Page 39 of The Activist and Her Billionaire

“Miss Casey,” the judge admonishes me, sounding very bored. “Do not address defendant’s counsel, even in pantomime.”

I feel eyes on me, and I look around. Brody is checking me out. I glared at him.

“Miss Casey,” the judge warns. “Now, you are seeking to overturn the sale on the basis your late uncle had dementia at the time Mr. Dillman here entered into discussions with him.”

“Yes, your honor,” I say.

“I note your Exhibit A here is a photocopy of a prescription, along with a reference indicating it is a treatment for dementia,” says the judge. “Do you have a copy of this, Mr. Dillman?”

“We do, your honor,” he says.

“What the court would require is an expert who treated Mr. Mair to speak to his level of competence,” the judge says. “Was he declared incompetent? Did he have a conservatorship? Without a medical declaration, the court will dismiss this matter without prejudice. The court will hear you again if you can get such testimony together.”

Brody makes a noise of triumph. “Whew,” he says in a high pitch.

“Caution, Mr. Dillman,” the judge scolds. “This matter isn’t settled. And if this man were indeed in the throes of thatdreadful ailment, it would have been obvious. And you’ll be in a pickle if that proves to be the case. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, your honor,” Brody says, his head sunk with the reprimand.

I don’t even cry. Even though I had fully expected it, I am numb hearing my last try dismissed so quickly. I need a friend right now and consider calling Todd to see if he wants to do something – until I realize that might be not kind. It is unfair to toy with his emotions; I don’t want to lead him on.

The courtroom is noisy, with the clerk calling the next case. I look up, finally paying attention. And there, waiting for me to notice, is Jack.

Chapter 11

Jack

“Ican’t talk to you right now,” Brynne says, pushing me away.

I held out my arm and drew her into me. She melts against me.

“I give up,” she whispers.

“I want to make it right,” I whisper back. “I promise I will.”

“I don’t want any more promises. No more false hope,” she says. “I’m making plans. I’ll be out of there as soon as I can.”

“Gretchen, my receptionist, can help you with arrangements,” I say. “But the judge dismissed without prejudice. That means if you can get your uncle’s doctor to say-”

Brody butts in. He is close enough for me to hug him, too.

“Helping the other side, Jack?” he laughs half-heartedly. “Miss Casey, no hard feelings.”

He pushes past us. Brynne and I gaze into one another’s eyes. This is not the time or place to promise her that she and I were not some cheap ploy to get her to back down. Holding her just now, I realized how much I missed her, and it had only been acouple of days. It feels like we have been lovers forever, and this recent separation was the first time we had ever been apart.

She belongs with me. But I don’t have the right to tell her that. Not now. I let her go and watch from a distance as she approaches her bike chained to a street sign. She will bike home in her court dress, which I can see through when the sun hits it. She is wonderfully unique, and I am the one who made her sad.

I drive the other way back to the office. I will pick Gretchen’s brain to see what she thinks I should do, whether I salvage this situation or leave it alone. I start with Brynne’s response to the roses I sent. She did respond, which I take as a good thing. But the only thing she wrote was ‘K.’

What does that mean?

I dump my laptop in a guest chair at reception and lean over the console.

“What does it mean when someone sends the letter k as a response?” I asked Gretchen.

She blinks, staring at me blankly.

“It means ‘okay,’” she says with a tone like my question was beyond stupid. “Did you really not know that?”

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