“I really do have to go,” I protested, wriggling to get free from his grip on me. Staying holed up in the condo seemed like a much better way to spend the day, but I was ready to get this bullshit with Teresa over with.
I turned in Sean’s arm for what I thought would be a quick kiss goodbye. He had other plans.
The kiss started slowly enough as he traced his tongue across the seam of my lips, but when I sighed in contentment, he took advantage of the opening and pressed his tongue deeper. It was passionate and filled with so much promise for the future that my knees nearly buckled.
“I missed you, Mace. Don’t do that to us again, okay?” he pleaded.
“I missed you, too. And believe me, it wasn’t my idea of fun, either,” I confessed. I’d much rather stay here so we could get the talking out of the way and make tonight all about making up, but we both had places to be. “Leave me your keys and I’ll have the service drop me off at your car after my meeting. You can take the Jeep to drop Jason off at his car.”
Despite my protests, my attorney sent a car to pick me up so I didn’t have to battle parking downtown. The driver from the service greeted me cheerfully at the curb in front of my building. I knew he was only doing his job, but I wanted to snap at him and tell him that some of us were having anything but a good morning.
I hated Teresa for having this sort of power over me. Just the thought of having to sit across the conference table from her in a room filled with lawyers was enough to make every bit of peace I felt when I was with Sean seep out of my body. This divorce couldn’t happen fast enough.
Every step I took through the lobby of the building where Thom’s offices were located echoed off the high ceilings. The steady rhythm unsettled me because it reminded me just how empty I felt about what was about to happen. I’d had my time to grieve for what I thought I would have with Teresa, I’d had my angry outbursts at her audacity, and I was dull to it all at this point.
“Mr. Atley, it’s good to see you again,” the receptionist greeted when I walked through the double glass doors. “Give me a moment to get some papers together and I’ll take you to the conference room. Everyone’s waiting for you.”
I looked down at my watch to make sure I wasn’t running behind. Nope, eight minutes early, which meant Teresa was doing everything in her power to prove to her lawyers that she was the perfect wife, and would do whatever it took to get me back. It was a shame that the only piece of me she really wanted was my bank account.
I followed the maternal looking receptionist down the hall, ignoring the hushed whispers as I passed. Although Thom was a consummate professional, it was apparent that some of his staff weren’t as capable of ignoring the slightest bit of celebrity. I’d be concerned that one of them would show up in the rags tomorrow as the anonymous source spilling the details of my divorce if not for Thom’s reassurances that everyone within the firm understood how seriously he takes client confidentiality.
“Mason, it’s good to see you,” Thom greeted as he rose from his seat on the opposite side of the table. Why couldn’t we be close to the door? The last thing I wanted was to feel Teresa’s eyes boring into my back as I walked around to join my legal team. “As soon as you’re ready, we’ll get this underway.”
“Thanks.” I tried to keep my tone level and use few words, so Teresa couldn’t read anything into what I did or didn’t say. I sat between Thom and his assistant, a sweet girl named Maria, and focused on the way she sorted the paperwork into different stacks.
Thom started the meeting by reading the petition aloud. By the time he reached the third page, I was beginning to wonder if Teresa was going to leave fingernail marks in the edge of the hardwood conference table. The few times she tried to say anything, her lawyer placed his hand over hers and shook his head. The subtle movement made me chuckle, because it seemed even he knew how likely it was that she’d say something stupid before the meeting was adjourned.
I had to give her credit, she lasted almost until Thom was finished reading the laughable proposal for alimony and support filed by her attorneys before she could no longer hold back.
“As I’ve already told Mason, this was all a huge misunderstanding! Why won’t anyone listen to me?” she pleaded, slamming her hands on the table. When she stood, everyone could see how nervous she was by the way her legs shook on her indecently high heels.
I looked to Thom to see if he was going to answer for me, but he merely nodded that it was fine for me to address her. I took a few deep breaths before responding to her. “Teresa, I don’t think it was a mistake at all. We hadn’t been living as a couple for a long time and now we all know why.”
“That’s because you were always on the road,” she protested. “But now, I know we can spend more time together and work through our problems. I know you think it was clear what you saw in that one article, but you don’t. No matter how many times I’ve begged you to hear me out, you refuse. We can make things right, I know we can!”
I almost pitied her. Not only was she about to be completely alone, but I got the impression she truly thought my schedule was the reason we didn’t have a healthy relationship.
“No, we can’t,” I told her bluntly. “We’re two very different people and it’s apparent to me that we have different goals in life. We’re not good for one another.”
She stammered and sputtered for a painfully long time, trying to come up with her next argument. “Mason, wearegood together!”
I was quickly losing patience. I wanted to reach for Maria’s folder and throw the pictures in Teresa’s face. After all, that was what would quickly put an end to this meeting.
“Mrs. Atley, while I understand that this is an emotional time for you, I would ask that you respect what your husband has said,” Thom interjected, quickly shutting her down. “The fact remains, Mason has stated his wishes and has made it clear that he’s not willing to change his mind.”
Thom slowly and methodically reached across my body, smirking as he reached for my file. The man truly seemed to be getting a kick out of knowing he was about to further crush Teresa. All eyes were on Thom as the held up the folder while searching for the first stapled packet of papers.
“Mason would prefer this matter be settled as quickly and amicably as possible. What I have here is an offer that I think you will find quite generous for your client,” he said, directing his attention fully on Teresa’s attorney.
The lawyer, who looked more suited for the pages of a magazine than the courtroom, scanned the pages, tossing them across the table with a huff. “Absolutely not! As I’m sure you’re all aware, Mr. and Mrs. Atley had a prenuptial agreement which stated she would be entitled to a fair portion of the marital assets plus monthly maintenance in the event of divorce.”
“That is very true,” Thom agreed, steepling his fingers under his chin. “However, there was also a stipulation that she would be entitled tonothingin the event of infidelity, which is why this is more than fair to her.”
“Infidelity?” Teresa screeched, once again lurching from her seat. She leaned over the table, as if she was debating wrapping her hands around my neck. “It wasoneincident, and I’ve tried explaining that. If anyone has been unfaithful, it’shim, with that little fairy he calls a best friend.”
“Mrs. Atley, I will remind you again that this is a conference room, not a third grade playground. Everyone here is over the age of eighteen, and it would be appreciated if you would act like it,” Thom chastised.
“No! I willnotcalm down until I know what in the hell he’s trying to pull!” She continued staring me down, ignoring the advice of her lawyer that she sit. “He’s the one who had that queer in his house when I showed up to try to reconcile! And when he tried to leave, Mason wouldn’t let him.”
