Not Strictly Business!. Susan Mallery

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СКАЧАТЬ because an odd number would make travel difficult. Ever practical.”

      “It’s true. Try finding a hotel room that sleeps five.”

      “Okay. Good point. Anyway Vance knew I wanted children. We discussed it at length.” That’s what got her, she thought. That he’d agreed. “We even discussed names.”

      “He changed his mind?”

      “More than that. He lied.” She shook her head. “I was such a fool. We decided to wait a little, get settled in our marriage. Then, when I was ready to start trying, he kept putting it off. I never suspected anything. Finally I pressured him into agreeing it was time.”

      She paused as she mentally edited her past. There were so many other reasons she’d left Vance, but this was the easiest to explain.

      “Nothing happened,” she said. “Months went by. Finally, I spoke to my doctor, who agreed to do some tests. It made sense for me to go in first. After all, Vance had already fathered children. I came through fine and then it was time for Vance to make an appointment. Only he wouldn’t. He finally came clean. He’d had a vasectomy after his youngest was born. He’d been lying the whole time.”

      Jack hadn’t known where the story was going, but he sure as hell hadn’t guessed the ending. “Samantha, I’m sorry.”

      “Me, too.” She ducked her head and rubbed Charlie’s chest. “I was so angry, but more than that, I was hurt. I couldn’t understand why he hadn’t told me the truth when we’d first started dating. It would have been so easy. He lied. Worse than that, he let me believe there was something wrong with me. He even hinted at it by telling me his first wife hadn’t had any trouble getting pregnant.”

      He heard the betrayal in her voice and didn’t know what to say. The man’s actions made no sense. Why lie about something that was going to come out eventually? Why marry Samantha knowing she wanted kids and he didn’t?

      “What did he say?” he asked.

      “Not much. That’s what got me. He never took responsibility for his actions. He never thought he was wrong.” She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. “I can’t tell you how much it hurt to find out the truth. It was as if I’d never known him. I thought he was different. I thought he was special, but I was wrong.”

      There was still pain in her eyes. Jack didn’t know how long it would take to get over something like that. He knew a little of her past—that her father had walked out with no warning and had abandoned her and her mother. No wonder she was wary around men.

      “Okay, this is boring,” she said, a smile trembling on her lips. “Let’s talk about something a little more perky. Like you. A lawyer, huh? Who would have thought.”

      “That’s me—a man interested in the law.”

      “Really? But it’s so stodgy.”

      He grinned. “Not to me.”

      “I don’t know. All those thick books you have to read. Case law. So not my thing.”

      “Not to mention the clothes.”

      “Yeah. The dark suits would really depress me. So what’s the game plan? You work your way up to senior partner, then torture new associates for sport?”

      “That’s one possibility.”

      “And the other?”

      He didn’t usually talk about his future plans with many people. Not that he didn’t trust Samantha. “I want to be a judge.”

      She stretched her legs out in front of her. “Wow—that’s pretty cool.” She tilted her head and studied him. “I think you’d be good at it. You’re very calm and you reason things through. If only the robe weren’t black.”

      He chuckled. “Every career has drawbacks.”

      “True, and that’s not a big one. Judge Hanson. I like it. All the more reason to get back to your law firm.”

      “Exactly.”

      “Which means every disaster is something you can almost take personally,” she murmured. “That’s got to be hard on you.”

      He wasn’t surprised that she understood. He and Samantha had never had a communication problem. Their friendship had been based on long nights spent talking, arguing and seeking common ground.

      “I’ve agreed to stay for three months,” he said. “When that time is up, I’m going back to my real job.”

      “The company won’t be the same without you,” she told him. “But I understand why you want to leave.”

      Charlie stretched, then stood and looked meaningfully at the backpack. Jack pulled out the Frisbee and threw it. Charlie raced after it and caught it in midair. Samantha scrambled to her feet.

      “Did you see that? He’s incredible. Does he always catch it?”

      “Most of the time. Border collies are athletic dogs.”

      “I guess.”

      Charlie trotted the Frisbee back and put it at Jack’s feet. Jack threw it farther this time.

      “Amazing,” Samantha said. “What a fun way to spend your Saturday morning. Do you always come to this park?”

      “Mostly. There are a few other dog parks around the city. Sometimes we jog along the lake. You’ll have fun exploring.”

      “I know,” she said absently, watching his dog. “Although my travels will be limited by my lack of driving.”

      “What? You don’t drive?”

      She crossed her arms over her chest. “No, I don’t. I never learned before I went to college and once there, I didn’t have the opportunity. Since then I’ve been living in Manhattan. I did fine with public transportation or walking.”

      “You don’t drive?” He couldn’t imagine it. How could someone not know how to drive?

      “No matter how many times you repeat the question, the answer’s going to stay the same,” she said. “It’s not that big a deal.”

      “It’s a little scary,” he said. “Want me to teach you?”

      The invitation came out before he could stop it. Instantly he braced himself for her standard refusal. What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he accept the fact that Samantha just wasn’t into him that way?

      “I’ve seen your fancy car,” she said. “Too much pressure.”

      Was that a yes? Did he want it to be? Wasn’t he done trying to make points with her?

      “I can get my hands on an old clunker.”

      “Really? I’m tempted. I’ve always felt, I don’t know, weird about the whole driving thing.” She studied him. “You wouldn’t yell, would you?”

      “Not СКАЧАТЬ