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  Jason hated Rich. He respected Rich’s business sense and he knew Rich could make Jason’s dad’s vision a reality. But he hated the man. If he touched Judy again, Jason would take him down. That’s all there was to it.

  Jason didn’t hear a word of the afternoon presentations for being so pissed off at Rich. He was only there for show, anyway. He was not the decision maker regarding creative and media aspects.

  As soon as the meetings blessedly came to an end, Rich pulled his happy hour card. The man never truly left the frat house.

  “Who’s up for a cocktail or five?” Rich stood up.

  “I’m in,” said Mark.

  “Yeah, I’ll go for a bit,” Stephanie responded.

  “I’m going to work for a while,” Judy stood to leave the conference room.

  Jason glanced her way. He wanted to stay with her and help her “work.” She wore the hell out of her suits and all he could fixate on besides punching Rich was liberating those layers of clothes from her body.

  But she was right that they had to be subtle about their relationship. The last thing he wanted to do was wreck her career. She had enough on her plate with the divorce.

  “I’m in,” Jason said.

  They went to the bar around the corner from the office and grabbed a table. He only mildly paid attention to the conversation around him as he sipped his bourbon. He was just trying to stay an appropriate amount of time before he tracked Judy down. He perked up at the mention of her name.

  “What’s Judy’s story?” Rich asked.

  “What do you mean?” Stephanie sipped her Manhattan and tried to appear casual.

  Jason thought she looked protective, though. He realized she knew exactly what Rich was.

  “Well, she seems like a rising star,” said Rich, “but she doesn’t seem to be much into socializing. Everyone knows that’s where the real deals are struck.”

  “Judy is a rising star,” Stephanie agreed. “She one of our best account executives. She’ll be able to do write her own ticket in just a few years. Make no mistake; she’s the real deal.”

  “Well, sure, anyone can see that,” Rich said. “I just hoped she’d want to spend some time with us outside of the office. I think this time together is just as important as the office time.” He tried to make his case and not sound like the misogynistic pig he was.

  “Am I right, Jason?” Rich turned to Jason.

  Jason, on his second bourbon, had little patience for Rich’s posturing. Rich just wanted to make Judy another one of his conquests. It was total bullshit and he’d had enough.

  “I disagree. I don’t think deals are struck over drinks anymore. The world has changed.” Jason sipped his drink. Stephanie smiled at him.

  Rich laughed. “Ah, my boy here is mistaken. But then, he’s a pilot. He leaves the business to the real men.” Rich slapped Jason on the back.

  What the fuck with this guy. Jason’s impulse control was about to fly out the window.

  “Yeah, and this boy needs to get home. I’ll catch you tomorrow, Rich. Stephanie, Mark, thanks for your work on this. Tell Judy, too. Everything looks great.” He tried not to appear hasty but he had to get out of there. Rich was crossing lines all over the place.

  He needed to see Judy. He sent her a text:

  I’m leaving the happy hour, please let me meet you somewhere. Your place? A restaurant? Name it.

  A few minutes went by while he waited. He hoped she would respond. He really needed to see her.

  “Meet me at my place,” she gave him the address. Thank Jesus. This day had been utter shit.

  He walked over to Judy’s building and tried to calm himself down. He knew he shouldn’t let Rich get under his skin like that, but they guy made it an art form. Rich was dangerous and now he had Judy in his sights. Rich did not give up until he got what he wanted.

  Jason knocked on Judy’s door. When she pulled it open, he was greeted with a barefoot vision of sexiness, just in her thin shell top and her pants, her hair flowing everywhere. He was mesmerized, completely aroused, and felt peace wash over him at the sight of her.

  She pulled him into the condo and shut the door before he could pounce on her in the hallway. He didn’t even say hello before he backed her against the wall and kissed her thoroughly. In a nano-second he had wrapped her legs around his waist and carried her to the bedroom. He gave in to his need to wrap himself in her and let her touch soothe him.

