Page 32 of Ridin' True
Well—it waspartof what helped me choose my outfit.
Conscious of the appointment I had that morning, I made sure I wore the proper attire to befit my mood. I was going up against Wendy Abbott, and I had no interest in being handled. She was tough, but I would be tougher. I had a fight in me that was awakened by the helplessness I felt whilst shoved in the trunk of a car.
There were bigger issues and worst men in the world to warrant either of us wasting our time questioning Jed and his ability to parent. I was fully aware I had grown quite biased—but my biases aside, I saw no reason that justified the mediation.
As Jed had warned me, it was a game. One I intended to win.
I chose my high-waisted, burgundy pencil skirt, the hem extended past my knees with the generous slit up the back. I paired it with my long-sleeved, cream, satin blouse, with maroon polka-dots and a large bow-tie at the neck. I completed my look with the same nude stilettos I wore the day before.
For some reason, they felt kind of lucky.
I took extra care with my makeup, too. A full brow, a neutral bold eye with big lashes, accented cheeks, and my favorite subtle, rose lipstick. My hair was half up and half down. Simple and classy.
When I arrived at the office, I shoved aside the memories of how I’d been carried out of it kicking and screaming the previous evening. Instead, I headed straight for the copy machine, gathered my abandoned documents, and hurried to my desk to finish my last bit of prep.
At eight-forty-five, I was headed for the elevator.
Gillette Family Lawyers was only two blocks away, so I made my way there on foot. Five minutes later, I was boarding another elevator, my destination on the third floor. The doors opened into the firm’s lobby, and I spotted Jed right away—standing with his arms folded across his chest.
I swear, my lips tingled at the sight of him.
He was dressed as I was used to seeing him, in jeans, a tee, and his vest—aviator sunglasses hooked at the collar of his shirt.
For the first time, I allowed myself to study his arms a little closer. In his stance, I could only make out the ink on the back of his left forearm, but I was intrigued to see the image of a tattered scroll withwe the peoplein the iconic script of the constitution.
As I made my approach, I watched as he noticed me, a minute smirk almost hidden by his mustache playing at his lips.
“Good morning,” I greeted, aiming to remain as professional as possible.
His smirk got a little bigger before he replied, “Wondered how you’d be feelin’ this mornin’. I see now I was worried for nothin’. You came with your claws out.”
I feigned ignorance, fighting a smile as I said, “I don’t know what you mean.”
His smirk morphed into a grin, and we both shifted our gazes down at our feet.
I’d just recovered myself when a woman came toward us, waving slightly to get our attention. “Hi, good morning. You are here for a mediation with attorney Abbott, correct?”
“Yes, we are,” I answered.
“Wonderful. They’re ready for you in the conference room. I can take you there now.”
Jed and I exchanged a brief glance, then followed her down a short hallway. The conference room door was open, and she stood aside, allowing us to enter.
Wendy was on her feet next to her client. Nicole and Evan, whom I recognized as the older version of the man from his mugshot, were seated on the opposite side of the table.
Nicole was beautiful, with her long, blonde hair, her bright, blue eyes, and her angular face. She was probably four or five years older than me, but she wore her age well. It actually startled me how the sight of her made me bristle. It wasn’t intimidation or anxiety that coursed through me—it wasenvy.
For a moment, I wrestled with an internal jealousy at the fact that she’d had Jed first. Moreover, she’d had him for years. He’d loved her enough to give her two children. And I knew, instinctively I knew, the man at her side would never satisfy her the way Jed did, and that’s why we were there. Not because their current custody arrangement wasn’t a benefit to their children, but because she found someone else to love her, and it wasn’t enough to fill the void.
Then I saw it.
I saw her eyes grow cold as her expression went blank at the sight ofme. Her mouth tightened as she looked me up and down before she aimed her glare at Jed.
“Attorney Torres, good to see you,” said Wendy.
“Likewise,” I replied with a smile.
Wendy was nearing fifty, with loads of experience and enough vanity to keep up with her Botox injections and trips to the hair salon—to ensure her auburn hair saw not a strand of gray. I certainly wasn’t one to judge. She looked pretty great, even if her face didn’t move as much as it used to.
