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“Isn’t obsession bad?”
“Feels pretty damn good to me.”
He doesn’t give me time to react to that statement. He opens the doors to allow my entry into the party, and I have this impression that’s by intent. He wants me to think about those words the entire night and I will.
I enter the party to find the massive open space clustered with people, standing tables, and random displays of food for the taking. I’ve barely had time to survey it all before Cole is by my side, and Reese is motioning us toward a group of people.
“Here we go,” Cole says, the two of us crossing to join Reese, who wastes no time involving us with the guests.
“Meet Jared Moore,” he says, of a short, stocky man next to him who is apparently the CEO of a large company battling a variety of legal woes created by the ex-CFO, details I know simply because Cat wrote an article about the man.
“I hear you’re the man to hire,” Jared says to Cole, which I’m certain will become a theme for the night.
“Only when I’m sold on the case,” Cole says, motioning to me. “Meet Lori Havens, a rising star who will be second chair on my upcoming cases, whatever they may be.”
Cole says those words without hesitation, confident enough to praise me, to share the spotlight with, rather than consuming it all alone, where I have known men who would, my ex for instance. It matters to me, just like his claim to seeing no other woman since me, matters. I think he might matter to me, beyond sex and fantasies but it’s a thought I shove away out of necessity and conversation.
From our CEO introduction, we move on to meet lawyers, doctors, executives, several retired and active ADAs, judges, reporters, and the list goes on. In between each, Cole treats me like his student, asking me to assess each person. Asking my opinion of their character, and he listens with genuine interest. We debate several topics, and I find that I am enjoying the evening, taking in the people with Cole. I like our debates. I like to hear his opinions. He engages me, challenges me, interests me beyond all the reasons I already have to be interested.
We’re about an hour into the event and Cole is in deep debate with another attorney over a judge’s ruling that I really want to hear about when Cat calls my name. I glance up and my heart falls to my feet when I spy the familiar, tall, good-looking man in a blue suit who’s standing with her: my ex. My asshole of an ex is here.
Chapter twenty-nine
Lori
Since there is no way around a confrontation with my ex, I just go toward it, and silently step away from Cole. Quickly walking toward my newly minted problem, with my ex watching my every step, Cat greets my arrival excitedly. “I had no idea you knew Lance,” Cat says. “He just told me you go way back.”
“We do,” I say, my voice as cold as he makes me feel. “Lance,” I greet, meeting his green eyes to ensure that he knows that I am not pleased to see him. In fact, aside from the early few months with him, when his New York Times bestseller status and knowledge of the law had enchanted me, I don’t remember many times I was pleased to see him.
“Glad to find you back in the saddle,” he says, and for a smart man, with intelligence brimming from his green eyes, he’s too stupid to know how stupid those words are. “I thought you might just quit.”
“Why are you here?” I ask, my tone bitingly non-cordial.
Cat chokes on her champagne. “I’ve never known Lori to quit anything.” She looks between us. “Oh wow. You two know each other as in know each other, right?”
“Unfortunately,” I say, glancing at her. “Yes.” And at the same moment that I say again, “Why are you here, Lance?” Cole steps to my side.
“Apparently, I’ve missed something interesting,” Cole says dryly, looking at Lance. “Who are you and why should I care?”
It’s a hard and rude address, and the unshakable Lance Woodman all but physically jolts with the impact. The way I’d jolted when, among other things, he’d called me not just a fool, but a stupid fool, for quitting school. “I’m a guest of Cat’s,” Lance replies.
“He’s a fellow attorney and author who wants to collaborate and I thought we could talk here,” Cat offers. “I didn’t know he and Lori knew each other until now.”
“You might have read a few of my books,” Lance suggests, listing off a few titles, and offering his hand to Cole. “Lance Woodman.”
Cole ignores his hand. “How do you know Lori?”
“We’re old friends,” he says, lowering his hand and glancing at me. “Can we talk?”
“I’m working,” I say, aware of the crackle of sharp energy spiking off Cole.
“Come with me, Lori,” Cole orders, and I happily accept the command.
He steps back and I join him and we start walking. “He’s the ex you told me about the night we met. The older man you were infatuated with?”
“Yes,” I say, “but I wasn’t infatuated.”
He stops by a vacant standing table and we turn to face each other. “You said that you were infatuated by him.”
