Page 30 of Friends With Benefits

“Damn, Kerri, I’m sorry. But you never told me it was a big secret.”

“It’s embarrassing,” she said in a small voice, not looking at him.

“I’m sorry.” Damn, he was apologizing a lot lately. His beer arrived and he picked it up.

He had the feeling that wasn’t all there was to her frostiness, but he really didn’t want to start talking about “the kiss” right now. Kerri went over to talk to Sela, Hailey and Miguel standing in a group along with a man Mitch recognized. He followed and joined them.

“How are Hailey and Miguel feeling today?” Mitch asked.

“We’re fine,” they answered as one. Then Hailey asked, “Why’d you leave so early?”

“It wasn’t early. You guys were out late.”

“Hi, Mitch.” The other man in the group spoke up and held out a hand.

“Jack,” Mitch said, shaking his hand firmly. “Hey, how are you?”

“Really well, thanks.” Jack was a client whose divorce had recently been finalized. It had been messy and Mitch had felt sorry for the poor guy. His wife had tried to take him for every penny she could and had fought an ugly custody-battle for the children. She’d even fought over the dog. “How about you? Life is easier now?”

“Hell of a lot easier,” Jack said wholeheartedly. “Thank God that chapter of my life is over with.”

Mitch nodded sympathetically. “Yeah, I know. Glad things worked out okay for you. Jack, do you know Kerri? She’s the owner of the yoga part of White Lotus. Kerri, this is Jack Farnham, one of my clients.”

Kerri reached out and shook his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Jack smiled at her admiringly. “Recently divorced,” he said. “Nice to meet you too.”

Shit. Mitch scowled. Kerri didnotwant to get messed up with this guy and all the baggage he carried around, not to mention a vicious, greedy ex-wife and three children whose custody had been a major battle. But Kerri was smiling at the guy.

“You don’t look like the typical spa customer,” she said, fluttering her long eyelashes at him.

He grinned. “I actually come every week for a manicure and a massage. Amanda is the best massage therapist I’ve ever had.”

Mitch’s frown deepened. Kerri nodded. “Yes, she’s great. Has she tried her new massage oil on you?”

“No…I don’t think so.”

Kerri nodded thoughtfully. “Probably too feminine a fragrance for you. You’ll have to check with her about some of the other oils she has.”

Mitch wrinkled his forehead. What the hell was she talking about? Oils?

“So,” Jack said, turning to Mitch. “I hear you’re trying some different things in your divorce work.”

“Like what?” Kerri asked, brows raised, looking from Jack to Mitch.

Mitch sighed. “I’ve been doing more and more dispute resolution work for couples that are divorcing.”

“Oh. But do they still get divorced?”

He laughed. “Well, yeah. I’m not a marriage counselor. I was getting frustrated at all the animosity and ugliness so I started trying to use some conflict resolution stuff to help them work things out. Not resolve their marital issues, although I have to say it has happened a couple of times. Mostly I just try to help work out how to divide assets, custody, stuff like that.”

“Oh. That’s what you were talking to my dad about last weekend.” He nodded. “I know you were getting a reputation as someone who could work any kind of deal out, no matter how bitter the couple was. So you’re actually doing more of that.”

He nodded again, her words warming him, and she met his eyes.

“Wow,” she said. “That’s really different for you. I thought all lawyers wanted to drag things out as long as possible so they could make as much money as they could.”

He let his breath out in a deflated whoosh. “You have such a high opinion of me.”

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