Page 32 of Accidentally Engaged
Jared shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t care. Patsy’s lawyer does what he wants to get his cut. I’ll write her a check, and she’ll go, leave us alone.”
But my insides don’t like that idea, because I can see the shit that’s coming—in little flashes, little blinks of misery and frustration. Not that the money matters, but the way in which Patsy lords it over him makes him feel like she’ll always be a part of his past he can’t shake, a constant reminder of the pain she likes to inflict.
“She’s going to keep doing this. Every time you publish from now on and get a bonus, she’s going to argue that it was based on work you did while married to her, even if the payout comes much later. She’s going to find a shifty lawyer and a bored judge, and they’re going to keep coming back to get more and more money—because she likes making you pay. It’s her way of making sure you never get rid of her.”
Jared shrugs. “Don’t I know it. I heard her bragging once when we were first separated, saying that she was going to be single with a string of lovers for the rest of her life so that I’d always be her personal piggy bank. I guess I was too much of a pushover to keep fighting in court.”
My hands rub his shoulders. “That’s not true. You were hurt and lonely. You were shocked that someone who once claimed to love you so much would treat you like that.”
Jared looks into my eyes. He’s so much more than cute at this angle. There’s a handsome earnestness in every line. A quiet, tenacious nobility. “The strongest warriors know when to leave the battle,” I whisper.
“You don’t think I’m weak? Or whipped?”
“No. No, I think you hoped someone better would come along—and I’m here now.” I slide my hands through his and squeeze tight. “Will you let me fight this battle my way? I promise—she won’t get hurt. Well, she’ll probably have a migraine, a real big case of shame, and her bank account will be a lot lighter.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Um. I have a couple of friends in town—one of them is your landlord, and he’s going to be in his office tomorrow, I think.”
“My landlord? Alban Wymark? What’s he have to do with this?” Jared shakes his head, baffled.”
“He’s a lawyer and a warlock. By tomorrow afternoon, I think we might get Patsy to sign a new alimony agreement, a legally binding one—all of her entirely free will. Honest.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Well, first, I’m going to call Artie, the police officer. He’s a pooka. He understands magical accidents, believe me.”
“What’s a—never mind. I’ll look it up later.”
I whip out my cell phone and scroll through my contacts. Fortunately, Artie’s in there, and more fortunately, he picks up. “Artie?”
“Hi! How’re you, stranger? Oh, no. Is something wrong? Did someone break into your shop?” Artie’s voice goes from calm and relaxed to full-on officer in seconds.
“Someone tried to wedge their car into my alley, sassed me, sassed my boyfriend, and got my recycling bin wedged under her car. There was a little argument—she said my bins were against the penal code.”
Artie snorts. “Oh, no. Not the dreaded person who thinks they can quote the penal code as an intimidation tactic.”
“Nailed it. She’s a little... banshee’d.”
“How little?”
“Right now, she’s snoring on the sidewalk. Tomorrow morning, she’ll wake up feeling hungover as heck.”
“Oh, no. Vagrancy and public ‘drunkenness.’ Now,that’sagainst the penal code. I’ll be right over.”
“Wonderful, we’ll be waiting. Oh, and do you know if Liam is still in town?”
“Liam! Yes, he is, but what do you want with that reprobate?”
“Oh, come on. He’s not really a reprobate. He’s just on a different diet than the rest of us. It could be worse.”
“You’re right about that. I can help you find him.”
“Well, I’ll pay his bar tab if he plays nice with this lady.”
“Chloe, what in the world are you thinking?”
“I just want him to meet her tomorrow and see if he can’t charm her into accepting one of his famous proposals.”
