Chapter 2
I’ve kept to myself in this new neighborhood although the neighbors do seem friendly with an occasional wave as I come and go. I’ve been so anti-social, even more so to any woman around. Especially to the woman at #6 on our little street. Found out her name is Valley. Cool name, and I’m not blind. She is beautiful, but when I catch her ogling me as I mow the yard, it makes me uncomfortable. I must rethink removing my shirt while outside ever again, even though it’s hotter than Hades. She seemed a little pissed that I pretended not to notice her. Oh, I noticed.
I despise change, despise that our worlds have been upheaved, tilted, and turned around due to a woman who apparently only thought of herself. Fuck, I was so blind. So stupid! Yet, there was no indication she was that way – that I could see – until that final blow. How do you tell? How do you make sure a person is who they say they are? Are there signs?
Speaking of signs….
Is there one on my forehead that says – single?
Doesn’t matter where I am, courthouse, grocery store, gym, or especially at the bar when I stop in after work for a de-stressing drink, women keep coming up to me, asking me out, buying me a drink, whatever.
Not gonna say I’m not good looking – not my ego, just what I’m told. I go to the gym regularly so I keep in shape, eat healthy, but I can’t fathom hooking up with anyone. Not now. Maybe not ever. I know what you’re thinking. My once overly active sex drive says to hook up and just satisfy my needs. I am a man. Then again, I’ve never been one who could do that – a one night stand kinda thing. Guess I’m different than some. I have to have the emotional tie, the excitement of seeing her again, and my heart skipping a beat when I do.
Fuck, I sound like a girl.
Now, two houses over, the one with the pool in the backyard – yeah #43. That guy’s pretty nice. Phillip Miller. From what I understand, he and his wife, Jayne, were the first to move onto Juniper Court. He’s an award-winning corporate attorney. Yeah, I’d heard of him. Who hasn’t? It’s cool to be able to talk shop with someone, even though we can’t really talk specifics about our cases. There’s a ton of other things in our industry to talk about. He even invited me over and to bring Embry to swim sometime. Think I might take him up on that. I know Embry loves to swim. I’d also learned, through Phillip, that Jenna at #22 went through a divorce as well. It’s been awhile, but I think I’ll keep a fair distance.
There’s some older kids on the street too. Might make some good babysitters, if I’d ever go out. Right now, I can’t bear to leave Embry with anyone. My time with her is too short as it is. Besides, what would I do if I went out? Sit on a barstool. Drown my sorrows in a Jack and Coke? Nope. Not gonna happen. I have better things to do. Like keep my house clean and work on the yard. There’s a couple of TV shows I won’t miss either. Law and Order. NCIS. You know, the good shows.
“Greer. Greer. My man.”
Looking up from my desk, after studying this case for the last several hours, my eyes fixate on Matt Dawson, leaning against my office doorframe. His arms are crossed and the shaking of his head is ticking me off.
“You haven’t been out since the divorce. Holdin’ yourself up in your office pretending to study cases you know you’ll win without even trying.” The tsking sound he’s making with his teeth is grating on my nerves.
“I’ve been out. Twice,” I mutter, looking back down at the paper before me.
“To a bar.” My eyes move back up to his without my consent. “Alone. Having one drink, maybe two, then going home.” He begins shaking his head, again. “Alone.”
Looking back down at the paper I’m holding much too tightly, I clear my throat. “This case is a big one. Difficult. Very difficult.” I pretend to read.
I hear him move, finding it hard not to look up. When his hands hit my desk, I can’t stop my eyes from moving, nearly face to face with him as he leans down over the surface. “It’s Friday. We’re going out.” Abruptly, he stands, turns and walks to the doorway. “Be ready at five.” Grabbing the doorknob, he walks out and slams the door behind him.
Guess it wouldn’t hurt to go out again. Sigh.
“This is fun. Isn’t this fun?” Looking around the bar in the dim lights, hearing the loud music, watching people trying to talk over it and dancing, I cringe internally. “Look over there! See that hot babe? Two o’clock!” Long black hair swept down to the top of her firm bottom. Slim figure. She turns her head, her eyes moving to mine instantly. She smiles. It’s nice. Then she winks at me while flipping her hair over her shoulder. Turning her head, she leans into the woman next to her. They both laugh. I sigh.
“Yeah. Real fun.” My sarcastic tone isn’t lost on me. Probably not on Matt either.
“Damn, she’s fine. So are her friends.” My eyes snap up to him, and I know there’s an incredulous look on my face, same as what I feel. “What?” His eyebrows raise as if in surprise. “Look, dude. Did your divorce do something to you?” Setting down his empty glass on the bar counter, he nods to the bartender for another then leans closer to me. “What’s up, man?” His voice lowers. “Did it – are you now swinging the other way?”
