The Best Man (13 page)

Luke let loose a disgusted breath and shook his head. “You’ll tell me if you need help?”

“Of course,” she said, nodding. But she had no intention of running to Luke for help. She needed to do this on her own. Why was Luke so worried? She had survived worse conditions than any she’d encountered at the Crisis Center. “But I’m not expecting trouble.”

***

Two days later, Joel braced his hands on Luke’s desk. “She’s working at a soup kitchen! Who knows what else. You have to stop her. She’s going to drag this firm through the mud if you don’t do something.”

“Are you against the firm doing pro-bono work?”

Joel straightened, put his hands in his pockets. Luke guessed Joel’s suit had cost more than some families spent on food for a month. “I didn’t say that, but there should be a limit.”

“You think Kate isn’t earning her keep?”

Joel’s chin lifted. “She needs bring in her share of billable hours like the rest of us.”

“And you’re telling me this because?”

Joel huffed as he flung himself in a chair. “Kate values your opinion. Besides, you’re the senior partner, since her dad died.”

Propping one elbow on the arm of his chair, Luke rested his chin in his hand. “I didn’t realize we had worked out the finer details of the firm since Kate’s return.”

“Stop beating around the bush, Luke. You know as well as I do that Kate’s behaving like a loose cannon. She’s out to prove something, save the world, who knows what else. Somebody’s needs to stop her.”

“You were her husband. Talk to her.”

“Ex-husband’s don’t have much influence,” Joel gritted through clenched teeth, “and you know it.” Color rushed to his cheeks as he met Luke’s stare.

Luke looked down at his blotter, hiding his thoughts. It was all he could do to keep from ripping into Joel. He sat there in his Armani suit, while Kate’s wardrobe was one-step away from rags, yet Joel did nothing.

“Have you discussed the divorce?”

Joel shifted in his chair. “Not specifically. But you heard what she said.” He spewed out in an exaggerated sigh. “Hell, man, we were on the verge of getting divorced when we took that second honeymoon.”

Luke’s jaw clenched. “Then why go on the trip? Why not drop the pretense and end things without the charade?”

“I don’t know.” Joel shifted again. “I guess I didn’t want to risk getting dropped from the firm.”

“So…the whole second honeymoon thing was an act? You didn’t have any intention of patching things up?”

“You make it sound dirty.” Joel puffed up in pretended offense. “I was protecting my interests, can’t you see that?”

“I’m beginning to see things clearly for the first time.”

Joel’s face flushed. “Cut the ‘high and might’ act, Luke. I know you’ve had a thing for Kate from the start.” Joel’s sneer showed teeth white enough for a commercial. “That’s why it was so tempting to snatch her from under your nose.”

Luke’s insides clenched as he fought to control his temper. “You knew how I felt about her from the start?”

Joel shrugged. “It wasn’t hard to figure out. You were intent on being boy wonder for her dad’s benefit. There had to be a reason.”

“So, you added two and two and came up with five.” Luke snapped his jaw shut and took a calming breath. “Didn’t it occur to you that I wanted to make a good impression on the man who had given me a start?”

Doubt crossed Joel’s face. He shrugged. “Same difference. Impress the old man, you impress Kate.” His lips spread, but lacked humor. “You were winning, too. That’s why I couldn’t resist the opportunity.”

“It wasn’t a game, Joel.”

Joel shrugged, his expression matching the careless move of his shoulders. “Life’s always a game.” His smirk widened. “It’s your move, now.” Joel’s eyes narrowed to slits. “This time you can win the girl and the firm, but you need to move fast.”

Luke dropped his hands to his lap, concealing his clenched fists under the desk. “What are you saying?”

Joel gave another careless shrug. “Maybe I want Kate back.” His cold gaze bored into Luke. “I won her over once, I could do it again. And don’t forget, we have a history.”

“What are you getting at, Joel?”

