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“The movie is caught up in a legal situation, and they’re saying I can’t release it until it’s done. I was hoping you could advise me on how long you think that will be. I’ve got all these documents, and I don’t understand any of them. It’s so many papers. I think I’m supposed to do something about them, but it’s a lot of words.”
“Have you gotten served?”
Paul gestured to the empty table between them. “No, Jayna. Neither one of us has, but I told you the quiche is going to take a while.”
She bit back a groan. “Did you receive a notification that you were being sued?”
“Oh, yeah. I think that’s part of the paperwork.”
“What does your lawyer in California say?”
“I didn’t hire one because by then I was trying to pay him off,” he admitted.
“ ‘Him’ meaning your mobster?”
“The guy who gave me the loan.”
She’d thought dealing with two lawsuits involving Geraldine was rough. Paul was going to be even more difficult. She hoped he didn’t decide to host nude swim parties to scare off his loan shark. “So you don’t have a lawyer because you don’t have any money, and now you’re here in front of me promising you can pay me.”
“Well, it might take a couple of days, but once the sale ofthe house goes through I’ll have three million and I can pay everyone off, including you.”
He was oblivious to so many things normal people would know. “You do know that the money from your house isn’t coming through in a couple of days, right? Unless you’re already in escrow. I thought you hadn’t signed the contract.”
“Once I sign it I’ll get the money, right?” Paul asked.
“When you close. I don’t mean a door. I’m sure you already closed the door.” She had to cut him off at the pass. “There’s usually some time between when the contract is signed and when the actual property is transferred along with the money. Usually a couple of weeks. It’s called ‘closing.’ There’s paperwork to be filed, and the person who’s buying your house typically has a loan and the bank checks things out before finalizing.”
Paul had visibly paled. “I’m not getting my money anytime soon, am I? The Porsche is only going to hold him for so long. Do you think he’s going to break my legs? I use my legs. Jayna, please, you have to help me. I know I don’t have the money now, but I will. That’s what you would be doing, getting my money so I can pay you.”
This was absolutely the worst idea ever, but the truth was she could use the money and she couldn’t imagine that Quaid would want his brother to get his legs broken. She was only looking over some contracts. “Get me the paperwork.”
He handed over a tote bag. “It’s all in here. I can’t tell you how much better I feel.”
“You shouldn’t.” It looked like he’d stuffed the contracts in, and maybe not in order. Excellent. “Do you even want to know what my normal rate is?”
He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll pay it. You’re the only lawyer in town who’ll take my case. Mom is over at the office right now begging Quaid to fix things for me and he’s going to tell her that he’ll think about it if she’ll think aboutbeing nice to you. They will both think about it, and then neither will change their minds. I know them. You’re my only hope. Hey, that was likeStar Wars. Help me, Jayna Cardet. You’re my only hope. Ooo, lunch is here. I don’t actually like quiche. Let’s switch.”
He had her turkey sandwich halfway down his throat before the waitress could finish putting the plate down.
Yep, huge mistake.
•••
Quaid locked up his office since Sienna hadn’t come back from lunch yet. Jayna hadn’t shown up, either, so she was either still at the café or she’d returned to the courthouse. He was betting on the café, and that was fine with him.
It was time they sat down and discussed a few things.
Talking to his mother had made him restless. Talking to Rene had made him a little anxious.
Mostly because talking to Rene had made him think his mother was right and the town wasn’t properly viewing his relationship with Jayna. They were talking about them like it was some kind of crazy sexual affair between a woman on the edge and a man who hadn’t gotten any in a while.
It was more than sex. And he was going to prove it to this whole town. He was going to take her out to dinner and they would dance. A double date with Rene and Sylvie Darois would prove to everyone that he was serious about Jayna Cardet.
He was halfway across the square when he saw the door to the café open and the object of his affection walk out.
Jayna was frowning as she settled a tote bag over her shoulder and shoved her sunglasses on. Damn, she was pretty when she frowned. And pretty when she smiled, and all the expressions in between.
How would she handle his mother? The last thing Jaynaneeded was a woman who would look down on her and make her feel small. If it had been anyone else judging her, he would cut that person out of his life, but this was his mother. He’d promised his father he would take care of her, but he knew his father hadn’t meant that he should give up his whole life because his mother couldn’t get along with one of the kindest women he’d ever met.
