Page 3 of Cause and Effect

“You want dirt on her so you can hold it over her head because you’re pissed off she turned you down. You men and your egos.” She shook her head and left my office.

“Melinda, get in here!” I shouted to my secretary.

“What is it, Julian?”

“Shut the door and have a seat.”

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.

“No. Have you heard anything about the new female attorney starting on Monday?”

“You mean, Laurel?”

“Yes.”

“No. I haven’t heard a thing. But I met her, and she seems so sweet.” A smile perched on her lips.

“I have news for you, Mel. She’s not. She’s rude, heartless, and has no soul.”

Her eyes narrowed at me for a moment. “And you know this how?”

“I met her in San Francisco,” I said, picking up a pen from my desk and twirling it between my fingers.

“Ah, I see what’s going on here. You tried to sleep with her, and she turned you down.” A wide grin crossed her face.

“That is not true.” I pointed at her. “All I wanted to do was buy her a drink, and she started talking about marriage.”

“What?” She threw her head back and laughed.

“She said she doesn’t do one-night stands, and if I wasn’t going to marry her, I could forget it. Is that a sign of a psychopath or what?”

“So let me get this straight.” Her head cocked. “You wanted to buy her a drink, hoping that she’d have sex with you, and when she told you she doesn’t do one-night stands, you think she’s rude, heartless, and has no soul?”

“Yeah. I do.”

“Listen, boss. I have a lot of work to do today, which doesn’t include sitting here listening to you whine about a woman who turned you down.”

“You would never turn me down, would you, Mel?”

“If I swung your way, no. I would sleep with you in a second.” She smiled, standing from her chair.

“I knew it.” I grinned. “Tell Donna I said hi.”

“I will.” She shook her head. She stopped in front of the door. “Donna would sleep with you, too.” She winked.

“You know that’s right!” I pointed at her with a grin.

Chapter Two

Laurel

I set down the large box and slid the key into the lock.

“Hurry, Mom. I have to pee.” Stella tightly crossed her legs.

I pushed open the door to our new home and stepped inside.

“The bathroom is off the kitchen,” I told Stella.

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