Worst Date Ever (Scandals #3) (27 page)

I turned on the shower so it would have time to get hot while I finished my pizza.  A glance in the mirror told me that crying myself to sleep last night didn’t sit well on my face.  My eyes were puffy and there were mascara streaks down both cheeks.  Even my long blond hair that was usually one of my best features was tangled and limp. 

I stripped out of my rumpled clothes and stepped into the shower stall.  The shower head in Brandon’s apartment was so much better than the ones on campus.  High pressure and you didn’t get scalded every time someone flushed a toilet on the floor.  I reached for the shampoo and saw that jerk-face Brandon had taken it.  Oh well, shampoo was a fair trade for a laptop.  I squeezed some body soap into my hands and used that on my hair. 

Fifteen minutes later, I was clean and felt a little better.  I stepped out and grabbed the closest towel.  It smelled like Brandon which made me both sad and angry.  In a futile show of defiance, I used it to wipe my ass and between my legs, threw it in the corner and picked up a clean towel to dry the rest of my body.  I searched through the cabinet for the hair dryer, but it, too, was gone, which left me no option but to let my hair air dry.

I dressed in a pair of short shorts and layered tank tops, then chose a more visible sign of insolence and picked up a bottle of nail polish called Ladybug Red.  Brandon hated it.  That made it the perfect choice. 

Once my toes and fingertips were a vivid shade of shiny red, I hobbled back to the living room, being careful not to let anything touch the wet polish. 

I made a mental list of things I needed to buy, like shampoo, Hot Pockets and other student basics like mac and cheese and Top Ramen, as long as it didn’t total more than twenty dollars.  That would have to last me until my first pay check…assuming I got a job soon.  Hopefully, that would be in a fast food place.  The pay would suck, but I wouldn’t starve.

One flip-flop was by the couch, but I was looking for the other one when a knock echoed through the apartment. 

Brandon had come back, was my first thought.  I ran to the door, then stopped and took a deep breath.  I didn’t want to appear too excited.  After all, the bastard had to pay for being so mean to me.  I forced my expression to be calm as my fingers wrapped around the doorknob.  I pulled the door open…and gasped.

CHAPTER TWO

A gray-haired man wearing a black cowboy hat, an expensive pin-striped suit and ostrich-skin boots stood on the open porch that ran along the entire front of the apartment building.  He removed his hat and extended his right hand.  “Hello.  I’m Harlan Gooding.  I’m sorry…were you expecting someone else?”

How stupid was I?  Never mind, it was a rhetorical question.  I already knew the answer.  “I thought you might be my boyfriend…my
ex
-boyfriend.”   I shook his hand.  “If you’re here to see Brandon, I don’t know where he is.”

“Oh no.  Actually I’m looking for Killeen Ames.  That’s you, I assume.”

“Why do you ask?”  Of course, he probably already knew Brandon was gone.  This guy was likely some high-powered process server that Brandon’s dad already hired to haul my ass into court to take my baby…or make me pay rent…or to keep away from his precious son. 

“Actually I just flew in from Austin today to speak with you about a very personal matter.  Do you have a few minutes?”  Harlan must have sensed my reluctance.  “We could grab a cup of coffee nearby if you would be more comfortable.  Here’s my card.”  He handed me a business card.

I took the card and read it. 
Harlan Gooding, Attorney
.  Real attorney or crafty Kinko’s customer?  As much as I didn’t know whether or not to trust this stranger, I wanted a public discussion about my baby even less.  No one can know about this until I have a plan.  I looked up at Harlan and smiled politely.  “No, here’s fine…come on in.  I was about to leave, but I have a few minutes.”  I held the door open for him.

Harlan stopped just inside the apartment.  His eyes glanced around the living room and eat-in kitchen.  He shifted on his feet and the sound of the broken clay donkey crunched under his cowboy boots.  He glanced down.  “Maid’s day off?”

“We had a graduation party last night.  Brandon’s,” I added, although I had the feeling he already knew.  There was something in his eyes that told me he knew way more about me than I would have liked.  “We can sit on the couch over here…” I knocked a couple beer cans to the floor, clearing a spot for him. 

Harlan’s face remained expressionless as he started to sit, then stood back up, reached under the cushion and pulled out an empty tequila bottle.  Without a word, I took the bottle from him and set it on the coffee table.  He settled gingerly on the cushion and set his briefcase on the floor.  “Reminds me of my college days,” he said before turning to face me.  “Let me get straight to the point, Miss Ames.  I’ve been retained by a man who passed on recently.  I have reason to believe that you are related to him and, if so, you have been named in his will.  I cannot, at this time, share with you who this person is, but I can tell you he had a very large, somewhat complicated estate.” 

