Just A Little Bit Married

Vicki set her empty glass on the coffee table. “How did Chandler take this ‘being married and not divorced’ thing?”

“He doesn’t know.”

“You haven’t told him yet?” Her friend looked more shocked about that than any revelation so far.

“No.”

“Keeping important details to yourself is starting to form a disturbing pattern. Why haven’t you told him?”

“It just happened a few hours ago,” Rose protested.

“You called me. It’s not a stretch that you could have clued Chandler in on this.”

“I needed to wrap my head around it before dumping this kind of news on him. And—” Rose loved her friend, but this rational side could be annoying. Mostly because Vicki was right. “The situation got even more complicated.”

“I don’t see how.”

“Linc offered me a job decorating his condo. A very high-profile project that will generate a lot of attention and publicity.”

“There’s more, right?” her friend asked suspiciously.

“If it goes well, there’s a chance I could get more work in the area. These guys—the Holdens—are building a hotel and resort, all of which will need decorating. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“Obviously you didn’t say no.”

“You’re a lawyer. If someone offered you a case that was the equivalent of this, would you walk away from it? No matter who was doing the asking?”

“I see your point,” Vicki reluctantly agreed.

“This could be really lucrative. A career maker.” She filled in even more details about the development and the area with luxury homes cropping up. “We both know if I don’t get a break Tucker Designs is finished.”

“Maybe not—”

Rose’s look stopped the words. “I’m going down, Vee. You’re my attorney. You’ve seen my financials. I don’t even want to think about that loan from the small business association. And then there’s my mom. She raised me completely by herself and worked so hard all her life to take care of me. Waitressing isn’t easy and I’d like her to be able to cut back. Enjoy herself more. You know?”

“Yes, but—” Vicki stopped and shook her head.

“How do you think Chandler would take it?” Rose asked.

“Let me think about this.” Vicki hummed the Jeopardy theme. “You tell the man you’re all but engaged to that you’re going to Montana with the man you married ten years ago and aren’t quite divorced from to do a job in order to save your business.”

Rose nodded. “Yes.”

“I think any man’s head would explode given that scenario.”

“That’s what I figured, too.” This was what Rose really wanted to talk to her friend about. She’d revealed her history with Linc because it had a direct bearing on her decision. As Linc would say—context. “What do you think I should do?”

It didn’t take Vicki very long to come up with an answer. “Tell Chandler and don’t take the job.”

Rose nearly choked on her wine. That’s not what she’d expected. “What? I thought you understood.”

“I do. But I also saw your face when you talked about Lincoln Hart.” There was sympathy in her friend’s expression. “I’ve known you for a long time and you’ve never looked like that before. Tell me I’m nuts but whether you’re willing to admit it or not, you have feelings for the man.”

“Of course I do. All of them bad.”

“Take it from me. Accepting that job will dredge up more feelings and all the crap comes up, too. Just leave it alone. You’re doing fine. Don’t give him a chance to hurt you again.”

“He can’t.”

“Okay.” Vicki’s tone was full of “if you say so but I think you’re wrong.” “For what it’s worth, my advice is to talk this over with Chandler. I’m sure he’ll tell you the same thing. Do not take this job.”

“Wow, don’t hold back. Tell me how you really feel.”

“I always do.” Her friend smiled. “And just so you know, I want to look over those divorce papers before you sign anything. This time things will run smoothly or you’ll know why.”

“Thank you, Vicki.”

“So you’re not mad at me?”

“Why would I be?” Rose protested.

“For telling you what I thought. I know you didn’t want to hear that.”

“I count on you.”

“So we’re okay?” her friend asked.

“Absolutely.”

That was completely true and Rose valued this woman’s opinion more than she could say. But she was going to break the unbreakable rule about automatically taking your best friend’s advice. Rose just hoped there wouldn’t be an “I told you so” in her future.

Chapter Two (#u47d1e089-baa1-55be-9aa5-91ac3764f12a)

“So you’re really moving to Blackwater Lake, Montana?”

Linc was standing by the side table in his office, where there was a bottle of exceptional single malt Scotch, and glanced over his shoulder. It was precisely six thirty and Mason Archer, his attorney, stood in the doorway. Right on time.

“Would you like a drink?” Linc asked.

“Yes.” The other man walked closer, passing the desk piled with papers, and went directly to the conversation area with its leather furniture and sleek glass-and-chrome coffee table.

After handing Mason the tumbler of Scotch, Linc said, “You know my sister, Ellie, lives there, right?”

“I do.”

Linc grinned because there was no missing his friend’s clipped tone. “Don’t take her rejection personally.”

“How do you take it when a woman says there’s nothing that could compel her to have dinner with you?”