“You’ll let me do that?”
“Sure, and if need be, you can sit in on whatever he wants. Remember, I don’t want to be alone behind closed doors with a client. I don’t need Lincoln or his lawyer to accuse me of having loose morals, and doing something wrong with a client.”
Brian grinned and ran around her desk and hugged her. “Thank you. Oh, and did I tell you he smells divine?”
“You smelled him?” she asked, shocked.
“No, but his cologne, oh it’s hard to explain.” He waved his hand, took several deep breaths, fixed his shirt front and threw her a grin before he opened the door.
Addy shook her head and chuckled. She picked up her pen and tried to get back to work, but there was a knock on her door and she called for them to enter. She looked up and saw Brian escort a man in, and had to withhold her grin when that man was checking Brian out.
“Franklin,” Addy said, and rose to her feet and met him halfway across the room. “What are you doing here? I didn’t miss an appointment, did I?”
“No, no. Sorry to barge in on you, but something’s come up and I wanted to see you as soon as possible.”
“You’ve met my partner, Brian?”
“I did. Partner?” Franklin frowned at the two of them, but his eyes were on Brian.
“Business partner.”
“Oh, good.” Franklin grinned and actually winked at Brian, and Addy thought her assistant was going to have a heart attack. “If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to speak to my client in private,” Franklin said to Brian.
“Client?”
“Brian, this is Franklin, my lawyer.”
“Oh. Sorry. I’ll be at my desk if you need me.” He looked at Franklin for several seconds before leaving. Once the door was closed behind him, he sighed, and sat down where Addy indicated.
“Before I tell you why I’m here, I have a couple questions for you.”
“Shoot.”
“One, and I’ve never talked about this to anyone who didn’t need to know, I have to ask, is Brian gay and is he seeing anyone?”
“Excuse me?”
“He’s hot, just wondered if he was like me and available.”
“You’re gay?” Addy asked in shock. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that. But yes, Brian’s gay and single. But I don’t feel comfortable talking about him behind his back.”
“Sorry. Had to know. Now, I’m here on a weird mission. Is there anyone that you trust completely? I have a feeling you’re going to want to talk it over with a friend before you give your answer.” He shrugged at her. “I thought if I discussed the matter with your trusted person with you, they might ask questions you forget to ask.”
Addy stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “Tell me.”
“Not until you have a friend here. Someone you trust with information about your divorce.”
“Oh, that would be Brian. I told him about it, and he’s been a good friend since I hired him four years ago, but since the divorce, he’s allowed me to vent. He pretty much knows almosteverything that’s been going on. He was there with me during the miscarriage, too.”
“Could you call him in here?”
Addy shrugged and picked up her phone. “Brian, could you come in my office please, and tell Beth to hold both our calls.” She hung up and watched her lawyer actually run his hand over his hair and fiddle with his tie. She bit the inside of her lip to prevent her grin. “Come in,” she called at the knock on her door.
“Brian, this is Franklin Sweeney, my lawyer. He has something to discuss with me about the divorce that he said I’d need a friend to talk it over with before I make a decision. Franklin, this is Brian Sherman, my right-hand man, and friend.” She watched as they shook hands and Brian sat down beside the lawyer. But he jumped up and indicated that they should sit in the seating area and he sat next to Addy on the loveseat while Franklin sat across from them. Addy noticed that he didn’t have a briefcase or papers with him.
“What’s wrong?” Addy couldn’t take the silence any longer.
Franklin studied her, and shocked her when he jumped to his feet and began to pace. Thank goodness she’d moved into a studio apartment and cleared out all her personal belongings, giving him the room to pace.