I stared at him blankly for a moment, then laughed.  “Yeah right.  Someone on the team is punking me, aren’t they?  Who is it?  Shanna?  Morgan?  Brittany?”  I glanced around the room, half-way expecting to see cameras.  What a relief it would be if the last twenty-four hours were just a really bad joke. 

“I can assure you, Miss Ames, this is no prank.” 

I shook my head.  “These things just don’t happen…especially not to me.”  Still not convinced, I sat back on the couch and waited for the punch line.

Harlan, too leaned back as if my skepticism was expected.  “I know this probably sounds really odd.  Frankly, in nearly twenty years of practicing law, this is a first for me.  I know I’m not going to convince you this is for real just by talking.” 

He reached down, picked up his briefcase and placed it on his lap.  He clicked the latches, opened it and pulled out a single sheet of paper.  “Let me assure you this is on the up and up.  Here is a list of testing offices around Phoenix.  I need you to go to one of them as soon as possible and tell them you’re there for a DNA test. They’ll take a swab from the inside of your mouth and then run a DNA test.  I’ve pre-registered for you, and of course, it won’t cost you anything but a few minutes of your time.”

“Can’t you just do it now?  You know like they do on those cop shows?”

Harlan’s smile was indulgent.  “It’s a contamination issue.  I wouldn’t want anyone to be able to question the chain of custody.  All you’ll need is a photo ID…like a driver’s license or passport.  I’m afraid your university ID won’t do.”

I still knew the possibility that I was the person they were looking for was about as likely as me winning the lottery, but if it didn’t cost me anything, I had nothing to lose.  All I had right now was spare time.  “So, what if I am related?  Then what?”

“Once your DNA match is confirmed, you’ll have to come to Austin for a couple of weeks.  I’ll make all your travel arrangements, and of course, all the expenses will be paid by this person’s estate.

“Of course,” I echoed as if I received offers like this every day.

“Now I know this imposes a real hardship on your ability to earn money for the summer,” Harlan continued. “I’ve figured you would likely earn about $5,000 for the summer, so I will send you a cashier’s check for that amount with the travel information.”

“$5,000?  No strings attached?”  Okay, now he had my attention. 

“No strings.  Use it for whatever you want.  Rent?  Car payment?  Money for your fall semester?  Clothes?  It’s yours to spend.  Any questions?”

“Plenty, but nothing you’d probably answer.  Except…if I do go to Austin, when would that be?”

“Friday, June 13
th
if I get the test results back in time.  Will that work for you?”

Friday, the 13
th
?  Really?  Athletes, as a rule, were superstitious, and that seemed like a bad omen.  “I’ll check with my boss and see if I can get off.”  The lie slipped out.  I didn’t have a job or a boyfriend or a life, but for some reason, I didn’t want him to know that I was a total loser.

Harlan closed his briefcase and stood up.  “I’ll be in touch.  If you have any questions or can’t get that swab done in the next few days, please call me.”

I felt like I was in a trance as I stood, walked him to the door and opened it for him.  “Well my day just got a lot more interesting.”

He held out his hand again, and I shook it with more enthusiasm than before.  “As did mine.  So long, Miss Ames.  I hope to see you in Austin.”

“It was really nice to meet you.”  I wasn’t sure whether or not I wanted to go to Austin, but I sure did want the $5,000. 

“Now that I’ve finally met you, I’m pretty confident how the DNA test is going to come out.  I don’t mean to be forward, but your ice-blue eyes are amazing…exactly like his.  Good day.” Harlan smiled, put his hat on and dipped the brim toward me. 

I watched as he walked down the stairs, out to the parking lot and to the big black Lincoln in the visitor’s spot.  Nice car!  Probably a rental, but impressive none the less. 

After I shut the door, I looked down at the sheet of paper still clenched in my hand.  If this was a joke, it was pretty elaborate.  I would know soon enough.  If the DNA center didn’t have me registered, then it would all be over.  I didn’t want to get my hopes up because in my experience if anything was too good to be true…it
was
too good to be true.

At least it was a welcome distraction from the whole baby-boyfriend-softball dilemma.  Well, first things first.  There was a testing location just down the street from the grocery store.  If they’re open today, I might as well get this over with.

I returned to my search for the missing flip-flop.  Aha, there it was, next to the TV stand.  I matched it to the other one, slipped my feet into them, stuck my phone in my pocket and grabbed my purse.  I paused for a moment to look into the oval mirror with a seashell frame that Brandon had bought for me when we went to Cabo on spring break.  Ice-blue eyes, the lawyer had said.  They were one of my most striking assets and people often commented on their crystal blue color, like the sky on a hot summer day.  Was it possible that someone else had eyes exactly like mine?

I still didn’t believe anything would come of all this, but I was intrigued.