Authors: JT Schultz
Laws of Love (9 page)
“I doubt it; I fired Anthony Frost before he hit the courthouse steps.”
“Oh.” She looked back to the clerk. “You’re sure that he has had bail posted?”
The clerk
nodded and looked hesitant. “Yeah, a woman came in and posted the bail in cash.”
Abby’s heart slammed to the floor into a puddle. “A woman
?”
He nodded a
gain and cast a bleak look. “Sorry.”
W
hile Abby struggled with her shock, the clerk walked away. She turned to his father and noticed he was studying her carefully.
“I have no idea
who it could be.”
Abby
shook her head and nodded. “Well, at least he’s probably at home.” She smiled. “I’ll make sure when court resumes on Monday, it’s postponed until you get legal counsel.”
“No need
. I know you’re a fair woman, and since you’re working for free, I know you’ll come up with something modest.” He smiled. “You sure convinced me of your legal ability. I’d offer you a job, but I have a feeling you’re happy where you are.”
“Most days.”
She didn’t tell him she wasn’t happy without Jack to herself.
“Can I give you a lift home and have a driver bring your car to you in the morning?”
Forcing a smile, she nodded. “That’s very sweet, thank you.”
“I’m sure th
at my son does love you, Abby. The Gibson Street project was everything to him.” Richard chuckled. “But apparently not as important as you. Money comes and goes. Finding someone who loves you completely, that has no price.”
Simply
nodding, she wondered where Jack was and if he knew that she loved him too. She had money, but love? Well, Anthony’s son sure hadn’t loved her. Abby thought she had found it with Jack. He did tell her in a courtroom full of people that he did. The question was, had he meant it?
Chapter 9
Jack sat and talked to Anna Cros
by for what seemed like hours. In truth, it had only been three. She talked about Abby as a girl and about being a foster parent. Jack found himself hanging on every word she spoke. Anna was a strong and smart lady, and he liked her more and more. His mind drifted to the clock and he wondered where Abby was and had started to worry. Every time he tried calling, her cell phone clicked right away to voice mail. She would know he had called since he left her three messages, called her office and left a message with her secretary, who hadn’t heard from her.
“You’re quiet
, Jack.”
He sipped his coffee and
glanced at Anna. “I guess I’m starting to worry where Abby could be.”
She
smiled warmly. “I hope Abby knows how lucky she is to have you.”
“I alm
ost ruined everything. My father probably hates me. Everything will be for nothing if she…”
The sound of a key in the door of the apartment s
topped his words and it opened. Abby walked in and stopped. She blinked at him then darted a surprised expression to her mother. “How…?”
“I didn’t want him sitting in some cell
, so I bailed him out.”
Inhaling deeply, her s
houlders lifted and she nodded. “I see. So you were the woman he left with?” Her lips twitched into a smile.
“What other woman would I have l
eft with?” Jack couldn’t believe the confident and headstrong woman had looked so insecure for a fraction of a second.
She turned and
shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Anna rose from the sofa and grabbed her c
oat off the back of the chair. “I think I should go.” She pulled on the jacket, kissed her daughter’s cheek and walked to the threshold. “Now that I know you’re home safe.” The door closed leaving Jack alone with the woman he loved.
Slowly
, Abby turned. She looked tired and miserable. Taking a step further into the room, she stopped. “I’m glad you’re out. I went to the police station, but they said that you left with a woman.”
“Right.”
Jack wanted to go to her and hold her, but he didn’t want her to push him away. Still, he stepped closer to where she stood. “I tried calling your office and there are three messages on your cell phone from me.”
“My battery died
and I didn’t have my charger.” She took another baby step. “What did the messages say?”
“Not much, just that I was with your mom
, and then the next one was telling you we were here.” He moved his foot forward and inched a little closer to her. “The last one was just to tell you I love you.” His voice went hoarse and he glanced at the elegant sheers over the window before he turned back.
“Why did you do that in the courtroom today?”
“Because I love you and it was the only way I could see us getting past the business and on to the personal. I know my father is going to kill me for it, but I don’t care. I kept thinking how you have money and you do all this good. I have a lot of money already and the Gibson Street project would make me more.” Shaking his head, he lowered his gaze to the floor.
He was quiet a moment, remembering everything he had thought and felt, then he looked up. “Only the money wasn’t important anymore, because I didn’t have you to share it with.”
