Waiting in her attorney’s office, he forced himself to sit in one of the lobby chairs, his jaw clenching and releasing at breakneck speed. As his teeth squealed together, he bit down on his cheek to save his tooth.
Resting a hand on his shoulder, Sophie whispered, “She’ll be okay.”
As Haley had said, it wasn’t about the damn money. Even if Nate took it all, Haley had friends and family that would support her, plus a promising business that was stable enough, and he had no doubt it would be a huge hit once she worked up the courage to post her vlog and maybe even start taking clients. If she refused the help from her family, or his offer to invest, she’d easily secure a loan from the bank and could ramp up her business.
“Chill,” Lincoln whispered from across the lobby, looking cool as a cat, clearly comfortable in the setting.
Finn hated the damn suit. Had even worn a stupid tie; felt like a monkey on display in the thing. Even for Haley, he’d drawn the line at dress shoes. One advantage of being a professional athlete was that he could wear sneakers for every occasion.
Now if he could wear cleats, that would be ideal, so he could deliver Nate a studded kick in the balls.
An assistant in cuffed slacks and a trim sports jacket popped into the lobby, his hair long on top and shaved on the sides. “Mr. Halseth?”
Popping out of the chair, he followed the guy into a huge meeting room with a long glass table in the center. The massive wall of windows should make the place feel open, but he felt closed-in with vertigo, the city sprawled out in the distance.
Fuckhead Nate was dressed sharply in a shiny silver suit, his attorney equally snooty. Across the table, Haley’s attorney wore a more subdued charcoal suit. He may not like the things, but he had enough of his own, he knew the look. Another guy sat at the head of the table, must be the moderator. His crisp black suit with a pink tie said he didn’t answer to anyone.
A cool breeze in the suffocating room, Haley sat front and center in a tailored navy-blue cap-sleeved dress that accented her sapphire eyes. She must have been surprised to see him, but she was smart enough to hide her reaction.
Clearing his throat, the assistant directed Finn to the seat at the end opposite the moderator.
Nate looked fantastically surprised to see him. Lips pursed tight, his eyes darted anywhere and everywhere like a terrified bunny. Haley’s attorney began to speak, and all eyes turned to listen.
Except for Nate, who took the opportunity to fire a glower at Finn. Finn flashed him a wink, smirking in satisfaction as Nate’s eyes grew wide, quickly shifting to the conversation.
“In light of the significant accusations and previously unseen evidence presented by Mr. Salsborough today, I have been in contact with Mr. Halseth, who was gracious enough to fly down to help clarify his involvement with Mrs. Salsborough prior to the last six weeks. Lack of involvement, I should say. If his truth is not enough to help settle this without advancing to more in-depth legal action, I have several other witnesses prepared to support Mrs. Salsborough’s story, which has not changed once in these proceedings. At the end of this meeting, I expect Mr. and Mrs. Salsborough to sign the previously agreed upon divorce decree, without the last-minute changes presented by Mr. Salsborough.”
Finn bit his tongue to hide his grin, enjoying Nate shifting in his seat. When questioned, he accurately and precisely described his relationship with Haley, sparing the intimate details that were no one’s damn business.
Nate’s attorney tried to trip him up, but he’d been grilled by enough smartasses over the years, convinced they would have done the play better, would have juked right rather than left. “You expect us to believe that, while living for the last six years within five miles of Mrs. Salsborough, who was a tremendous fan of yours, coincidentally heralding from the same miniscule town hundreds of miles away, you never once communicated with each other, and only assumed a relationship with this married woman within days of her returning to your mutual hometown?”
“Yes,” he answered simply. He restrained himself from firing back, that if he’d met Haley before, they would have been having this conversation a hell of a lot sooner.
His very favorite was the end of his interview. Realizing he was drowning, Nate blurted out, “Come on. I don’t believe it for a second. Haley hasn’t shown the slightest interest in sex in ages. She must have been getting her play somewhere else. You two looked pretty comfortable when I saw you in Foothills.”
Finn opened his mouth to respond, but he held his tongue to let Haley take this one. “Oh, Nate, I’m so sorry you think I wasn’t interested in sex. It’s just you that turns me off.”
Clearing his throat, the moderator masked a smile and nodded. “Thank you Mr. Halseth. Would you step out while we determine our next steps?”
Haley’sheartpoundedinher chest, leaping into her throat when Finn walked in. Comfortable, casual, he didn’t hesitate. She should be furious at his presumptuousness.
But the moment he walked in, she realized just how long it had been since someone had stood up for her; so long since she’d let anyone.
Unable to talk privately, she had no idea if they’d have a chance to talk before he left. His interview with Minneapolis would be this afternoon. For that, she hoped he was already heading back to the airport.
Every muscle in her body ached, tired and sore and needy as she wanted to tell him to wait for her, that she’d go with him like he came for her, but she wasn’t sure what that would change. He deserved so much more than she was able to give right now. He needed to find his own path as much as she did.
Her attorney continued. “Mr. Salsborough, the changes were your suggestion, so I leave the decision to you. Would you next like to hear from her accountant, who has brought detailed documentation from the last five years of financial records that will show absolutely no evidence of transactions supporting your claims? Although there are a number that ran through your card, hotels and flowers and dinner that most certainly were not spent on Mrs. Salsborough. Or perhaps Mrs. Salsborough’s mother, the neurosurgeon who has rescheduled her patients to come give testimony as to her knowledge of Haley’s relationships; honestly, this may be an interesting one, as she clearly disapproves of Mr. Halseth, which makes her testimony that much more relevant.”
Haley almost burst out laughing, imagining Patricia waiting outside to rake Finn over the coals, for Haley’s sake. Were they both here? She imagined Patricia glaring at Finn across the lobby, in his suit and sneakers.
“The folks from Foothills are a tenacious bunch. I have more witnesses than I know what to do with. I can also call on the police officer that ticketed Mr. Salsborough for double parking in an alley while harassing my client in her hometown? Perhaps Mr. Halseth’s last significant other that can attest to his whereabouts for the months prior to Mrs. Salsborough’s arrival in Foothills? I also have a handful of character witnesses. I couldn’t say no to the plethora of offers of support for my client.”
Nate tugged at his tie, mouth wide in a false smile. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
Her attorney raised his lips in a devious smile. “How about one more? For fun? Your own attorney?”
Haley blushed, not liking where this was going. Nate’s lawyer’s wife had been one of Nate’s lovers and had pretended to be a good friend of Haley’s. She’d never liked her anyway.
