The McManns’ home is beautiful and grand; set outside Grand Rapids, it sits on over twenty-five acres placed on a hill over a lake. From the large windows, we can see out to the now-frozen lake as the moon reflects off the shimmering snow.
After talking to Marshal’s boss and with drinks in hand, Marshal smiles at me as we approach a lovely woman. I know without the introduction who she is. She is Melinda Beavo, one of the key members of the team that with Marshal helped to land the big Sirius Hotel deal and even more importantly, someone he considers a friend and mentor.
For some reason, our paths haven’t crossed before now, and after all the great things Marshal has said, I’m more than excited to meet her.
Melinda turns as we come to a stop. “Oh, you’re Sami.”
“I am,” I say. “And Melinda, I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you.”
A confident smile brightens her expression. “I’m surprised. You see, when Marshal’s not working on securing multibillion-dollar deals, your fiancé seems to have only one subject on his mind.”
Sex.
With Marshal I was confident that subject would be sex.
Warmth fills my cheeks. “I hope he doesn’t overshare.”
“Only about how much he loves you.”
“Marshal,” Jason calls from near the temporary bar. “Come over here a minute. We have a debate about...”
Marshal squeezes my hand. “Will you be all right?”
“I promise to take care of her,” Melinda says as I nod.
“He’s a bit overprotective,” I say by way of an excuse.
“So I’ve noticed.”
“I’m capable of slaying my own dragons, but it’s nice to have Marshal in my corner.”
“You are.” Melinda nods. “You slew a big one and I commend you for the choice you made.”
The small hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention. “Excuse me?”
“I don’t want to talk out of school...”
“Is this about me or Marshal?” I ask.
Melinda leads me away from the crowd to a more secluded corner near a decorated tree that must be fifteen feet high. “I hope you don’t mind me mentioning your ex.”
“You know my ex?”
“Unfortunately.”
This makes me laugh. “I guess you do. In all honesty, he’s not my favorite subject.” I nod toward the windows. “Snowstorms are more interesting.”
Melinda grins. “You see, Jackson has done some work for my husband—in the past.” She lowers her tone. “I’m assuming that you’ve heard what happened?”
I shake my head. “Honestly, I haven’t made it a priority to keep up on him.”
One of her hands goes to her chest as her fingers flutter near her necklace. “Well, I’m not one for gossip, but considering that you told him to hit the road and Wilson et al went to extraordinary measures to keep everything under wraps, I wondered if you knew.”
I shift on my tall heels. “Oh, Melinda, I’m intrigued.”
“Jackson Carmichael is no longer with the legal firm of Wilson et al.”
“He’s not?”
“The official word is that he resigned and moved back to the Detroit area to open his own practice near his family.”
My expression undoubtedly gave away my thoughts. The last thing Jackson wanted was a small private practice chasing ambulances. He had visions of greatness, wealth and fame that came with being a part of a big practice. “That doesn’t sound like him.”
Her lips form a straight line as she shakes her head. “My husband, Dwayne, was told in confidence that Jackson was let go.”
“But he was a partner.”
“Revoked.”
My brow furrows. “Are you sure?” I ask.
She nods. “There was an internal incident regarding an intern.”
I suck in a breath and work to keep my facial expression from screaming too much information. “Incident.”
“Dwayne didn’t get all of the gory details, but he seems to believe it involved possible legal repercussions. Wilson et al worked as an intermediary to satisfy both parties, not that Jackson is probably satisfied. From what I heard, the intern agreed to a settlement that along with financial compensation included Jackson Carmichael’s termination from Wilson et al.” Melinda shakes her head. “To accomplish that, the intern must have had some damning evidence of something significant enough that Wilson et al didn’t want the association.”
“Well. I should say that I’m surprised.” I was surprised that Ellen would use the photos of herself. She would have had to have shown them as evidence. I suppose when she came to me and asked for them, I could have said the same thing Marshal and I did about a ride to Grand Rapids. Then again, I decided that despite Ellen’s transgressions, she also was a victim of his photo fetish. Marshal and I involved her—whether intentionally or not—the day we all spoke at the bed and breakfast.
I didn’t hand Ellen the photos or even the flash drive. I simply provided her with the name of the file. As Jackson’s intern, she said she had access to his email. If he was stupid enough to still have the photos there, that’s on him. When Jack changed his password, I only knew that the pictures of me were gone.
I’d deleted those.
The decision to take that evidence further was in Ellen’s court.
From what Melinda is saying, it sounds as though she took that opportunity.
“What happened to the intern?” I ask.
Melinda shrugs. “I don’t know, but if she was the injured party, I hope she received more than a settlement. I hope she received a glowing recommendation to another firm.”
A smile came to my lips as a warm hand splayed long fingers over my lower back and a solid body came to my side.
“What are you two whispering about?” Marshal’s deep voice asks with an edge of curiosity.
As I take a breath, Melinda looks at me and I nod. She then gives Marshal the short version of what she’d only seconds earlier shared with me.
My fiancé’s mouth is agape as he looks from Melinda to me and back. “How long have you known this?”
“For a couple of weeks.”
“And you didn’t tell me?” Marshal asks.
Melinda looks my way and winks. “I was waiting to meet the mighty woman who was first in line at kicking Carmichael’s ass to the curb.”
Marshal pulls me against his side. “She is a mighty woman, and whether it’s a kick or a right hook, she’s a wonder. I’m thrilled to have her beside me.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, if the two of you aren’t having a family-only small wedding, Dwayne and I would be honored to watch as two people who have always been right for one another make it official.”
“We don’t have any plans yet,” I say, “but I’m sure that once we do, Marshal will let you know.”
Sami
Six months later
“You’re radiant,” my mom says, her arm around my growing waist as we stand together in the long mirror. My dress is less elaborate than the one we found over a year ago. However, just like that day, her eyes are on me and mine are on her.