  “I absolutely cannot work with you,” he said later, lying in bed with his arms around this beautiful woman, her back to his chest.

  “I spent the morning picturing you naked and then trying to focus on baseball and car parts so that it would not be obvious. Then I spent the afternoon contemplating homicide because Rich touched you.”

  He stroked her arm with his fingertips. “I still want to kill the guy and he’s my boss. I really, really cannot work with you,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Lucky for you, work is not what I had in mind for us,” she grabbed his hand, kissed his palm and turned to face him. God, what this woman did to him.

  He became serious. He felt protective and he wanted her to be on alert.

  “Be careful with Rich, Judy. He’s used to getting what he wants and he tends to treat women like he would a boat or a car. If he doesn’t like the way it works or he grows bored with it, he discards it immediately and without thought.”

  “I know,” she said. “Guys like Rich are a dime a dozen in advertising. It’s one of the reasons I want to get out. I just need to get through the divorce and then I’m going to work on plan B.”

  Jason changed the subject. “Hey, so this is the condo, huh? You are going to sell it and then split the proceeds with Greg? This is a nice place.” He looked around the expansive bedroom.

  He liked her place, even though it was where she had built her marriage to Greg. It had a balcony looking over downtown with a killer view of Elliott Bay. It was city living for sure, not like Jason’s more relaxed, beachy view of the western water and mountains. But this condo, and its balcony that looked onto the hustle and flow of the city, it was nice. It wasn’t Jason’s speed, but it was nice.

  “I’ve loved living here. This place always made me feel connected to the city, and I love that. But I’m ready to start over. I don’t want this place and I’m pretty sure Greg doesn’t either.”

  He slipped out of bed. “Let’s see what we can rustle up in the kitchen.” He was starving, and as they padded out to the kitchen, Judy’s stomach growled. “We need to get you fed,” he dropped a quick kiss on her.

  He went through the cupboards and drawers. “You have a well-equipped kitchen.” He was surprised. He hadn’t pegged Judy for having any interest in the culinary arts.

  “Thanks, I guess,” she said dubiously. “I don’t use this stuff. Greg was the one interested in cooking. I can barely make toast. I have been thinking of learning to cook, though. For whatever reason, he left all this stuff and I figure someone should use it.” She looked around absently.

  “Hmm,” Jason said as he pulled her to him. “Would you like me to teach you to cook? I’d be happy to show you the ropes. For a price,” he whispered as he nuzzled her neck.

  “Name it,” she said, running her finger along the inside of the waistband of his boxers. Jesus. “I can pay, I’m good for it,” she gazed up into his eyes.

  Jason groaned and blew out a sigh.

  “Somehow I think I’ve already been bested in this negotiation,” he reluctantly pulled away from her.

  He found enough food to make a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches. They ate quietly, sitting next to each other at the kitchen island.

  After a few moments, he asked, “When is your mediation?”

  “Wednesday,” she answered. “I have to meet with my attorney on Tuesday to go over strategy, or something, I guess.”

  She looked sad. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but he desperately wanted to comfort her.

  “Will you tell your attorney
about me?” He asked casually, trying not to care what the answer was.

  “I will if she asks or if it comes up. I am hoping it doesn’t matter, but I don’t really know. After all, Greg left me for another woman and her child. I’m hoping we can make this a pretty clean split. I’m ready for it.”

  That was a good answer, he decided. He put his arms around her. “No matter what happens, Judy, I’m here, and I’m yours.”

  And he was. Jason was falling in love with her and it scared the shit out of him.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “WE’VE RECEIVED GREG’S DEMAND. It’s nothing I didn’t see coming, but we need to discuss it,” Charisse said as Judy walked into her office.

  “Uh-oh, I don’t like the sound of that. Am I about to get screwed over again by Greg?” She asked as politely as she could.

