attribute.
“No. We’re friends. I would never want to hurt you. But to be honest, do I want something different with you?” His gaze dropped for a brief moment, then his eyes came back to her face. “It’s irrelevant. If it’s meant to be, you and me, it will happen. I’m not going to push you, Michelle. I don’t know what terrible thing happened to you, but I know something did. I can see it in you.”
She stretched up straight, the weight of his sincerity lying like a slab of granite in her belly. Why were things always so complicated? She knew the answer. Because simplicity had been taken from her. But she could use Casey’s friendship right now, as things were uncertain. “Well, we don’t have to go back beyond this morning to find something potentially terrible.” She pulled the letter from her purse on the counter and passed it to him.
His eyes quickly read through the letter and his mouth dropped open. “What the heck?” He read it again. “Who does this lawyer represent? What did your bank say?”
His eyes flashed at her and his voice lowered, ending in a barely audible low growl in his throat. She knitted her brow, taken aback by his intensity. “I don’t know what’s going on. My bank mortgage officer promised to look into it. It was an odd meeting, though.”
“Odd how?” Casey stooped down to scratch the yellow tabby’s ears. Jojo leaned into his hand, purring loudly.
“The loan officer at first said it was nothing to worry about, because a thorough title search had been completed, but he talked to a supervisor and came back acting all nervous. No explanation, but he said he’d check into it and get back to me.” Michelle ran her fingers through her hair, then shrugged. “But I’m here now.”
He stood and peered intently at her. “So, stiff upper lip and all that?”
She chuckled, her nerves jangling. “Yes. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
A smile spread across his face. Despite his intensity, his calm demeanor enveloped her in strength and confidence. “You sound like Sterling and Lacey. I’m sorry for this problem cropping up. How about I do a pro bono? I’ll look into this, and you do me a favor, maybe find a home for a cat I might pick up from the street. Deal?”
“You call yourself a lawyer. It wouldn’t be pro bono,” she teased. “It would be exchanging favors. Quid pro quo.”
“Details. Do we have a deal?” He slanted his head and gazed at her, emanating fondness she couldn’t ignore.
She offered him her hand. “Deal.”
He grabbed hers firmly and shook. “Deal.” He kissed her on the forehead, lingered for the space of a breath, then paused. “Sleep well.”
Michelle watched Casey climb into his Prius, smiling to herself that it fit him so well. He cared about the environment, so of course he was one of the first among her friends to buy an eco-friendly car. A sleek sports car would be a good fit with his strong, athletic build, but he wouldn’t choose that over low emissions.
As he backed out of her driveway, she shut the door and stood still to savor the moment she’d had with Casey. Somehow he’d managed to cheer her up without even trying. His words assuring her he was watching out for her worked some magic, the opposite of making her feel trapped and uneasy. He had an inexplicable air of wildness to him, but it didn’t scare her. It was just Casey. No, he hadn’t been the problem in their relationship, that was all her. Her, and the man who hurt her years ago.
Sorrow leaded her steps down the hall to her bedroom. The work she’d done with a good counselor had helped, she knew that. So why couldn’t she stand to let Casey close?
Undressed and settling into her bed, Michelle watched her family of cats join her and nestle into a comfortable place.
• • •
Casey drove his car down the lane that separated Michelle’s property from the grove of trees that attempted to hide a small industrial facility next door.
“No. We’re friends. I would never want to hurt you. But to be honest, do I want something different with you?” His gaze dropped for a brief moment, then his eyes came back to her face. “It’s irrelevant. If it’s meant to be, you and me, it will happen. I’m not going to push you, Michelle. I don’t know what terrible thing happened to you, but I know something did. I can see it in you.”
She stretched up straight, the weight of his sincerity lying like a slab of granite in her belly. Why were things always so complicated? She knew the answer. Because simplicity had been taken from her. But she could use Casey’s friendship right now, as things were uncertain. “Well, we don’t have to go back beyond this morning to find something potentially terrible.” She pulled the letter from her purse on the counter and passed it to him.
His eyes quickly read through the letter and his mouth dropped open. “What the heck?” He read it again. “Who does this lawyer represent? What did your bank say?”
His eyes flashed at her and his voice lowered, ending in a barely audible low growl in his throat. She knitted her brow, taken aback by his intensity. “I don’t know what’s going on. My bank mortgage officer promised to look into it. It was an odd meeting, though.”
“Odd how?” Casey stooped down to scratch the yellow tabby’s ears. Jojo leaned into his hand, purring loudly.
“The loan officer at first said it was nothing to worry about, because a thorough title search had been completed, but he talked to a supervisor and came back acting all nervous. No explanation, but he said he’d check into it and get back to me.” Michelle ran her fingers through her hair, then shrugged. “But I’m here now.”
He stood and peered intently at her. “So, stiff upper lip and all that?”
She chuckled, her nerves jangling. “Yes. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
A smile spread across his face. Despite his intensity, his calm demeanor enveloped her in strength and confidence. “You sound like Sterling and Lacey. I’m sorry for this problem cropping up. How about I do a pro bono? I’ll look into this, and you do me a favor, maybe find a home for a cat I might pick up from the street. Deal?”
“You call yourself a lawyer. It wouldn’t be pro bono,” she teased. “It would be exchanging favors. Quid pro quo.”
“Details. Do we have a deal?” He slanted his head and gazed at her, emanating fondness she couldn’t ignore.
She offered him her hand. “Deal.”
He grabbed hers firmly and shook. “Deal.” He kissed her on the forehead, lingered for the space of a breath, then paused. “Sleep well.”
Michelle watched Casey climb into his Prius, smiling to herself that it fit him so well. He cared about the environment, so of course he was one of the first among her friends to buy an eco-friendly car. A sleek sports car would be a good fit with his strong, athletic build, but he wouldn’t choose that over low emissions.
As he backed out of her driveway, she shut the door and stood still to savor the moment she’d had with Casey. Somehow he’d managed to cheer her up without even trying. His words assuring her he was watching out for her worked some magic, the opposite of making her feel trapped and uneasy. He had an inexplicable air of wildness to him, but it didn’t scare her. It was just Casey. No, he hadn’t been the problem in their relationship, that was all her. Her, and the man who hurt her years ago.
Sorrow leaded her steps down the hall to her bedroom. The work she’d done with a good counselor had helped, she knew that. So why couldn’t she stand to let Casey close?
Undressed and settling into her bed, Michelle watched her family of cats join her and nestle into a comfortable place.
• • •
Casey drove his car down the lane that separated Michelle’s property from the grove of trees that attempted to hide a small industrial facility next door.
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