Page 49 of Letting Go
“I would love to get a dog, especially one as sweet as you, Ghost. But I think I need to figure out where we are going to settle before we add that to our plate.” She continues to pet Ghost, who gives me a look and I know he will pick her over me now. Vivian won my dog over in less than five minutes. “He looks like he would be a good protector though. How old is he? Have you had him since he was a puppy?”
“He’s been mine since he was born, although he didn’t live with me right away. My brother Charlie’s dogs have litters every few years. Ghost is two and a half but he’s still part puppy,” I reply.
“Where was he before he was with you?”
“After he was weaned from his mother, he stayed in Texas with my brother’s family,” I tell her.
“Was that because of your job?” she asks.
“Actually, it was because of my ex-girlfriend. I wanted Ghost to come to Atlanta as soon as possible, but she convinced me we weren’t at home enough to take care of him the way he deserved. So he was in Texas for about a year, but within two weeks of my ex and I breaking up, I had Ghost home with me. In hindsight, I think she just didn’t want dog hair in the condo,” I admit.
“Who couldn’t love this sweet boy, though? He seems like a great dog.” She leans over and hugs Ghost. “It sounds like it was her loss to me.”
“Yeah, it was … in more ways than one,” I admit without expanding further. My relationship with Gretchen can stay in my past.
“Mama! Look what I can do!” Eloise squeals as she flips over a stationary pull-up bar, spinning before stopping upside down.
“And that is why I always make sure she wears shorts under her dresses.” Vivian laughs before calling out, “Good job, baby! But please don’t fall on your head!”
“Yes, ma’am!” Eloise replies before doing the flip move again.
“Thank you again for making this possible, Walker. I really appreciate it. I know Eloise is going to feel better after getting some physical play time,” Vivian says as she slightly turns her upper body toward me on the bench. “I am so glad I didn’t have to cancel today, and I know you’re super busy but I appreciate you taking the time to come here for us.”
“I’m happy I could be here for you and that I got to see you for a bit as well,” I admit the last part before thinking about what I was saying. I don’t regret telling her though, I wish I could see her every day, but my team has been so busy chasing down leads. “It’s been a little crazy at work, but we’re chasing every lead we can.”
“You will get the bad guys, it’s what the good guys do,” Vivian tells me as she watches Eloise traipse across a clatter bridge on the pirate ship playground. The edges of Vivian’s lips tilt up in a small, sweet smile as she looks at me out of the corner of her eye and quietly says, “And I think you might just be one of the really, really good guys out there.”
Chapter twenty-six
Vivian
Hearing my name, I look up from the steamy novel that was just getting good on my Kindle. Savannah’s husband, Shane, walks over after grabbing his coffee; I didn’t even see him come in. “How’s it going today, Vivian?” Shane sits down at the table across from me.
“Hey, Shane. It’s going fine, just reading a bit before I go get Eloise from Daddy’s. The girls were going to help him decorate his front porch and then work on their never-ending Christmas lists for Santa.”
“Sounds about right for our girls. I didn't know my girls were going over there today, but I bet Murphy is thrilled to have Eloise around for the festivities, they’ll have a good time.”
He rolls his head a little and seems distracted. Savannah mentioned they’ve been fighting over trivial things recently and I don’t really need to add gasoline to their fire by telling him that in order to know where his children were, he would have to be home or talk to his wife. “Are you headed back to the office or off to court?” It’s the middle of the day so I’m not sure why Shane is in Java Jive, he has multiple assistants to do coffee runs for him.
“Yeah, I just needed some of the best coffee in town, you know how it goes, darling.” His reply didn’t actually answer my question. Shane notices someone getting up from another table and with a huff, dramatically rolls his eyes. I turn to try to see who it is, but I don’t recognize the handsome man approaching our table.
“Mr. Shane Williams, how are you, sir?” A striking, well-dressed man says to my brother-in-law. I’m assuming this is the same person that elicited the eye roll, but Shane stands and shakes his hand.
“Hello, Theodore, I’m well, how are you?” Shane obviously does not like this guy so of course I need to find out who he is, plus he’s really good-looking, and I don’t recognize him so he must not have grown up around here. I flash a big smile, tilt my head, and look expectantly at Shane. Shane ignores my silent request, but Theodore notices right away.
“Excuse me ma’am, I don’t believe we have been introduced. I’m Theodore Smith-Harrington.” He extends a hand to shake mine and as he moves closer, I can’t help but notice he smells really good too.
“Hello, Mr. Smith-Harrington, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Vivian Stone. Shane is my brother-in-law.” I take his hand, which is soft and warm, but his handshake is firm.
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Stone, but please, my friends call me Theo,” he says as I notice he has the best dimples when he smiles. Paired with his well-defined jawline, and barely there but intentional stubble, his face is straight out of the movies.
“Alright then, Theo. Please call me Vivian.” I cast a glance at a visibly uncomfortable Shane. This is interesting, indeed. “How do you two gentlemen know each other?”
“Theodore is a lawyer over at Smith and Harrington.” Shane again addresses him as Theodore, letting me know Shane does not consider this man a friend. “Their firm is based in Nashville and opened an office here in Forrest Falls five years ago, two years after my firm opened our location in town.” Shane looks quite smug about that fact.
Theo chuckles, and his gray-blue eyes sparkle with amusement. “Yes, something like that. How are things going over at Brown and Lewis, Shane? I haven’t seen you at the courthouse lately.”
“You should know Theodore, good lawyers represent their clients in the courtroom, but great lawyers keep their clients out of the courtroom in the first place. And it’s Brown, Lewis, and Williams and has been for over two years, as you are well aware.”
