When the doors closed, Landon snaked his arm around his wife’s waist and pulled her close. “What did I just tell you?”
Rolling her eyes, she leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I can’t help it when a situation presents itself.”
The bell dinged, announcing the next elevator, and we all walked in.
“I’ll deal with you when we get home,” Landon said quietly, but I still heard him.
“Promises, promises,” she teased back.
They were too cute, and their banter helped to relax me. That was until the doors opened, and I knew I had to take one last second to prepare myself for one of the toughest fights of my life. I’d had a few doozies: being pregnant basically alone, dealing with bullies, and fighting for the relationship I knew was meant to be with Jett.
Jett gently pulled me from the elevator and toward the corner of the waiting room. I noticed Landon and Alley move away, giving us privacy.
“The others are already in the conference room. Are you ready to go in?” the receptionist asked Landon.
He responded. “Give us just a minute, please.”
He said this just as Sloane walked out from a hallway and sat down in one of the chairs. I watched Alley shoot daggers at her with her eyes, and once again I was grateful to have her there with us.
Doing my best to ignore my high school nemesis, I focused my attention back on my husband as he took both my hands in his and looked me in the eyes.
“You got this, sweetheart. You’re the strongest woman I know.”
I shook my head. He was so full of bullpucky. In our circle of friends, every woman was stronger than I was.
He gave my hands a gentle squeeze. “Don’t argue with me. I know you inside and out, and I say you are.”
Blowing out a breath, I left that alone and he continued on.
“Trust Landon; he has your back. I’ll be waiting right here for you.”
I nodded, releasing his hand, and wrapped my arms around his middle, resting my head on his chest. With my ear placed above his heart, I listened to the rhythmic beat and let the sound calm my frayed nerves.
Pulling back, I went up on my toes and gave him a quick, soft kiss. Then, I pushed my shoulders back, held my head high, and walked over to my lawyer—my friend.
“Let’s do this.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
JETT
I’d kept my mouth shut.
As soon as my gaze landed on Chaz and I took in his pompous expression, I wanted to wipe the shiny marble floor clean with his face.
I needed to be a steady rock for Patience, so keeping my anger in check was a must.
But I swore to myself when she walked away to go into the meeting, that if she came out with one tear or even a track where a tear had slipped down her beautiful face, I’d throw every one of those fuckers out the fifth story windows.
Chapter Thirty-Three
PATIENCE
I swear, I blinked a few times, and it was over.
After going over things with Landon prior to the mediation, I knew he planned to do most of the talking. He told me he’d prompt me if he felt I should answer a question or elaborate on something.
What we had prepared for was not what happened. Landon had warned me that if he got in there and read the room differently, things could change.
