Mistletoe Magic (Paradise Place #6) - Natalie Ann Page 0,2
there.”
“Sounds like you are moving on. I hope you’re happy.”
He’d liked Robin when she came to him in the beginning of the year. She could have gotten any lawyer she wanted who would have been drooling over her case, but she’d contacted him and he never knew why. Not that he wasn’t thrilled over it.
“I am. I’m getting there. You were so kind and patient and gentle with me. You never pushed me to go after Alex. I didn’t want a circus. I just wanted to move on and as quickly as possible.”
“That is probably why his family loved you so much,” he said. She had a gentle soul. He’d seen it all along. She’d been devastated over her ruined marriage, but she didn’t want revenge. Not many women were like that that he’d come across during a divorce proceeding.
Not many women were like her in general, he’d learned, and felt a pull to her right away.
He couldn’t do anything about it and didn’t. But he was thrilled she called him for this and he would get to spend some more time with her.
“I’m sure. Alex’s parents still want to maintain a relationship and I just can’t. I don’t even know if it was to save face or not, but I need to cut ties with them.”
She tucked her brown hair behind her ear and tried to force a smile. “Did you tell them that?”
“No. I should. I’m taking the coward’s way out and just avoiding them. I even changed my number, but his mother emailed me. I mean it’s been easier since I moved here and I don’t see them much. Between work and the shelter, I’ve been busy.”
He knew she had a passion for working with rescue dogs. “So how many dogs have you adopted since you’ve been on your own?”
She frowned. “None. I can’t have dogs in my apartment. When I moved in, I was still reeling from everything. It was winter and so on. Then the summer just flew by and I was trying to figure things out. I’m not sure what made me start looking for houses, but I saw this one and right away, the minute I walked in, I had to have it. I’d love to close now, but I can’t.”
“Why?” he asked. “The owners aren’t ready to move?”
“It’s a single father and his daughter. He’s getting married in a few weeks, so he can close after the wedding.”
“Makes sense,” he said.
“Not really,” she said. “He’s marrying the woman in his backyard. You’d think they’d just move in together now.”
Brian laughed at the chagrined look on her face. “It’s not that long. Since you’re paying cash I’m sure we can get through this fast. Do you know who his lawyer is?”
“Brina Shepard,” she said, handing over the card. “Guess it’s his new wife’s cousin.” She pulled the contract out. “Philip Aire is the current owner.”
“I’ll reach out to Brina and we’ll get going. She’s not that far from here.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I’d love to get a puppy soon. I think I need the companionship.”
He smiled at her. He’d like to spend some time with her but wasn’t sure it’d be wise to mention that. She was his client. Not only that, she’d been through a horrible experience. She was probably a little gun shy and he couldn’t blame her if she was.
“We can all use that in our lives at some point,” he said.
“Oh,” she said. “I’m sure you aren’t hurting for any companionship.”
She blushed when she said it and he found that comment promising. “You’d be surprised.”
He was thirty-three years old and alone. Still young. Still plenty of time.
Yet he was sick of it.
A few months ago he’d stood up at the altar and watched his sister, Meena, marry his best friend, Troy Walker.
He and Troy had been inseparable growing up. They’d been through all the ups and downs in life that best friends had. They’d even pushed off his annoying younger sister when they were teens and then shielded her from douchebags.
Protective older brother? That was him. It was his job and he was damn good at it.
The last thing he’d ever thought was that his baby sister had the hots for Troy and that the two of them had secretly been pining for each other for years.
When Meena moved back to the area a few years ago to open up her own hair salon, she’d never said a word that she was coming back because Troy was single again. His