  “Not if I can help it,” said Charisse. “His demand is half of the assets, which basically means the proceeds from the condo. I believe you said he took all the furniture he wanted already, and more than his share of your books and possessions?”

  “Yes, that’s right. But he did leave the kitchen stuff and the bed. I don’t know why.”

  “Likely because his girlfriend already has kitchen stuff and a bed,” Charisse explained.

  “Oh, right.”

  Judy hadn’t thought of that. Greg moved directly in with his dancer, of course she already had kitchen stuff and a bed. She didn’t know why she didn’t think of that. It stung to think how quickly he started his new life.

  “Well, half the house is what we thought, right? I have a car, but it was mine before we got married, so maybe it’s not community property?”

  “Right. And the car is not part of his demand. He also did not demand any of your 401k, which is interesting - most of that would be considered community property.”

  “Okay, I’m trembling with anticipation. What’s the downside?” She was anxious. Charisse was holding back the bad news.

  “He wants ten years of spousal support. Alimony. He would take a percentage of your paycheck for ten years.” Charisse explained this with as little expression as she can muster, but even she seemed surprised by this part of the settlement demand.

  Judy felt her dream of teaching slip out the window.

  “What? Why should he get any support at all from me??” She lost it. “I worked like a dog so that he could have his ‘writing’ and his bullshit job, and I don’t even know the last time he brought in a regular paycheck. I did this for us. And now I have to pay him for leaving me for another woman and her son? How is this fair? We were only married for five years, for crying out loud. Unbelievable.”

  She collapsed ontoCharisse’s couch, her head in her hands, near tears. Charisse sat next to her, and handed her a box of tissues.

  “There are a couple of ways of looking at this. The first way is, I don’t think that Greg and his attorney expect you to pay ten years of spousal support. I think they really want five years’ worth, and that’s what they’ll settle for, but they have to start negotiating at ten. It’s a typical strategy.”

  “Any amount is an insult. He left me.” Judy spat, indignant.

  “I know, but technically, he might be entitled to support because you are the breadwinner and he’s at such a disadvantage from a salary standpoint. The law was written to favor the lower wage-earner, which typically is the woman in the male-female relationship.”

  “But he chose this!” What the hell.

  “I know. But the law is what it is. Now, having said that, I think if you decided to buy him out for the 5 years of support, you could wind up paying significantly less than five years’ worth.”

  “What do you mean, buy him out?”

  “Well, if the percentage of your paycheck that Greg would be entitled to amounted to, say, $300 a week, times 52 weeks, times 5 years, it comes to $78,000.” Judy groaned. She couldn’t imagine giving that asshole $78,000.

  “But,” Charisse continued, “if you were to offer him a lump sum to go away and be done with it, say, $25,000, I bet he would jump at it, and you’ve now reduced it all to about a third of what he would get. It’s tricky, and it’s a strategy that wouldn’t work for everyone, but I think Greg wants money now. I think he’d settle for the lump sum.”

  “How does this work if all of our savings is already being split 50/50? Where do I come up with the extra $25,000? My half of our savings doesn’t come out to $25,000.” Judy was interested in a lump sum payment because it got rid of Greg now. But the money part of it eluded her. How could she afford this?

  “Well, probably from the condo sale. Whatever number we agree on would come out of your share of the proceeds of that. You’ve had the condo for about four years. You bought when the market was low and the market is high now. You’ll probably each walk away with $50-75,000. If we give Greg another $25k on top of his $50,000 or so, I think he’ll turn into one of those cartoon characters with dollar signs for eyes.”

  Charisse was good, but Judy couldn’t help feeling like she was being played. She just wasn’t sure who it was that was playing her: Greg or the system.

  “Okay,” Judy sighed in resignation. “How does this all work?”

