Marital Bitch (Men with Badges)

Chapter NINETEEN

(C0lleen)

She’s the only person who’s always been supportive of my choices.

THE MEDIATION ENDS without any more fuss despite the fact that I can’t access my notes on the case because they’re tucked away in the porntop. Thankfully, I know my stuff and I manage just fine without them.

“You did well, Colleen,” Thomas says as we load everything back in his Lexus. Whenever we need to leave the office for business purposes, we take his car. Apparently, my three-year new Honda doesn’t send the right image to our clients. Like his Lexus does? If I were our client, that Lexus would tell me I’m being overcharged.

“Again,” I say, exasperated, “I am so very sorry for what happened.” I climb into the passenger seat. Thomas looks at me from his driver’s seat and pats my knee. I try to shrug it off and ignore the inappropriateness of his hand on my knee—his very married hand on my very married knee. Pig.

“Colleen,” Thomas says, patting my knee. I place my hand near his so that he can’t move up my leg; which he is very likely to attempt. “I always thought you had potential as an attorney. You’re a smart girl; but I remember telling you that when you were first hired on at the firm that you were going to have to make some sacrifices.” I nod. I remember that, but have no desire to reminisce.

“I remember telling you that my family has made it very difficult for me to pursue my career,” I say, thinking it all over. At my law school graduation, they all showed up and my dad proceeded to tell my favorite professor that he was shocked I’d gone through with it and finished. When Professor Jameson asked him why, he laughed and said that the women in our family never pursued college much less with a graduate degree and a career. Nope, not the women in our family; we’ve got birthing hips and we’re built for changing diapers and feeding hungry men. That’s all they assume we’re good for and that’s what we’re raised to believe we should be doing.

I was so angry with him at that moment. My own father, who had supported James in everything he did, and couldn’t be happier now that he’s on the force, just tore down every single one of my accomplishments because they weren’t what he had wanted of me. Right then, Grammy walked up and told me that she’s never been more proud of me than in that moment. She is the only person who’s always been supportive of my choices.

“Yeah, and what advice did I give you?” Thomas asks, a hint of laughter in his tone. He pulls out of the parking space and we make our way back to the office.

“You told me to keep them at a distance if I really wanted to excel here,” I whisper. Thomas nods. When I started at the firm I was so eager to do anything I could to succeed. I wanted so bad to fit in that I could barely stomach it. But now, I haven’t had as much fun as I have since I married Brad; nor have I been so angry or annoyed. I have never felt so alive or so loved.

Before my birthday I had lived in a mind-numbing but predictable routine. I woke up and went into the office where I studied precedents and worked on my cases without distraction. I went home every night to my quiet, peaceful condo and re-read my notes from the day and then settled in with a good vampire book.

I scoot Thomas’s hand off my knee and he re-positions it on the gear shaft for the rest of the drive. The afternoon at the office passes quickly. I immerse myself in my cases as best I can; but my mind continues to slip back to how best to pay Brad back for the porntop prank. And Adam—that jerk is going down, too.

“Hey,” Thomas pops his head into my office. I look up from my handwritten notes and give him a professional smile. His mood has done a complete flip since last week. I don’t really know where I stand with him except for the fact that he still wants to get into my pants. “I just wanted to let you know that regardless of what happened this morning, I know that wasn’t your fault. I know that was your idiot husband’s fault.” I sit back in my chair, stunned. Yeah, that wasn’t one of Brad’s finer moments, but did he just call him an idiot?

“Brad isn’t an idiot, Thomas,” I say as gently as possible. “He was just fooling around. He tried to stop me from taking the laptop with me this morning.”

“It was still rather juvenile, though, wasn’t it?” he laughs. “I mean, he’s what, thirty-five? It’s time to grow up, don’t you think?” I stand up and raise my eyebrows at him.

“This coming from a man whose wife’s Barbie dolls take up an entire room in their house?” I quip. Yeah, unfortunately, I’ve seen Lisa Nate’s Barbie room. The walls are painted pink and the ceiling is painted with clouds to look like the sky. The damn whack job even put in green carpet. She told me it looks like grass, which she says sounded like a great idea at the time but now she’s not so sure because Barbie needs a road to drive on. And all I could think was “get me the hell out of here.”

“That’s a priceless collection, Colleen, and you know it!” Thomas looks upset. I laugh, annoyed. So he can insult my husband but I can’t tell the truth about his wife? Oh, I don’t think so.

“Priceless, my ass! She plays with them, Thomas! She won’t even let your kids into the room for fear that one of them will mess up her precious, insane little world!” I place my hands on my desk and lean forward. I am thoroughly pissed off. “And watch your step, Mr. Nate. You can insult my grades from law school. You can question my judgment as an attorney; but do not think that I will stand for you insulting my husband.” I straighten myself up, grab my purse and briefcase and push past him and out the door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Nate; and I highly suggest that the next time we speak we keep things on a professional level and leave our spouses out of it.” I close my speech by turning on my heel and marching out.

IT’S AFTER DARK by the time I get to Lindsay and Adam’s apartment. Brad called to see if I’m staying out late just to make him worry. It seems that he stopped by the house just as the sun set to make sure I was home. I let him know that I was going to be with Adam and Lindsay to which he promptly said goodbye and hung up no doubt worrying over what hell I’m going to put Adam through. For now, I’m just going to let them both think that I have a plan. That always makes them paranoid.

“Well, hello Colleen,” Lindsay says as I breeze through their front door and sit down at the table.

“Heya guys,” I say, looking at the dinner spread set out before them: baked chicken, asparagus, and a side salad. It looks pretty good. I grab Adam’s fork from him and cut myself a piece of chicken.

“Help yourself,” Adam says sarcastically, giving me a look. I smile and take another bite.

“I will, thank you, computer boy,” I smile. His face blanches. He knows I know. Good. Now it’s time to make him squirm. “So, anyway,” I clear my throat, smiling. “You guys still got that Viagra, right?” Lindsay and Adam share a nervous glance. I just continue to smile at them, knowing they’ll give me what I’ve asked for.