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The judge threw up his hands. “And this is why I’m so confused. I’m hungry and it’s time for lunch. We’re in recess until two p.m.”
But they’d just gotten started. She bit back frustration as the judge gaveled out and then he was talking to his granddaughter about how long to microwave the leftover meatloaf he’d brought with him.
“Those two are going to kill me,” the judge said as Britney led him out of the courtroom.
“I do think he’s talking about us,” Quaid said, a glimmer of humor in his eyes. “So I was thinking we could go home and spend our lunch hour together.”
“Seriously?” She stared at him, aware that the courtroom was emptying and Geraldine and Jimmy were walking out together.
“I was thinking about asking your mom to come to one of my parties, Jimmy,” Geraldine was saying. “It’s been an age since I saw her.”
“You can’t do that, Geraldine. She’s my momma. I never thought you would play so dirty,” she heard Jimmy say as the door closed.
“I don’t think they should be talking without us.” She started for the door.
Quaid reached for her hand, tugging her back. “Hey, are you annoyed with me?” He didn’t look worried at the prospect. “They were good arguments. That’s why I used them.”
“Good arguments I didn’t get to use because the judge ruled in your favor without even hearing them,” she countered.
“That was a completely different case, baby.” He put hishands on her hips, drawing her in close so she had no choice but to look into those warm eyes of his. “That was all about property laws. This is different and you know it.”
“It’s lazy to use my arguments.” Her body was already warming up, and she was less annoyed with him when his hands were on her. “You’re spending all your time working on your new book.”
He stared down at her for a moment, a soft smile on his face, as though he liked what he saw. “I’m not working on the new one. I’ve put it on hold.”
That was news to her. “Hey, I’m almost done reading the last book. I need the next one in the series, mister. It’s not fair to keep your readers waiting.”
She’d been making her way through Armand Landry’s adventures. The night before, she’d finished the one where Armand had to solve the particularly vicious murder of his brother, Pierre.
“I’m not working on a new one,” he admitted. “But only because I’m revising. I’m going throughThe Man in the Black Hatand strengthening Shannon Wright’s character because I’m going to put her in every book as Armand’s love interest.”
It was her turn to smile. “Are you serious?”
He dragged her close. “I thought about it and you’re right. They spark off each other. I can see it now. Armand deals with the police in almost every book—I can replace those police officer side characters with Shannon and slowly grow that relationship into something good. Hell, I’m thinking at some point Armand will have to save Shannon from a killer and will be forced to confront his feelings about her.”
She snorted and didn’t care that it wasn’t a ladylike sound. “Like he would have to save Shannon. She’s a badass.”
“Oh, she needs saving,” he teased, his mouth swooping down to cover hers. “Just like you need saving. Come on,baby. Let’s go back to the apartment and I’ll save you real good.”
She was almost ready to give in because he was completely irresistible, until she heard the dainty sound of a woman clearing her throat, a polite but icy request for attention.
She turned and then practically jumped back from Quaid, because his mother stood beside the last row of benches. She was dressed in slacks and a vibrant green jungle-print jacket, with pearls around her neck just waiting to be clutched.
“Quaid, I was hoping we could talk.” Marian Havery had her eyes on her son, refusing to acknowledge that Jayna was even there.
Quaid turned his mother’s way, but not before threading his fingers through Jayna’s. “Of course. Jayna and I were about to go to lunch. We’ve got to be back in court in an hour or so. Will this take long?”
“Quaid, I need to talk to you about some family business.”
“Fine. You can join us for lunch.”
It was completely obvious to Jayna that his mother did not want her in this conversation. “I’ve got some work I can do. I’ll grab a sandwich back at the office. You need to talk to your mom.”
He frowned down at her. “Then you go and have lunch at the café and I’ll take my mother back to the office. After all, she’d like to talk about business.”
He leaned over and kissed her briefly before turning away.
He said nothing to his mother as she followed him out the door.
