“I’ve got some of both in me.I mean… I work within the system as an attorney, but I’m always looking for creative ways to manage it on behalf of my clients.”
“Manage it how?”
“Well, there’re a lot of nuances to be found within the law, if you’re looking for them.I’ve had clients who would’ve ended up paying an ex a lot more in spousal support if we hadn’t negotiated other things the ex was interested in as part of the settlement.”
“That’s an interesting approach.”
“Well, any divorce lawyer worth their retainer is looking for ways to save their clients money in the long run.That’s why our firm is focused on mediation and trying to stay out of court.The longer these things drag on, the more it costs everyone involved—except the lawyers.”
“Wouldn’t it be in your best interest to let it drag on?”
“Financially, yes, but ethically?Not so much.Our firm is well established thanks to my grandfather and my father, and we don’t need to engage in the games some attorneys like to play to eke every dime they can get out of their clients.In fact, we call out that practice when we encounter it in opposing counsel.I’ve filed my share of ethics complaints against attorneys who are in it to squeeze as much money out of their clients as they can with little regard for what’ll be left for the client to live on after they litigate the hell out of their divorce—and inevitably end up where they would’ve been without the protracted battle.”
He offered a sheepish grin.“And that’s probably way more than you ever wanted to know about being a divorce attorney.”
“Actually, you just told me the most important thing about yourself.That you put ethics ahead of financial reward.Could I ask you something else that’s probably way out of line?”
“Sure.Go for it.”
“How many of your clients have fallen in love with you on their way to divorce court?”
“Oh, um, well…” His face flushed adorably, and her crush exploded into full-blown desire.
In the thirty seconds of charged awareness that passed between them, Isla realized how long it’d been since she’d felt real desire.
Years.
“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
“I think you enjoyed embarrassing me.”
She laughed.“Maybe a little.You’ve got to admit it’s a reasonable question.”
“Is it, though?”
He held her gaze, seeming as perplexed as she was by whatever seemed to be happening between them, and then he shook his head as if trying to clear his mind of salacious thoughts.
Isla wanted to tell him not to try so hard to move on from this perfect moment, one unlike anything she’d experienced before.Stop it, she thought.Just stop.You’re in no place to be looking for magic with someone else when you’re still married and nowhere near being free to pursue something new.
But, oh, how she wished she were free to lean in and kiss this beautiful, sweet man who was looking at her the same way she was probably looking at him.
“I, uh, wanted to talk to you about the paperwork I brought.”
That suddenly, reality returned to remind her he was a lawyer delivering documents that would lead to the dissolution of her marriage.And that was all he’d ever be to her—a means to a long-overdue end.
Julian drove awayfrom Isla’s house feeling an urgent need to put some distance between himself and his friend’s sister before he did something that could never be undone.He’d wanted to kiss her so badly, he’d nearly forgotten all the many,manyreasons why he could never do that.First and foremost, he was her attorney and was ethically bound to serve only her legal needs, but even more importantly, Denny trusted him to see his sister through a difficult time in her life.He needed to stay focused on the job at hand and not on how adorable she’d been while needling him about his clients falling in love with him.
And yes, it’d happened a time or two, usually toward the end of a long grind when he’d picked up on a vibe from a client that she might be interested in continuing their relationship once her divorce was finalized.It’d happened twice before the divorces were even final, with a not-so-subtle suggestion that they meet for a drink.The subtext had been clear… They were hoping for much more than a drink.
He'd never once crossed that line with a client, and he wasn’t about to start now.But that he’d been truly tempted… His mind whirled with disbelief as he drove the short distance from her place to his.And holy shit, she lived close to him in that rental.In a city the size of Los Angeles, Denny had settled her right down the road from him.
As he drove the G-Wagon into his garage, he was still wondering what the hell had happened just now.He’d planned a quick stop to drop off the documents and had ended up drinking wine with her and going on about musical history that she had no connection to.But from the second he’d stepped into that storied home, he’d been captivated by her.Their conversation had flowed effortlessly, and her interest in hearing his stories about legendary musicians who’d lived in their neighborhood had seemed genuine, even though she’d never heard of them.
He'd send her a couple of playlists to listen to so she could get a sense of where she was now living and what had taken place there once upon a time.
“That’s a great way to take a step back and pretend like nothing weird happened just now,” he muttered as he walked into his house, dropping his work bag inside the door and kicking off his shoes.
He’d already been reeling from the bomb Kaidan had dropped at dinner, which was probably why the encounter with Isla had taken on an odd vibe.His emotions were all over the place after hearing his notoriously contentious parents might be back together.
