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She couldn’t remember ever seeing Quaid so cold, and she wondered what was going on between them. He didn’t talk about his family, and certainly didn’t talk about theproblems they had—despite the fact that he constantly pressed her to deal with her mom.
Yet when she asked about his family, he always distracted her.
She wasn’t sure if his problems with his brother were “the bastard slept with my girlfriend” serious or simply due to a regular sibling rivalry.
Her stomach rumbled. She was eating way more now that she had sex on a regular basis. All that physical activity made her hungry. She could go over her notes and try to turn this fiasco of a trial around. Maybe she should open another couple of buttons on her shirt and distract opposing counsel with her boobs.
She made her way out of the courthouse and into the bright light of day, the sun warming her.
She stopped and breathed in the spring air and the sweet scent of daffodils. They were blooming all around the courthouse.
“Hey, I finally get you alone,” a deep voice said.
Jayna turned, and her quiet lunch went all to hell.
•••
Quaid opened the door to the office and allowed his mother to enter first, the habit of a man raised to be a gentleman.
Sienna looked up from her desk, a smile dying on her face as she realized it wasn’t her sister who’d come back with him. She straightened up. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Havery.”
His mother looked Sienna up and down and instead of replying, turned his way. “Where is Cindy?”
This woman had raised him to be a gentleman but wasn’t bothering with politeness herself. “She’s on... I don’t know what to call grandparental leave. She’s home with her daughter who had a baby recently. Sienna Cardet is going toanswer the phones and run the office until Cindy retires. Then she’ll take over as my paralegal.”
“Cardet? As in Jayna?” His mother managed to make the question sound like a condemnation.
Sienna stood, picking up her purse. “Jayna’s my sister. She’s a lawyer and a smart one, too.”
“Well, I’m sure she’s fine, though from what I can tell she’s simply taking the cases Quaid doesn’t want.”
He was about to scold her when Sienna’s brows rose, and she stood right in front of his mother.
“Quaid is lucky to have her. My sister can run rings around him when it comes to the law. She had to do everything he did during law school while working thirty hours a week to pay her way through school. I assure you those cases Quaid doesn’t want are in good hands.” She looked Quaid’s way. “I’m going to lunch.”
“You feel free to take a long one, Sienna.” He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
Sienna was going to work out just fine. She was already finding her feet and emulating her sister’s confidence.
It was really the only way to deal with a woman like his mother.
“Well, you should think about firing that woman. She’s rude,” his mother huffed.
“You were the rude one. I think you’ll find that Sienna has beautiful manners when the person she’s with is worthy of them. You’re a snob, Mother, and I’m not putting up with it when it comes to my staff. You can be polite or you can leave.”
Her face flushed. “I am perfectly polite to Cindy. I was simply surprised that you hired someone new. Your father never needed more than his secretary.”
“Because Father was happy to work eighty hours a week.I’m willing to spend the extra money so we’re not overwhelmed.” He opened the door to his office. It was apparent he wasn’t getting out of this meeting. He would have to make a sandwich or he’d be hungry all afternoon. “What do you need, Mother?”
She stared at him for a moment before taking the seat in front of his desk, placing her purse on her lap, hands holding the handle. “I need for you to be reasonable. This is ridiculous, Quaid, and people are starting to talk.”
“I didn’t realize they’d ever stopped.”
“Quaid, you’re going to cause a scandal.”
“Mother, don’t pretend like it’s Regency-period England and our family name is going to be tarnished because I’m dating a woman outside my financial class. I’ve done that a lot, you know. Most of the women I’ve dated have not had our money, not that it matters.”
“But they came from solid families. The sister of hers, the one you hired, has been married not once but twice. Her daughters have two different fathers.”
