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While we talked, we polished off half the pizza and a couple of beers a piece. I was debating another slice when there wasa knock at my door. I looked at my companion and raised one eyebrow.
“No clue. I didn’t tell anyone I was coming here,” Kaylan said.
I answered the door and was floored again, but not in a good way.
“Mr. Stern, this is a surprise,” I choked out. The Courtland family lawyer was standing in my hallway. Jacob Stern had appeared in the office here and there to deal with some personal legal matters for Sebastian over the years. We’d exchanged pleasantries, and I’d fixed him some coffee, but that was the extent of our interactions.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Graham. I hope I’m not disturbing you. If you have a moment, I’d like to discuss some legal matters.”
“Um…sure,” I said, fighting the urge to mumble as the pizza I’d eaten now churned in my stomach. I stepped aside and waved him to enter. “Mr. Stern, I don’t know if you’ve met Kaylan Baumgartner. He is Sebastian Courtland’s executive assistant now.”
Kaylan jumped to his feet and stiffened, going from relaxed and easygoing to prim and proper in a flash.
Jacob smiled at Kaylan. “I don’t think we’ve been introduced, but I believe I’ve seen you in the office. A pleasure, Mr. Baumgartner.”
They shook hands while I hastily gathered up the box of remaining pizza and the box holding the last two unopened beers.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your lunch, gentlemen, but I have two small matters the Courtland family has asked me to discuss with you.”
Kaylan took a step away and pointed at the door. “I’ll get out of your hair then. I’m sure you want to discuss this in private.”
“No!” The word leaped from my tongue. I had a dark suspicion of what one of those issues might be and I wanted a witness here with me, someone who at least had my back. I cleared my throat and forced a grin for my friend. “Could you stay? Please?”
“Yeah, sure. Of course.”
No one said anything for several minutes as the lawyer perched his old bones on the edge of my futon and awkwardly dug through his briefcase, which was balanced on the box I was using for a table. I sat next to him, trying not to peer at the papers he had with him all while every nerve in my body practiced tying itself into a bow. Kaylan grabbed a folding chair I’d had propped against the wall and set it up next to me. The apartment had more people in it than I’d ever had. This was almost feeling like a party.
Except one of my guests was a lawyer and was probably there to sue me.
“Mr. John Courtland initiated the first piece of paperwork I’d like to go over with you. It is the incident of you and his son, Mr. Sebastian Courtland.” He handed me a large stack of papers that were filled with tiny type and instantly created those first twinges of a headache in my eyes. “The basic overview of the document that I’d like you to sign is an agreement that you will waive all right to sue Sebastian Courtland, the Courtland family, and Courtland Enterprises regarding the termination of your position as it relates to your romantic relationship with the younger Courtland. You would also agree to not publicly or privately slander Sebastian Courtland regarding your work history or your romantic history.”
Some of Jacob’s words blurred a bit in my brain, but I got the gist of it. Sebastian’s father was making sure that I wouldn’t come back and sue their asses. Maybe some people were assholes and would jump on this, but there was no way Iwould. I might be the person who was suffering the most from this debacle, yet I couldn’t deny that I’d brought it on myself. Sebastian wasn’t alone in this. He hadn’t harassed me or forced himself on me. Fuck, I was pretty sure I was the one who’d jumped his bones.
My brain tuned in to the lawyer as he pulled out a check made out to me with a lot of fucking zeros on it.
Ten million.
Jacob Courtland was offering me ten million dollars tonotsue the company or his son.
A loud coughing and choking noise came from across the room, but I couldn’t tear my eyes from the check to look at Kaylan.
“Holy shit,” my friend whispered, though it sounded like a shout in that quiet room.
“Is he trying to pay me to stay away from his son?” I demanded in a strangled tone.
“No! No, that’s not what this is,” Jacob argued. “Mr. Courtland said he had no problem with you dating Sebastian. No, this is a matter of the impropriety of the relationship at the time and the possible legal ramifications. Mr. Courtland would like you to view this monetary offer as a show of gratitude for not dragging the Courtland family and company into a lengthy court battle that would be emotionally exhausting for all involved.”
“No.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“What?”
Jacob and Kaylan reacted at the same time.
“You won’t sign?” Jacob pressed.
“I’ll sign, but I won’t take the money. I don’t want the Courtland money. This isn’t and will never be about money for me.” With my heart pounding, I reached out and grabbed a pen from Jacob’s open briefcase. I snagged the check first and wrote“void” across it in big, bold letters, so there was no mistaking that no one was cashing this damn thing, and I didn’t have room for second-guessing myself. While both men were busy gasping for air, I picked up the legal document and started skimming to make sure that I wasn’t admitting to any wrongdoing or other nastiness by signing it.