to discuss more. You can leave your contact information with my assistant—” I sighed and held out a hand. “With me.”
He stood and gripped mine, pumping it heartily. “Ah, feck.” He drew me into a half hug across the desk, and I was so surprised I hugged him back with equal fervor.