Her lips curved into a smile. The simple gesture made her even more beautiful. “Your father isn’t going to kill you.”
“Don’t be so sure.”
“I’m pretty sure. I wanted to talk to him before you got out and let him know what an incredible guy you were, and that I love you.”
Jack tilted his head. He misheard that, right? “You love me and pleaded for my life to the man who is going to kill me over losing millions of dollars?”
“Not exactly.”
“Not exactly as in you didn’t plea for him to spare my life, or not exactly do you love me?”
She giggled and the sound was like music to his ears. “I plea bargained for him to spare you and he agreed to my terms since I do love you. Not your money, not your car, you, Jack.”
He smiled and debated a moment. “So what are the terms?” He couldn’t understand his father taking things so well—especially the loss of millions of dollars.
“Well, I am going to be pulling together the paperwork for a small punitive settlement for my clients.”
“And my father agreed to this?””
“Yes, trust me, he fired Anthony thank heavens—before he hit the court house steps. Also, in sparing your life, I took him to the neighborhood. While we were there, he too liked the park and thought a small community center might be good for the kids.”
Jack’s heart warmed. He really liked the idea a lot. After all, he did own the land; he might as well do some good. “Now that is a project I can get behind. I know it would make you happy and Abby, I want to make you happy. I know we haven’t known each other long, but I really like what we have—I know a community center would make a difference.”
Tears filled her eyes and she smiled. “Your father thought so too. He apparently had humble beginnings.”
Closing the distance between them, he cupped her face in his hands. “You changed my life the day you hopped onto that bus.”
She nodded and gazed at his lips before she lifted her blue eyes to his again. “And you changed mine the day you hopped off to chase me. Maybe you should wear the bunny outfit.”
Chuckling, he tilted his head to the side. “Spend longer than tonight with me and I just might.”
Abby flashed him a mischievous grin. “I plan on spending a lot of nights with you—
starting
tonight.”
Jack wiggled his brows. “I was hoping you’d say that.” Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her and knew that he may have lost the court case, but he had
won something much more precious. The future of Gibson Street was promising, as much as his future with Abby.
♥
Out Now
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Prince Luciano Mercury is doomed. The arrogance and blatant rudeness of youth combined with the attitude of being infallible has sentenced him to the curse of a witch. Instead of being hot a
nd happy, he is turned into a wounded frog with no chance of survival. Then Chloe came along and his world changed forever.
Chloe Starling knows there are no such things as dragons. However one has haunted her worst nightmares for years. Her belief in fairy tales got laid to rest as a child but when a handsome prince walks into her family’s home she can’t help but wonder if he is the pet frog she kissed.
One fateful night, a relentless witch and a love that survived over a decade come down to one thing―the kiss of true love.
♥
Coming
December 2013!
Rocking Christmas
Single and successful Molly Wright doesn’t have time for frivolous things like going home for Christmas. Parcel Post is perfect to send Christmas cards and useless gifts people will never use. However, faster than you can say “stocking stuffer” it’s goodbye palm trees, hello Pleasantville AKA Hell and yes, it’s frozen over. How bad could the holidays with her family be? Other than the reindeer in the house and her ex-boyfriend Stryker, her brother’s best friend and now a famous rock star, standing next to the fireplace.
Stryker Blaire has everything money and fame can provide—including writers block for his next album. When his best friend from back in the small town he grew up in invites him home for the holidays, and with no family of his own, how can Stryker say no? Maybe going back to his roots will provide inspiration for some songs. Wrong, more wrong and pass the eggnog. No one mentioned Molly was going to be there, prettier than he remembered. Forget the eggnog and pass the mistletoe.
Thanks to a matchmaking reindeer, both Stryker and Molly look at their lives and wonder if there is second chance for love when the holiday is over.
My true passion in life is my writing. I was corrupted as a child with “Happily Ever After” so much that now, all my stories have one. Reading great stories and watching movies are also loves, they were the motivation for me to write and explore the “what if...”
Inspiration comes from life, love, stories and sometimes that which the eye cannot see but the heart beckons.
The road to my writing career has been an interesting one to say the very least. My first published work was a novella and since then, I have gone on to write several other books in a variety of lengths. Check out my bookshelf as my title list will change and grow. Also, my back list will surface, so you can meet or reunite with heroes and heroines of the past.
~Best,