Joel shifted forward in the chair and rested his forearms on the edge of the desk. “I’m saying you need to keep Kate in line. She should pull her weight in the firm, and help boost our profits.”

“Is there a threat in there somewhere?”

Joel shrugged. “Do you want Kate to find out you went looking for her after the tsunami?”

Luke’s chest expanded. “How did you know?”

A smirk spread over Joel’s face. He shrugged. “It didn’t take a rocket scientist, considering the time of your supposed vacation.”

“You’re not that good at figuring things out, Joel.”

Joel relaxed against the back of the chair. “No, but I am good at snooping. As a matter of fact, you could say that’s my main talent…that and charming the ladies.” Joel laughed. “Laurel didn’t have any problem with showing me your credit card bill.”

“Joel, you’re a low down piece of—”

Joel waved a finger of warning, his grin wide. “Uh huh, don’t say it. We’re just alike, you and I. So, what’s it going to be, Luke?”

Luke’s insides churned. What had Kate ever seen in this guy? So she found him good looking, if you liked sleaze-ball charm. “That’s where you’re wrong. We’re nothing alike, Joel, and you know it.”

Joel lifted both hands in a dramatic shrug. “We both left Kate to fiend for herself after the tsunami.”

Luke gritted his teeth. “You came home without her. At least I went looking for her.”

“Same difference, pal.” Joel’s smirk returned. “You might have looked, but you left her there…just like I did.” His smile widened. “Do you want her to find out you deserted her just like I did?”

“I’m nothing like you.”

“No, but after all she’s been through, do you think Kate would take the time to figure that out?” Joel waited two seconds. His eyes turned to icy chips. “Reign her in, Luke, or I’ll tell her everything.”

Luke had never felt so helpless. Then he remembered the long search for Kate in a country devastated by a wall of water and reconsidered.

Joel had backed him in a corner.

He’d allowed this mess to happen. He was the one who kept his feelings for Kate hidden. If he had leveled with her from the start, they would have been dating when Joel appeared. But no, he’d been concerned she would think he was interested because she was the boss’s daughter.

He’d intended proving his ability to her father and then reveal his feelings for her. But Joel appeared, like an evil genie from a bottle, and rushed Kate to the altar fast enough to make Luke’s head spin.

He would not stand around for Joel to use Kate again. But he didn’t want Kate to learn of his trip to Thailand, either. He wasn’t ready to explain his need to search for her. Above all, he wasn’t ready to admit his failure to locate her. He needed time. He wanted to win Kate’s respect. Then he’d admit he had failed her before Joel had appeared.

But now wasn’t the time. So, did he bend to Joel’s demands, or call his bluff? Could he face the consequences of losing Kate again?

The answer was, no.

Luke slammed out of his chair and stalked to the window. He wasn’t ready for Kate to learn he had failed to rescue her. It was his old pride thing. He knew that. But he knew Kate, as well.

He understood her desperate attempts to win her father’s approval. Hell, he’d felt the same way, but for different reasons. He could still see the look on Kate’s face when her father named Joel as partner. He never wanted to see her suffer like that again.

Learning that he had left her for dead, just as Joel had, would put him on the same level as the other two men who had hurt her, and he couldn’t face that. Kate might forgive her father’s lack of interest. But she all but despised Joel. Luke wasn’t ready for the same fate.

Now that Kate was back, he regain her trust. Form a new relationship. When the time was right, he would tell her of his search through dead bodies and debris. But he she needed time to adjust.

And…he wanted time to show her that not every man in her life would reject her.

***

Two days later, Joel slammed a client file down on Kate’s desk. “Where have you been?”

Kate looked from the file under his hand to the red slashes in his cheeks. “Meeting with clients, if you must know. I didn’t realize I had to clear my whereabouts with you, Joel.”

“Damn-it, Kate, you can’t jump off on a tangent, just because it suits you. You have to think of the firm. We need to put the good of the firm first.”

“What are you calling a tangent?”

