Page 10 of Hard Focus
Chapter Three
Connie
Connie placed the latest call to ring through to her console on hold, tapping the attention light for the senior partner’s receptionist.
The speaker buzzed. “What is it, Connie?” That was PatriciaHullton, the no-nonsense woman who had hired Connie. Patty had been one of the first employees at the firm and worked there for more than a decade, which meant there were few things she didn’t know about the ins and outs of the practice. She’d also turned into a good friend for Connie, and the two women often met after work for an unwind session at a local wine bar.
“I’ve got a Mr. Simms on line three, and he wants to talk to Mr. Matthews.” Dalton Matthews was Patty’s boss, and one of three founding members of the firm. Connie grinned when she informed Patty of the man’s demands. “Said he won’t speak with any other partner.” Matthews might be the first name on the sign, but the other two partners had been with him from the beginning. Stan Barrows and Greg Aaron were as qualified, and just as invested in their business, but Connie had seen this kind of behavior more than once where someone decided Matthews must be the most knowledgeable partner since he was listed first. “He said he’s representing that baby food company.”
“Well then. I just bet he wants to talk to Dalton. I’d put even money on him wanting to set up a lunch meeting to discuss a settlement.” Patty’s tone conveyed how she felt about that. The firm’s clients for the case were parents of a toddler who’d ingested glass particles from a jar of baby food. The child had needed surgery to correct the damage done to his digestive system by the sharp pieces of foreign material, and while the gourmet food’s manufacturer had quickly offered to pay for the medical care, the baby’s mother had been suspicious. A quick investigation online hadshownher there’d been a limited recall in some states, but no government requirement for the company tomakea broadannouncement,because they’d hidden the fact some potentially impacted production runs had been shipped outside the initial target area. Warehouse workers posting their concerns on social media had been the smoking gun. With that information in hand, the child’s mother had called the firm of Matthews, Barrows, and Aaron, and the rest would soon be history. “Go ahead and put him through, Connie. He can stay on hold here just as easy as he’s tying up one of your lines.”
As she did, Connie heard a buzzing from beside her feet and glanced down. Inside herpurse,her phone’s display was glowing, and she shook her head as she looked at the clock. It was nearly quitting time, which meant her caller would be Jonas, asking if she were coming over tonight. Connie grimaced as she ignored the contact and turned back to her computer to scan the document she’d been working on.Demanded is more like it. She hadn’t seen him in nearly a month, not since the weekend of his birthday. He’d called and texted, but she’d leveled a solid reason to avoid each invitation without lying.
In retrospect, she could see how the past few months had shepherded in a shift in Jonas’ personality, at least where Connie was concerned. Even before the blow-up over his behavior, he’d wanted to know where she was and who she was with in a way that telegraphed possessiveness. Then there was the bombshell he’d dropped in the car, something she hadn’t been avoiding saying because it wasn’t even on her radar. In the weeks since the argument he had put in effort to smooth things over, sending flowers to her both at work and home, the enclosed cards filled with messages of remorse and sweet sentiment.Which I don’t return. For Connie, their time together had been pleasant, but not memorable—not how Jonas seemed to feel.We’re not at the same place in our heads, she thought as she finalized the letter for printing.He’s gone way past Go, and I’m still back at the starting line. Her phone buzzed againandshe frowned as she looked down.That’s new. He normally at least waited for her to respond before he texted her again. It was Friday night and his weekend for Adrianne, and Connie had deliberately made plans to meet Taylor at a club downtown for drinks and dancing. She missed the little girl a lot but had decided to make it a point to only be available for what Jonas wanted to call “family time” every other visitation or so. By her count, this was not the weekend rotation for her participation.
She bent and grabbed the phone just as it buzzed again. Frowning, she activated the text messaging application and stared at what he’d sent with wide eyes.
Need you to help me.
I’m hung up at work. Can’t get away.
You have to pick up Adrianne for me. I can’t miss another weekend.
