Page 114 of Her Billionaire Bargain (Kensington Square)

“Oh, yeah. But I didn’t even mean that. I’m not sure how we’re ever good enough for any of them.”

“When it comes to Isis, hell yeah. She’s not one to let a guy off easy. Or at all.” He let out a whistle.

“You got that right. We’ve been best friends since we were about eight.” I held up a hand. “As for that other business, I don’t want to talk about that. I think it was more about everyone in our friend group pairing off than her really wanting anything with me. I tried many times over the years, and she said no anytime I even got close to bringing it up. So, let’s just table it all.”

“Could be because you’re taken now. Makes you more desirable.” He shrugged. “Whatever. That’s a problem you’re lucky to have.”

“Whomever ends up with Isis will have their hands full. And I mean that in the best way.” I pulled out the NDA and slid it across the table. He gave it one look and immediately pulled out a pen from inside his jacket pocket. “What makes you want to work with the remaining Shaw at Shaw, LLC?” I asked him as I sorted through a file folder of case information.

I sincerely hoped he didn’t think I was one nut short of a mixed nuts tray, current situation aside.

“I need a change. My firm is far too big, and I will never stand out from the pack there. I need somewhere new to make my mark. And Bishop spoke highly of you.”

“Like by saying I can’t focus?” I asked mildly.

He frowned. “He didn’t say that. He just said you had lots of interests, and you are a very busy guy.”

I wasn’t offended, not really. For years, I’d been someone who couldn’t stay still for even a moment.

The time had come for me to start taking steps to hopefully improve that trait, if not correct it. Maybe a cure would never be possible, and I would just learn to live with that.

But I could try the options that were open to me.

“I may not ever fully change. But I’m learning to focus on what I’m good at. Not only putting on a good show in court but connecting with my clients. They are important to me, and a bad divorce can ruin someone’s life for many years. I want to make the process better for the people who trust me to help them. But the paperwork side is not my forté.”

“I fucking hate going to court,” he admitted. “I’ll take paperwork or client meetings any damn day.”

“Yeah?” I grinned. “Sounds like we might be a damn good fit then.”

TWENTY-FIVE

I madean appointment with Berry’s teacher and her doctor for the following week. I should’ve been freaking the hell out, as was my usual way.

I did not.

Instead, I had several days of breakfast in bed with Dex and then nightcaps with him before falling asleep in his arms.

I also accidentally kicked him out of bed once, but he promised he wouldn’t hold a grudge. I made it up to him by giving him a back massage—and a front massage too.

In between, I made lots of preliminary plans for his house with his input. We had a few conferences with my team and scheduled the contractors we’d be working with, plus I had a few house appointments with some of our other clients.

Outside of work, I had lunch with TJ and Dahlia—and Avery, once she finally returned from spending time with her parents on the West Coast. Sunday night meant family dinner with my parents, Dex, and Berry, which was a rousing success.

Well, besides the leg of lamb Berry hid in my mother’s calla lily anyway.

The meetings about her ADHD had been full of more questions than answers, and my girl had yet more testing to endure. But they wanted to make sure they fully understood where she was academically speaking too, so I’d just have to be patient.She’dhave to be patient too, because she didn’t like all the questions and the mental probing.

I couldn’t say I blamed her one bit.

But Dex made it better by making sure we did something fun on appointment days, whether it was going to get ice cream for Bob or going to the library for new books, or one day, he’d found a petting zoo near the orchard. Whatever he came up with helped both me and Berry not focus on the harder parts.

Basically, life with Dex was just better all around.

Wednesday night, I went over to Dex’s place to discuss multilevel patio plans that connected with a new outdoor pool with the crew of Gideon Gets It Done. Shortly thereafter, I commenced an online search for noise-canceling headphones. Dex had some, but I’d need my own set since the crew wasted no time getting to work, that was for sure.

I prepared for dinner with Isis to the sound of whirring drills and saws and various other construction noises. I’d brought the outfit I was wearing over to Dex’s just in case he wanted to come, but he’d declined due to his Zoom therapist meeting—which I hoped he’d be able to have during the crew’s dinner break. Berry was spending the evening with my parents, though we’d let her bring over Bob too.

I was pretty certain she’d be adopting an animal during the shelter fundraiser we’d be volunteering at next weekend. I was also fairly sure that the cat or dog we adopted would soon also be living with Dex and Bob, just like we would be.

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