Page 34 of Cause and Effect

“That is not true! I haven’t had it in a while, and I forgot. Now you think I get women drunk and take advantage of them?”

“Yes.” I glanced at him. “I do.”

The elevator door opened, and we stepped out. “Follow me to my office. I want you to hear something,” he said.

I reluctantly stepped into his office, and he shut the door. He pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped it, and I heard our voices, specifically mine, saying what he told me I said.

“What the actual fuck? You recorded us?” My eyes narrowed.

“Only the part in the kitchen. I knew this would be an issue today, so I needed proof that I said we should stop,and you said we should keep going. What can I say? It’s the lawyer in me. My phone was sitting on the island; I only had to push the record button. I’m not a monster, Laurel, regardless of your beliefs.”

I sat in one of his chairs across from his desk. It wasn’t like I hadn’t fantasized about what he was like in bed from the moment I saw him because I did.

“I don’t think you’re a monster, Julian. It’s just?—”

“Just what?” he asked.

“It can’t happen again, and I mean it.”

“Okay. It won’t happen again. Can we just move on?” he asked.

“Yeah. We can move on.” I glanced at my watch. “My clients will be here any second.” I stood and headed toward the door.

“Laurel?”

“Yeah?” I turned around.

“Have a good day, okay?”

“You too.” I softly smiled.

Chapter Fourteen

Laurel

“Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, I’m Laurel Evans. Please, have a seat.”

“Thank you. You may call us Tom and Claire,” Tom spoke.

“I have reviewed your file, but I need you to explain why you’re here.”

“Almost a year ago, I was working the night shift at the fire station and heard this crying from outside. When I went to check it out, a baby was lying in a basket with a note that said, “Take care of my little girl. I can’t, and she deserves a good life,” Tom said.

“It was a miracle,” Claire said. “My husband and I can’t have children. We tried for years, and after several miscarriages and an emergency hysterectomy, our dream of having a child of our own was gone. Then this baby shows up out of nowhere.” She smiled. “Our beautiful little girl, Kayla. God sent her to us so we can raise her and give her the life she deserves. Now, the mother tracked us down and wants her back.”

“You’ve filled out the paperwork to adopt Kayla, correct?” I asked.

“Yes,” Tom spoke. “The adoption is supposed to be finalized next month.”

“We can’t and won’t lose her,” Claire began to cry. “She’s our daughter. Do you have kids, Miss Evans?”

“Please, call me Laurel. And yes, I do. I have three daughters.”

“Good. Then you sympathize with us, right?” Claire asked.

“Yes. I do. How old was Kayla when you found her?” I asked Tom.

“She was around a month old.”

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