She wasn’t aware he’d missed any weekends with his daughter, but since she was busy and hadn’t made it for a few of those, it could easily have happened. Still, every time she’d seen Addy, it had been as a second adult to their pair. She’d never been solely responsible for the little girl, so it didn’t make sense he’d assume this was okay. As she re-read the messages trying to comprehend what he wanted from her, another one came in.
Please. It’s her birthday.
Connie looked at the clock, then her computer, and quickly made a decision.
Picking up the phone, she dialed Patty. “It’s Connie.”
“Uh, yeah. I know from caller ID. What’s up?”
“I have to leave a little early tonight. There’s an emergency with my boyfriend.” That didn’t feel like the right title for Jonas, but Connie shrugged off the unease.
“Sure, honey. Have a good weekend.”
“Thanks, Patty. See you Monday.”
She sent back,On my way.
***
Connie stared at the trim little house as she pulled up along the curb. Jonas always parked in the driveway, but that seemed intrusive for her to encroach onto Audrey’s property in that way. The whole exercise seemed invasive, because what mother would hand over their child to the ex’s girlfriend, who they had never even met. Audrey might have seen her sitting in the car a time or two, and Adrianne may or may not have talked about Connie when she got back from her visitations, but Connie and Audrey had never exchanged even a silent nod of hello through the windows.
“This is insane.” She picked up her phone and texted Jonas,I’m here. Can you let her know?After waiting only a few seconds for a response that didn’t come in, she placed the phone in her purse and slipped the strap over her shoulder. He hadn’t answered any of her questions since acknowledging her initial response with a brief,Thanks. “I’m picking up a little girl I barely know for her birthday weekend, and I don’t have a booster seat, a key to her daddy’s apartment, or any idea when he’ll come home. Sure, Constance. This sounds like agreatidea.”
One edge of the front window curtains twitched to the side, indicating someone was watching her and Connie sighed. Audrey had to know she was out here now. Hopefully Jonas had called her to explain, and after all, Connie had promised. She didn’t know how much he talked to his ex, but Connie was a stickler for the truth. She’d told him she’d pick up Adrianne, and that meant she couldn’t chicken out at the last minute.
With the car locked behind her, she made her careful way to the sidewalk and up to the porch. As she’d seen Jonas do so many times, she rang the doorbell and then retreated to the sidewalk and waited. A moment later, she heard a woman’s voice call through the unopened door, “Hello?”
“Hi, I’m Connie Rowe. We haven’t met. I’m…” Undecided about her role in his life anymore, she bypassed giving herself a title and continued with—“Jonas sent me to pick up Adrianne. You can call him and confirm. He said it’s Addy’s birthday and he’s excited about spending time with her.” He hadn’t said that last, but if he weren’t, then why would he have asked Connie to pick up the little girl?
“You’re Jonas’ girlfriend?” Connie stared at the door with wide eyes. Audrey sounded as if she were about to cry.Is she still carrying a torch for Jonas?Could that be the reason she gave him so much grief about Adrianne?
“Uh, yes?” Now she was the one who sounded uncertain. “We’re friends. I’ve met Adrianne several times.” She paused, then tried to find her way back to the tactic that seemed more certain to move thingsforwards. “You should call Jonas and verify he still needs me to pick her up. He might have gotten away from work already and be on his way.”Not that you’ll let him have Adrianne if he’s late. Connie shook her head. “I can give you my phone number, and I’ve got my license with me if you need to verify I’m the Connie he’s talking about.”
Silence greeted her and she stared at the front of the house. The sun was hot on her shoulders, and Connie glanced along the street.At least there’s no one to see me standing here. “Hello?” No response, not even a breeze of air stirring the curtains. Connie was uneasy, twisting to look over her shoulder at the car, wishing she could retreat to the interior. Without any feedback or instruction from Audrey, she didn’t know if she should continue to stand here, or just pack it up and leave.This is how Jonas feels. It’s so helpless. Why would she do this to him?
