“You know, Ellis is an incredible kid,” I interject. “A true testament to how well he’s done as a single parent.”
Carolina nods. “Still, he needs someone to take care of him too.” She shakes her head, blinking away her emotion, but her words spin on repeat in my mind.
I wonder when was the last time Rhonan did something for himself.
“Anyway, back to the cake.”
Dilynne glances back at me. “Why don’t you go ahead and order because I might be here for a while…”
“You sure?”
“Yup.”
“Okay. I just need a slice of cheesecake, please.”
Dilynne laughs while Carolina moves to the counter, picking up a box that is far too big for one slice of cheesecake. “Oh, Vienna. One does not order just asliceof Carolina’s cheesecake.”
“Uh, why?”
“Because one slice isn’t enough,” Carolina finishes for her. “Trust me, you’re going to need the entire thing.”
Before I know what’s happening, I’m paying for an entire cheesecake that there’s no way I’ll be able to eat by myself and stepping back onto the sidewalk as cherry blossoms float through the sky in the breeze.
My feet begin to carry me toward my car, but my eyes catch the sign for Thorne Family Law Group across the street and my mind drifts to thinking about what Dilynne told me about Elliot and his failed relationship. I didn’t anticipate feeling a connection to him in this way, but my heart hammered in my chest while hearing his story.
Before I can overthink my decision, I cross the street and enter the building of his family’s law practice, finding it fairly empty. It is a Friday evening, so everyone’s probably gone home already.
Sighing, I decide I’ll try another night, but a familiar voice calls out to me. “Vienna?”
Spinning on my heels, I lock eyes with Elliot. “Hey, Elliot.”
Elliot glances around the entryway. “Are you lost?”
“Uh, no.”
“That didn’t sound too convincing.”
I shake my head. “Sorry. No, I’m not lost. I, uh… Well, I was wondering if you had a moment to speak with me, but then I realized it’s Friday evening and you’re probably itching to get home, so…”
Elliot holds up a hand. “Trust me, I’m not itching to go anywhere at the moment. What’s up?” He looks me over. “Are you all right?”
I hoist my purse up higher on my shoulder and switch the bag with my gigantic cheesecake to my other hand. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, I guess I’m just nervous.”
“No need to be nervous,” he says through a laugh. “I helped fix your showerhead for you, remember?”
Chuckling, I nod. “Yeah. But…”
He waves for me to follow him. “Let’s go sit down in my office so you can relax and then tell me what’s on your mind.”
I follow Elliot down a long hallway into his office, a more than ample space filled with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and the biggest mahogany desk I’ve ever seen. The walls are lined with his framed degrees and accolades he’s earned throughout the years, and one of the walls is almost entirely taken up by a window that looks out toward the mountains that surround the town. “You want something to drink?”
“Water would be great.”
He walks over to the mini fridge in the corner next to a couch, retrieves me a bottle of water, and places it on the desk in front of me as I take a seat in one of the cushioned chairs opposite his desk.
After he takes his seat on the other side, he says, “Now, how can I help you?”
“Well, you came up in a conversation with Dilynne earlier, and that reminded me that you’re a lawyer. So I wanted to see if maybe you could help me.”