She could almost see steam coming out his ears as Joel glared down at her. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t a good idea to get him riled up, but she didn’t like his attitude. Joel thought he could still tell her what to do.

Well, she had a newsflash for him. They weren’t married, now.

Okay, so technically, they were since Joel’s out of country divorce had proved a fake, but emotionally, they were as distant as two planets. And that’s the way she liked it.

Joel was probably on edge because of the money he’d lost on the divorce scam. That and Laurel’s tearful pleas for him to do something, anything to prove he really loved her.

Kate heart went out to her former friend. She understood what it felt like to love someone who didn’t return your feelings. But she couldn’t offer Laurel comfort. The wedge between them still existed.

It wasn’t that Kate was angry over Laurel’s relationship with Joel. Kate couldn’t offer words of comfort. The secretary wouldn’t believe her if she told her. And Kate wasn’t certain she could stop herself from revealing her true feelings for Joel.

So the office remained in an uproar since the news arrived two days earlier. Seeing Laurel’s distress brought back memories of her marriage Kate would rather forget.

Looking back on her life with Joel filled her with regret. Why hadn’t she seen through his false act? His actions were so obvious to her now. It was hard to imagine she hadn’t seen  him for the phony he was. But she had been deluded by his declaration of love. She could see that, now.

She’d been so starved for her father’s affection and approval, Joel’s immediate interest in her had acted like a soothing balm to her wounded heart. The fact was, she’d wanted to believe she was loveable. Had needed evidence that it wasn’t her fault her father didn’t love her, but some flaw of his. Joel’s vows of love were the affirmation her bruised ego needed.

When Joel suggested they marry after a whirlwind courtship, she’d jumped at the chance to show the world she was a loveable human being. For the first time in her life, she’d felt valued, a part of a whole. Part of a complete family unit and the truth was, Joel’s assertions of love had meant nothing.

It was too late to correct the past, but she wouldn’t make that same mistake in the future. From this day forward, she would not expose herself to meaningless relationships.

“This Crime Center stuff, that’s what.” Joel waved his arm in a sweeping motion. “And all the calls you’re getting from Child Protective Services.”

Kate straightened. “You’re monitoring my phone calls?”

Joel gave her a swift glance, and backed away a step. “Of course. I am a partner in this firm, you know.”

“I was under the impression phone calls were private, even from other partners. Attorney client privilege applies to phone calls, too, you know.”

Joel wilted under her glare and the threat implied in her words. “Of course they are.” He blustered. “But I’m your husb—”

“Ex-husband! You’re living with another woman whether it’s cleared legal channels or not. And as far as I’m concerned, you don’t have any right to monitor my calls, ex or not.”

Joel backed up another step. “It’s not as if Laurel told anyone but me.” His chest puffed out. “She didn’t tell Luke.”

Kate sent him a look that she had used to protect her meager food supply while was stranded on an island with starving people. It had worked on starving refugees, and now it worked on Joel. When he slinked another step toward the door, she gritted words through clenched teeth. “I wouldn’t have minded as much if she had told Luke.”

Joel’s face filled with color until he looked ready to explode. “Don’t think he’s going to take your side on this. I’ve already taken care of that.”

“You would do well to warn your girlfriend about privacy issues in a law office. Do you understand?”

“Now, see here, Kate. Laurel is a fine secretary. She understands partners need to pull together, even if you don’t.”

“If she shares my phone messages with you…one more time…she won’t have to worry about what happens to the firm. Do you understand me, Joel?”

Joel’s face flared red as flames. “N-now s-see here-e, Kate, you can’t fire Laurel.”

“If she shows you my messages one more time, we’ll find out, won’t we?”

“Decisions in this firm are made by the partners.” Joel’s chest expanded as he got his second wind. “And don’t think you can sweet talk Luke into taking your side.” His teeth bared in a snarl like a rabid dog. “I’ve taken out a little insurance to make sure I don’t get left out of the loop in this firm.” Joel clamped his mouth shut and swung out the door.