Instantly, I lean back, my eyes wide in shock – as if I’d been slapped. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Matt’s known me all my life. We went to school together clear through college. Hell, his parents lived just a few doors down from mine. I thought he knew me better than anyone – even better than I knew myself, at times. My astonishment changes to anger. “You know me better than that. What the fuck’s gotten into you?”
He laughs.
Laughs?
Leaning his arm on the counter, he smiles, still laughing lowly. “Ease up, man. I’ve seen divorce change people. Ya know? You haven’t been out with a woman in…. hell, you haven’t even glanced at a woman in…. fuck, I don’t know how long. I just thought….”
Grabbing my Jack and Coke from the bar, I down it quickly then nod at the bartender and hold up two fingers. Looking at Matt, I try to keep my anger in check. “You thought wrong.” An awkward silence spreads between us. He looks everywhere but at me. My entire body relaxes. He’s my friend. Someone I’ve grown up with. Here I am getting mad at him and for what? Being concerned about me. Letting out a big sigh, I pick up my new drink and take a deep gulp. “Look. I appreciate you being there for me.” His eyes find mine and soften. “I’m just not ready…. yet.” I shrug, looking down at the glass in my hand. “I’m not sure when or if or….”
“God, I hate that woman.”
My eyes snap up to him as he sits down on the stool, looking almost – defeated. Matt’s always been the positive one. The one that could find good in anything and almost anyone. But like me, he’s got a keen eye for those who try to hide their goodness, seeing them for who they really are, at least with court cases. That’s why we’ve always gotten along so well. That similarity is what’s kept us so close. The biggest thing we have in common. Now that I think about it, he never really liked Gianna, never really got close to her. I guess I was so stupidly in love that I never gave it much thought. Now it all seems so clear. He knew.
He looks ahead, out into the crowd of partygoers. “Always had a feeling about her.” I blink several times. “She had an air about her. Like she thought so highly of herself. Better than most.”
“I didn’t see,” I whisper.
He smiles as he looks at me, reaching over and patting my shoulder. “Love is blind, my friend. Literally.” Looking down I let out a sad laugh. “Guess it could have been worse.” I look up with astonishment, wondering how could that be? She ripped out my heart. Dragged it through the mud. Tore it into a million pieces. She destroyed me. “Don’t look so shocked. It could have been many more years before you caught her or maybe never. She’d just keep sleeping around on you.” Fuck! He’s right! “Look. I know it’ll take some time but not all women are like her, Greer.”
“I know. I know!” Shit, I hate this. “But how do you know? How can you tell if someone is a good person? How would I ever know?” Crap. I sound whiny again.
“Good question.” He looks as if he’s thinking hard.
“Would be nice to have a good answer.” I let out a laugh, yet I’m nothing but serious.
“Yeah, wish I knew.” He pats my shoulder again then releases it and takes a drink. “Man, I’ve not really been looking. Just playing the field. I love your daughter, love kids, but I’m not ready for that. Not ready to settle down.” I nod, understanding. “Hang in there. When the time is right, she’ll be there.”
Fuck, I hope he’s right.
“Hey there.” We both turn our heads. Those women that we were looking this way earlier are now standing in front of us. The dark hair gorgeous one that caught my eye is looking right at me. “Care to dance?”
My heart couldn’t be pounding harder as if trying to escape from my chest. My hands feel hot, my palms sweaty. I’ve never felt like this before, not even when I first met Gianna. Am I having a panic attack? “Well, I….”
Matt stands up, smiling as he looks at each of the women, landing his eyes on the woman before me. “He needs to go pick up his daughter.”
The woman’s eyes couldn’t be any wider. “Oh.” She remarks then looks at Matt. “Then how about you, hot stuff?” She never looks back at me.
Step one: If she doesn’t like the fact that you have a daughter and moves right along to the next male, she’s not the one.
“Shit!” Just then someone bumps into a waitress, her tray of drinks splattering everywhere, namely on that dark-haired woman. “What the hell? Watch where you’re going, you clumsy bitch!” I purse my lips, trying not to laugh at the once attractive woman running her hands all over her red dress as if she could magically wipe away the wetness.
The waitress’s eyes are wide. “Oh, God! I’m so sorry! Let me get a towel for….” She seems so familiar. Do I know her?
The waitress grabs a bar towel from behind the counter and starts blotting the dark-haired woman’s dress. “Leave it! You’ve done enough!” Ripping the rag from the flustered waitress’s hand, she looks down as she tries to use it to soak up some of the liquid. “You should be fired. Why anyone would hire you is beyond me.”
Step Two: If she acts like she’s pretentious as hell, stay the fuck far away.
“Look. I apologized. It’s not like I did it on purpose,” the waitress responds, hand on her hip. Good for her! Wait a minute! Those blue eyes, that attitude. I’ve seen them before, felt that anger.
The dark-haired woman rolls her eyes and looks at the waitress as if shocked that she even spoke to her and storms off in a huff. The waitress and I exchange a look of pure delight. I know I know that waitress! I need time to think.
Good lessons learned tonight. Maybe there’s some hope.