Page 28 of First Date: Divorce
Pauline caught them before they left for Billings in the morning.
And caught was exactly what it felt like.
“Shopping?You’re goingshopping?You need a lot more prepping on each other.”
“My wardrobe needs to tempt the divorce lawyer.Eric’s right about that.They have to think I — we — might be a good target.My clothes don’t sell the part.And they don’t match Eric, a well-to-do-lawyer, which should appeal to this divorce lawyer.Taking him to the cleaners while representing me would give her a good payday.”
Overly serious, Eric said to Pauline, “It’s strictly a business trip.We promise not to have fun.”
K.D.gave him a warning look, “And we will prep during the drive.”
Pauline propped her hands on her hips.“Why are you doing this?Why are you going to Marriage-Save as a supposedly married couple?”
“Trying to save our mythical marriage?”Eric offered.
“No.Why are youreallydoing this.Both of you.”
K.D.felt his look toward her, but didn’t return it.Did he think she and Pauline were in cahoots?That it wasn’t coincidence they’d asked the same question — but a natural enough question.
Pauline continued, “You can say you don’t need to know each other as real people, though I think it’s dangerous not to, but there’s no arguing that your true motivations for getting into this should help you each understand the other better, know where you’re coming from and that should come in handy when you have to think on your feet and fill-in on the fly.”
“You mean there’s something you haven’t covered?”
K.D.sucked in her cheeks slightly to avoid a spontaneous grin at his dryness.
Pauline clearly didn’t feel that temptation.“There’s lots I — we — haven’t covered yet and you’re not getting out of it that easy.You first, Eric.Why are you doing this?”
“My friend, Cully Grainger, asked me to, along with the wife of another good friend, John Griffin, and supported by their respective spouses.”
Pauline glared at him.
“I want to rehabilitate the image of lawyers,” he suggested.
Pauline snorted slightly.“Fine.”Her tone added,Go ahead, don’t answer the question fully.You’ll regret it.“K.D.?”
He’d given her the perfect path to follow.“Tal Bennett asked my sheriff if I would do it.My commanding officer asked me to do it on behalf of Tal Bennett.Wouldn’t be a good career move to say no.”
Nothing slight about this snort.
*
“Please tell her — my wife — I’ll be back later, Mrs.Cavendish,” Eric said to the store manager.
K.D.was in the changing room of the recommended clothes shop in Billings.
She and Mrs.Cavendish did not see eye to eye and K.D.refused to have the older woman in with her.Him, either, though the original clerk suggested it.
Yeah, right.
He knew he’d rushed K.D.into this shopping trip.He’d done it on purpose.It gave her less time to call on her considerable defenses.
The drive up had been cordial as they quizzed each other on Pauline’s curriculum.He had a heck of a lot easier time with family, considering she’d had only her mother for most of her life until acquiring several years ago a stepfather she didn’t have much regard for.But she’d done great on his family that extended well beyond the core of his parents and siblings and their spouses.
The cordiality dimmed when she saw the shop and recognized its stratum.
She’d tried to put on the brakes.He’d dealt with that by ushering her inside — with a firm grip — where she couldn’t express herself as clearly.
Her resistance so flustered the young clerk who’d greeted them that the store manager took over.
