Page 84 of Cause and Effect

“Whenever I think about wanting to start something new, I remember how it felt when it ended. The emptiness, Mom. The feeling that I’d given pieces of myself away that I couldn’t get back.”

“That’s the risk we take when we fall in love. You takerisks every day, Julian. You take the risk that you may fail your clients. Does that mean you want to stop being a lawyer?”

“No, of course not.” My brows furrowed.

“Then stop being an ass.”

“Mom, the baby.” I covered Maddie’s little ears.

“She’s not old enough to even say that word yet.” She stood from her seat and placed both hands on my face. “Don’t let what Danielle did define the man you are. You are so much more than that, and you always have been. Now, I have to put Maddie down for a nap. I love you, my sweet boy.”

“I love you, too, Mom. Oh, by the way. Did you hear that Love is pregnant?”

“You have got to be kidding me?” She took Maddie from me.

“I really wish I was.”

“To each his own, I guess. Poor child.”

I returnedto the office and sat behind my desk, thinking about my conversation with my mom. The past two weeks of only seeing Laurel at the office had been unbearable. I missed her and the girls more than I thought I ever would. I missed touching her soft skin, kissing her lips, and spending time with her and the kids. I never thought in a million years I would, but I did, and the pain in my heart had become agonizing. Sleeping in bed alone was something I once enjoyed, but now, it felt more like a punishment.

“Hey, where were you? I stopped by earlier, and Melinda said you left but wouldn’t say where you weregoing,” Parker said, stepping inside my office and shutting the door.

“I went to Calista’s.”

“Why?”

“To talk with her about Laurel.”

“I bet you got an earful.” He chuckled.

“I did.” I breathed out a laugh.

“I can’t believe you actually went to Mom.”

“I know. I guess it shows that no matter how old we are, we still need our mothers.”

“Did she tell you to get your head out of your ass?” Parker smirked.

“Basically.” I smiled.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “I still have some shit to sort out.”

“Go talk to Charlotte. She’ll help you sort that shit out.”

“Maybe I will.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Laurel

Morgan and I sat in her car, which was parked across from the apartment building, where the phone signal pinged off the tower.

“Now what?” I asked. “How will we find out which apartment this guy is in?”

“You’ll see.” She typed the number that called me earlier into her laptop. The person on the other end answered the call but didn’t speak. “Hello,” Morgan said in an accent to disguise her voice. “Hello, is anyone there?”Click.He hung up. “Got it. He’s in apartment 3C. Let’s go.”

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