Page 2 of Too Good to Be True

Seth

M r Kennedy pushes a box of tissues towards me.

“I’m mortified.” I immediately apologise, grabbing a tissue and wiping my eyes. “I got carried away by my emotions.”

“And is this something that happens often?” he asks, one eyebrow raised.

“Is it a problem?” I ask anxiously.

“No more than your agitation.” He leans his back against the chair, elbows on the armrests, arms folded. Strong arms. You can even see them through the jacket. Arms that look like they get a lot of exercise. I’d rather not imagine how powerful everything else could be.

That’s not true. I’m thinking about it.

Now I am agitated!

“Can I get you some water or something else? I would offer you coffee, but I have a feeling that's not what you need right now.”

“Oh no, not another coffee.”

“Another? How many have you had?”

“Three since this morning.”

Mr Kennedy looks at his watch. “It’s only ten o’clock.”

“I worked last night, and I didn’t go to sleep yet. I didn’t want to risk not waking up or being late.”

“Mmm…”

“I work in a nightclub,” I quickly explain, not wanting him to think who knows what.

“A nightclub…” He comments, his expression wrinkled.

“ Night 101 , do you know it?”

“I have heard about it.”

“Have you ever been there?”

He puts on a pair of glasses before examining my file again.

I didn’t realise he wore glasses. Not that it’s a crucial detail for the cause. I mean, those glasses scream ‘serious and professional,’ right? But yes. Hell yes . Glasses make a big difference, especially on yours truly.

I should not dwell so much on my lawyer’s analysis, but what should I do?

He’s so damn hot.

“I guess you don’t go to places like that,” I say, shaking my head.

“We are not here to become friends.”

“No, of course…” I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. “I didn’t mean that.”

“We are here to win this case.”

I nod firmly, even though he’s not looking at me.

“Speaking of which, what can you tell me about Mrs McCormack?”

“Shonda is the children’s grandmother from their mother’s side.

She doesn’t think I should raise her grandchildren.

As if she knows her grandchildren! Things weren’t good between her and Jillian, my sister-in-law, and the kids’ mother.

” My voice cracked, and my eyes filled with tears again.

“She was amazing. She was the most incredible person I’ve ever encountered.

She treated me well, and Mark, my brother—a role model, a wonderful husband.

” My voice cracks with emotion as I speak of him.

“My brother was one of a kind and irreplaceable. And they were… The perfect c-couple…” Sobs painfully wrack my chest.

The lawyer finally raises his eyes, picks up his phone to ask for water, and then pushes the box of tissues towards me again.

The door opens, and the secretary who seated us in the waiting room enters the office.

He leaves a tray with water and glasses, then discreetly walks away.

The lawyer pours water into a glass and then hands it to me.

I accept it, grateful, and take a few sips.

I wipe my eyes with another tissue and blow my nose noisily, then try to calm down because if I continue like this, I will lose my lawyer before he even agrees to represent me.

“I don’t know what… I’m not usually emotional.”

It’s bullshit. I’m usually so emotional.

Why do I lie? Why do I care what he may think of me?

“Try taking deep breaths and drinking some more water.”

I do as he says while he takes off his glasses and lays them on the desk, revealing his beautiful green eyes to me.

I had not noticed them before.

I have a weakness for green eyes.

And I have a soft spot for strong men, with strong arms and tough looks, the kind you hope will be tender inside and in private and only with you.

Am I fantasising about my lawyer?

“First, starting tomorrow, please switch to decaffeinated.”

“What? Oh, the coffee. Sure. Decaf. Duly noted. Sorry. I was distracted for a moment.”

“Second, stop apologising. You won’t go anywhere with that attitude.”

“Oh… O-okay, I’ll try.”

“Will you try?”

“I will do my best.”

He sighs, his face tense.

“They will tear you apart in court.”

How does he think this revelation will help my agitation?

“Work on it. A lot.”

“I will work on it,” I assure him.

“And third…”

Oh God! Is there also a third point? I don’t think I can even do the first two!

“I’m very sorry for your loss.”

“Oh.”

I didn’t expect this, and I don’t react well to unexpected things.

“Please don’t cry again.”

“I’m sorry.”

The lawyer gives me a dirty look.

“Oh god! I’m so, so sorry!”

He shakes his head several times, but I could swear I see him lifting one corner of his mouth.

“I’ll calm down, I swear.” I take another tissue and blow my nose again. “I can’t control my tongue and tears when I’m agitated. I will do my best to be careful. I solemnly promise.”

“I’m not comfortable with tears.”

