Anna sets a mug down for me and picks up Hope. I take a sip of coffee. “I’m not sure. He’s upset with me.”
“What did you do?” Anna accuses. “I thought I told you to be nice.”
“I was. It isn’t about that.”
“Then why is he upset?”
“Can you two stop talking in code?” Vivian asks.
Heat creeps into my face. Anna didn’t tell Vivian about my financial mess. I should have known she wouldn’t.
“It’s a long story. And Steven’s upset with me because I told him I probably need to suck it up and go back to my old firm in New York.”
“He doesn’t want you to move back?”
“No. He seems to be taking it personally, but I can’t live off nothing, and I’m not exactly marketable right now.”
“Does your brother and Quinn know you two hooked up?” Chase asks, walking into the room.
Great. This is all I need.
I spin. “Is it their business?”
Chase gives me his cocky expression.
“I kind of want to slap you hard right now.”
“Sounds like Steven might enjoy it more.”
I smack his arm with the back of my hand.
“Chase,” Vivian scolds.
His smile falls. “You know Steven is pretty uptight, right?”
“No, he’s not. He’s just very driven,” I blurt.
“That’s not what I meant. The dude is a workhorse, and I’d hire him in a heartbeat. I meant he takes life a little more seriously than most single guys.”
“Oh. You mean because he doesn’t have girls assigned to certain days of the week?”
Chase’s face turns red.
Vivian snorts.
Anna groans.
“Don’t look at me like that. You got shot by Ms. Thursday. Sorry, Vivian,” I say, feeling a bit guilty for reminding her. But Chase has always been like my little brother. He and Jamison have been tight forever. So I’m not going to show him any mercy after he judges Steven.
I like the fact Steven isn’t a male whore. Before him, I thought chivalry was dead. But he seems to understand and practice it, and it makes me feel special.
“My point,” Chase emphasizes, “is Steven isn’t the type of guy who’s going to sleep with you and not get attached. Frankly, I’m surprised he is sleeping with you. According to his exes, he typically makes them wait forever.”
“I didn’t say we were sleeping together,” I blurt out, no idea why I’m lying but feeling like I need to protect Steven.
Chase’s arrogant expression appears again. “He was going crazy when you were missing. You two are doing the nasty, don’t lie.”
“Chase, enough,” Vivian reprimands.
He leans over and kisses her cheek. “I’m going to work. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Good. Go harass someone else,” I mutter.
“Don’t lead him on, Harper. Quinn will kill you.”
“I’m not,” I cry out.
“Chase, go to work,” Vivian says.
He waves and walks out.
Time to change the subject.
“Can I go try on your dresses?”
“Follow me,” Vivian says.
We get in her closet. It’s enormous and has a large white ottoman in the middle. One entire wall is for dresses only.
“Holy moly. This is like walking into a boutique.”
“Take any dress you want.”
Anna and Vivian play with Hope on the ottoman while I look at her selection.
Vivian clears her throat. “So why don’t you find a job here?”
I take a deep breath. “I haven’t worked in two years. In order to practice law, I would have to take the bar exam here.”
“I thought you didn’t want to stay in law?” Anna asks.
A biscotti-colored, formfitting, strapless evening gown with gold speckles and a lace overlay catches my eye. I pull it off the rack. I have the perfect shoes in my suitcase back at the penthouse. “I don’t. But what else am I going to do?”
“There are a lot of things you could do. Attorneys have lots of skills, and those would be valuable, even if you aren’t practicing law. Plus, you’re adaptable from what I can tell,” Vivian says.
“Jamison and Chase would give you a job,” Anna suggests.
I groan. “Jamison always wants me to come work with them. I’m not interested. That sounds worse than the law firm I worked for.”
“What interests you?” Vivian asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. Something that feels a bit exciting would be nice. But I can’t live off nothing, and I’m not going to be a moocher.”
I remove my shorts and long-sleeve shirt and unzip the dress.
“What does Steven want you to do?” Anna asks.
My gut quivers. “Let him support me until I find a job here.”
“Would doing that be so horrible?” Vivian quietly asks.
Time to just admit how bad it is.
“Please don’t tell anyone in my family, or Chase, but I told Steven everything last night. I have nothing left. In two months, my account will be zero, zilch, nada. I’m past the point where I should have let this get, and I can’t really offer much to a man who has it all together when I don’t, now can I?”
“I don’t agree with you,” Anna says.
Vivian adds, “Maybe Steven doesn’t need you to be all together. He is. What if that is enough for the two of you?”
Silence.
“I’m thirty-five, not eighteen. I had millions and now have nothing.”
“Because your husband stole all your money,” Anna chimes in.
“Doesn’t matter. I didn’t do what I should have. I could have gone after Ian, but I let emotions control my decisions. Can someone zip me?”
Vivian fastens the back. I step toward the mirror.
“That’s fantastic on you!” Anna claims.
“Agreed. I have the perfect clutch, too. Let me find it.” Vivian opens a drawer filled with evening bags in every color I could ever imagine.
“Okay, you’re killing me right now.”
She grins and pulls one out that is made of shiny satin.
“This is gorgeous.”
“Yeah, love it,” Anna follows.
“Take it. You can try on other gowns, but you do look fabulous in this one.”
I check out my booty and turn again. “Okay, unzip me. This is it. I have the perfect heels for this dress at Jamison’s.”
“Take this necklace and bracelet, too. Oh, and this ring.” Vivian puts it in a jewelry pouch and puts everything in a garment bag.
I spend the rest of the day taking care of Hope, and when she naps, I pull up jobs in Chicago, but it’s overwhelming. There are tons, but anything interesting has requirements I don’t meet.
I email my old boss, one of the partners.
Hi Larry,
I hope things are well with you and your family. When I left, you told me if I wanted to ever come back, the door would always be open. Is that offer still on the table? If so, can we talk?
Sincerely,
Harper Lancott (formerly Bisson)
I read it several times. My stomach pitches, but I hit send.