“So,” Howie began, nervously. “How have you been?”
“Good.” Christine lied. Now as not the time to bring up her problems with Paul. She already knew he was looking for her. He knew about this promotion. It would only be a matter of time before he showed up. “It’s really good to see you, Howie.”
“You too, Chrissy.” Howie smiled, pulling her into his embrace. “You too.”
“So, how long have you been in Florida?” Howie questioned, sitting down at the table.
“About two weeks now.” Christine followed suit and sat down across from him. “The promotion was too good to pass up.”
They both sat in relative silence for a few minutes. Howie spied the ring on her left hand. It was a huge diamond. Definitely an engagement ring. Much more extravagant than the one he had given her. It wasn’t her. Christine was much more of a simpler girl. Material things never really mattered to her.
“How did your fiancée feel about it?” Howie came right out and asked. As much as he didn’t want to know, he needed to know.
“What?” Christine was confused. How did he…Howie nodded towards the ring on her finger. In her rush to get away from Paul and start her new life in Florida, she hadn’t taken her engagement ring off. “Oh…he’s okay with it. How about you? Anyone special?”
Howie did not miss how fast she changed the subject from herself to him. “No. Not right now.” The truth was, besides Alyssa, he hadn’t been with anyone since Christine. He still hadn’t found anyone as special as she was. And he wasn’t sure that he ever would.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“Lanie!” Nick called from upstairs as the doorbell rang. “Can you get that?!” Lanie walked into the foyer to answer the door.
A man in a three-piece suit stood on the front steps, holding a business-sized envelope. “Is Mr. Carter here?”
“Hold on,” Lanie said, showing him into the house. “Nick! Someone’s here for you!”
Nick came running down the stairs in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, his hair-soaking wet, indicating he had just gotten out of the shower. “Can I help you?”
“You have been served,” the man said, handing Nick the envelope.
“What’s this?” Nick questioned, confused.
“I’m just the messenger.” The man shrugged before walking out of the house.
Lanie closed the door behind him and followed Nick, who was opening the envelope, into the kitchen. “What is it?”
“It’s a summons,” Nick reiterated as he read it. “Your presence is required at the reading of the last will and testament of Catherine and Peter Gordon.” He glanced up at Lanie. “Who are they?” Lanie shrugged. “When is it? And where?”
“This Friday,” Nick responded. “In New York. I don’t know anyone in New York besides Katelin. I’ve never even heard of these people.”
“Well, they obviously know you,” Lanie explained. “You sure it’s legit?”
Nick inspected the envelope carefully. “It looks it. I’m gonna go make some phone calls. Find out more about this. Call me when dinner’s ready.”
“I will,” Lanie replied, turning back to the stove where she was cooking pasta.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
AJ unlocked the door to his house and allowed Sarah to walk inside ahead of him. He had asked her to come back to his place so they could talk. To find out if they had a relationship that was worth saving. Sarah seemed to think that they did. It was just a matter of convincing AJ of the same.
“You want anything?” AJ asked, throwing his keys on the kitchen table. Sarah shook her head while AJ grabbed himself a beer from the fridge.
“I’m sorry, AJ,” Sarah began. “I should have never walked out like that. Your past is your past. I wasn’t around and I had no right to act the way I did.” AJ was surprised. Here he though that he was going to have to get down on his knees and beg her to come back to him but instead, she was apologizing to him. “I should have told you, Sar. That was too big of something to keep quiet about. You had a right to know.”
“How about we were both wrong?” Sarah suggested. “And leave it at that?”
“Okay.” AJ nodded, inching his face closer to hers. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, right before his lips touched hers.
“I love you, AJ,” Sarah said, breathlessly as her arms went around his neck.
“Mmm…” AJ moaned against her mouth. “Me too.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Nick found himself, late Thursday night, on yet another flight from Tampa to New York. He had spoken to the lawyer in charge of handling the Gordon’s estate and was told that, while he couldn’t give out any details, Nick’s presence was imperative. Nick spoke to his own attorneys and they explained to him that he couldn’t ignore a summons. So, Nick had no choice but to go. He wanted Lanie to come with him but she had to work Friday and there was no way se could have gotten off on such short notice. By the time the plane landed in New York, it was close to one in the morning. Nick had to be at the reading of the will by ten o’clock the next morning, so, as soon as he reached his hotel, he crashed.