“Oh, sure, I understand. I’m not comfortable with tears, either. Especially if they are my own.”

This time, he laughs. He can’t hide it!

Although it was not my intention to make him laugh, I must say that I don’t mind him in this role at all.

There. Another point against me.

Mr Kennedy can laugh, and he does it well. I don’t know if it’s possible to do it badly. I mean, that’s something positive in itself, isn’t it? Unless he laughs at me, then it becomes something else entirely.

“Why don’t we start with something simple?”

“Simple. Sure. I can do that. Simple things are my speciality.”

Not true. Complicated is my middle name.

Why don’t I stop bullshitting?

“Tell me something about yourself.”

He holds a pen, ready to take notes.

Me. Easy peasy.

That I can’t take my eyes off you, does it count? I think you’re not like all the other lawyers—who, for the record, I usually detest—and that under that armour of muscle and discipline, you hide a soul—I’m sure you’re very disciplined and love to impose discipline in others…

That’s a thought I really shouldn’t entertain, especially not about my lawyer, not with a lawsuit looming that could take everything I care about.

Mr Kennedy clears his throat and I immediately return to planet Earth, unable to avoid blushing at my impure thoughts and my poor ability to keep them hidden.

“About me,” I shrug. “I love those kids more than anything. I would never hurt them, abandon them, and most importantly, never make them feel wrong or out of place, different, alone or… unloved.”

Mr Kennedy nods slowly.

“Wasn’t that what you wanted to hear?”

“It doesn’t matter what I want, Mr Graham.”

“I can’t lose them,” I say, the realisation clear and strong. “And they can’t lose me.”

“Then let’s not allow it to happen.”

“HOW DID IT GO?” My friend Ross asks as we order at the coffee shop on the corner, just outside the firm.

Yes, I know. My lawyer recommended going easy on the coffee, so I’m ordering another one—not decaf.

I can start tomorrow, can’t I?

Today it’s already fucked up.

“It was terrible.”

“Was it that bad?”

“I’m hopeless.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“No. Not in those terms, at least. But it didn’t take that long to figure it out.”

“But he took the case, right?”

“Actually, I’m not sure.” He never confirmed if he was my lawyer. I had taken the liberty of assuming that role without asking for his consent first. “He mentioned he would get back to me once he had a complete understanding of the situation.”

“Well, that’s encouraging, isn’t it?”

“I hope so, Ross, I really do. I wouldn’t know where else to go. And on that note, I can’t thank you enough for finding this law firm for me. And for calling. And asking for an appointment as soon as possible. And for helping me choose what to wear.”

I loosen my tie some more. I’m not used to wearing any, but Ross said I had to make a good impression.

I didn’t have a proper suit, apart from the one I wore for Mark and Jillian’s funeral, which is in the back of my wardrobe.

I’ll never touch it again in my life. I opted for dark jeans and a shirt. Ross thought about the tie.

I doubt I made a good impression. Not with all the tears I shed.

“You didn’t cry too much, did you?” Ross asks as if he can read my thoughts.

He didn’t even question it! He knows me too well; he knows I show my worst version under stress.

“Eh…” I shrug.

Ross smiles at me. “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”

He wasn’t there with us! He didn’t see how pathetic I made myself in his eyes. Beautiful eyes, by the way. But it’s best not to point that out in the presence of witnesses.

“I will let you know when and if the lawyer gets in touch.”

“What about the children? What will you tell them?”

“I haven’t decided yet. I can’t keep hiding everything from them. They’re smart kids, especially Mason. I’m sure he’s already smelled something.”

“You should tell them the truth.”

“I will, I promise. As soon as I find the right moment.”

“Find him quickly. You don’t want them to find out any other way.”

“You say Shonda could…”

“I say she’s trying to snatch children from the only person with their best interests at heart.”

“You can’t be sure.”

He looks at me eloquently.

Indeed, Shonda has not been present in the children’s lives, especially in recent years.

Her complicated relationship with Jillian has kept them apart.

I know she’s not an easy person, and dealing with her can be a real challenge, but I’m sure if Jillian decided to remove her from their lives, she must have had her reasons.

It’s not my intention to keep her away from the children.

They have lost their parents and only have me; it would be nice for them to rely on their grandmother as well, but this…

This is certainly not helping. Trying to take them away from the only person who knows them and saw them grow up, from the only home where they felt loved and safe again.

This is really a low blow.

She could have contacted, talked to me, and tried to find a solution that would suit everyone.

Instead, she went behind my back, bringing only more pain to this family that has already seen too much for this life.