  “Tomorrow at the mediation we counter Greg’s offer. We say okay to splitting the condo proceeds and the savings account, and we offer him $10,000 to go away. No timeframe of spousal support, just a lump sum. We never waiver from the lump sum scenario, though I think Greg is going to like the idea. It won’t be a hard sell. Also, we never go above $25,000. That is my recommended ceiling for the lump sum. We’ll try to keep it lower than that, but the truth is, Greg makes very little money, and you are over six figures. No matter the background behind Greg’s career choice, the court will balance the equities in his favor.”

  “Okay, fine.”

  She felt a tiny seed of optimism growing in her belly. This was a good strategy, and Greg was all about instant gratification. Maybe they could settle this thing after all.

  The mediation the following day was an unmitigated disaster. Greg’s attorney came out swinging. He was so antagonistic that the mediator separated them almost immediately. Charisse had been right about one thing, though: Greg wanted money. He was all over the lump sum settlement, but after 6 hours of negotiating through the mediator, the lowest he would go was $50,000 in addition to his share of the house proceeds and the savings. It was criminal what he thought he deserved.

  Late in the day, the mediator came in and told Charisse and Judy in confidence that there had been a development on Greg’s side. He had apparently let slip in front of the mediator that Claire had doctor appointments. The mediator asked, and it turned out that Claire was pregnant. Pregnant. It just kept getting better with this guy. The man who had pledged to spend his life with Judy, swearing for five years that he didn’t want kids, had shacked up with a single mom and now they were expecting.

  After the mediator finished, Charisse wordlessly packed up her briefcase.

  “Come on Judy. Jenna,” she said to the mediator, “tell the other side we’ll see them in court. We’ll let the judge figure out how much Judy needs to pay if anything to help Greg and his lover have their baby. Christ Jenna, I might submit a jury demand on this.”

  Judy was flabbergasted by the turn of events. “Is it okay that we walked out?”

  “Yes. It absolutely is. Greg just handed us a winning case.” Charisse marched toward the car.

  “Now we know why he was so hands-off with the retirement,” Charisse explained. “This is about money for here and now, since a writer and his dancer girlfriend probably don’t have two nickels to rub together. Unless, of course, she’s an exotic dancer.”

  Charisse and Judy looked at each other and burst out laughing. It was the first decent moment of the day.

  As Judy wiped the tears from her eyes, she asked Charisse, “So what now?”

  “We have a trial date in late July. We’ll start gearing up for it. Two weeks before the trial, we have a settle
ment conference with the judge. That will be our last-ditch effort to settle. If we don’t work it out, we will go to trial. But I think it’s going to settle. Trial will scare the bejesus out of Greg’s lawyer. I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that, but we’ll just have to see.”

  Charisse paused thoughtfully.

  “In the meantime, I think it’s time to list the condo and get it sold. If it goes like everything else in Seattle, it should be sold within a couple of weeks. This will help put pressure on Greg to settle. Once the proceeds of the condo sale go into the court registry for safe keeping, Greg will be itchy to get his hands on it. No doubt so will his pregnant girlfriend.”

  Chapter Thirty

  THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND WAS a three-day weekend for Memorial Day. Judy spent the extra time hiring a realtor and putting the condo in selling condition. Jason and Dani came over on Saturday ostensibly to help her, but she knew they were dying to meet each other. Dani wanted to make sure Jason wasn’t an asshole, and Jason wanted Dani’s approval. They were painting the living room when he arrived around noon, bearing sandwiches, chips and beer.

  “Oh, you are a good man.” Dani walked over to Jason. She grabbed the beer out of Jason’s hand, took it to the kitchen and promptly opened one for each of them.

  “Hi, I’m Dani,” she said as she handed him a beer.

  “Jason. Good to meet you, Dani. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  He took the beer and then put the rest of the provisions in the kitchen. He then walked to Judy and gathered her in his arms.

  “I missed you,” he whispered, and kissed her the long, lost kiss of lovers who had been separated.

  “I missed you, too,” she said, pausing to delight in being wrapped in his arms.

  Eventually, she pulled away but kept hold of his hand. She looked around the kitchen.