Page 65 of The Benefits of Love (As I Am 2)

CHAPTER TWENTY

Zach

One Month Later

Iscratched my head, asking Pete the question I’dbeen bringing up repeatedly since the day he brought it up in my office.

Ialso had agood idea as to what the answer would be. Iasked anyway.

“Ineed to verify this again, before Ilet you sign any papers. Are you confident about your decision? About—and I’msaying it out loud just so it’ll sink in—signing off aquarter of your businesses and assets to Ms. Downing?” Pete Powell opened his mouth to comment, and Iblurted the words out to clarify what Imeant. “Without at least letting me interview her? With your own witnesses and not me present?”

We’dsat in my office since early in the evening, finalizing the details of the largest contract my office had written to date and from my conversations with Pete. I’dbeen working nonstop for the past month, meetings with him and his two younger brothers John and Michael, running data and drafting documents that he kept rejecting for not giving Wednesday afair share.

While his hotel business was legit—every paper Iinspected suggested as such—this transaction of assets had conspicuous written all over it. It wasn’tillegal, but some details were withheld from me, mainly the why. And these secrets, ones that could look irrelevant for someone who wasn’talawyer, were equivalent to long wordy clauses with hidden meanings that could take down your client.

But that was what he wanted, as he stressed over and over again, just as he’demphasized the urgency of it, and Idid everything to meet his needs, working around the clock.

Laura’swords from months ago rang true in my ears when Ithought of how to describe this period of my life:Ibarely have time to see myself.

“Sheppard, Itold you time and again, you don’tneed to know why.” He took aswig from his whiskey and stared at me, cold and calculated and giving me the middle finger. It creeped me out and Irespected him for it all the same. “You don’tneed to see her either, not until it’san absolute must.”

“Pete, as your lawyer”—leaning my elbows on my knees, Ibegan with another one of my repeated speeches—“you trust me to negotiate the best deals for you, and I’ve been doing exactly that.”

He crossed one knee over the other, unfazed. “I’mwell aware of that.”

“And these limitations form restraints on the counsel Ican offer you.” Isighed when he maintained his blank glare. “If Miss Downing is related to you—”

“We’re not related.”

“—or you have some sort of an involvement with her—”

“She’safriend of the family, Zachary.” Irefilled his empty glass and he picked it up without drinking from it, turning it around and around and around. “She deserves all of it and more.”

“But she…”

“Period.” His nostrils flared, eyes darkening to alethal black.

“All right.” Igot to my feet and closed the button of my navy-blue suit jacket. He lowered his glass and did the same, shaking my hand.

“I’ll have it sent to you tomorrow then for final approval, and in aweek, we’ll reconvene to sign this, thefiveof us. She needs to be present.”

An unrecognizable emotion of warmth flashed on the glacial man’sfeatures. “All right. Thank you, Zachary. Iknew Imade the right choice with your firm.” He turned and left the office, not waiting for me to walk him to the elevators.

Heaving out along sigh, Ipassed ahand through my short hair. Amixture of relief and emptiness flooded me and with it atidal wave of the suppressed longing to talk to Laura.

During this entire grueling month, we had exchanged acouple texts. Some genericHow are yous?that were met with,I’mgood, hope you’re better. She stayed true to our agreement and never mentioned meeting me. Iguess she knew I’dbeen busy from the nature of the texts Isent her. Still felt shitty.

With the office vacant from Pete’sheavy presence, Icrossed over to my desk, picked up the phone, and played with it in my palm. Iruled out calling her as soon as the thought surfaced. What would Ihave said anyway?Hey, sorry Ihaven’tcalled, it’sbeen one of those months. Down to fuck?

Ivomited in my mouth.

The leather chair sunk under my weight when Islumped into it, my legs sprawled forward. What if something happened to her? Could have been that the situation with her parents had deteriorated while I’dbeen holed up in my office, unwilling to ask any of my associates for advice, and she went down there to fix it herself?

My mind was made up. Ipushed off the chair and stormed out of my office.

“Leaving early? It’snot even midnight,” Christopher called to me from his cubicle when Istrode past the open space toward the exit.

Unable to concentrate on anything except Laura, Ismiled at my favorite associate, not halting for aminute.

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