No Longer Needed by Brenda Grate Page A

the fight with Alan without someone just as willing to get down and dirty. She just hoped that Crispin would be able to do it without involving her too much.
    Connie used to say, you’re so Laura Ingalls , when they first met.
    Emma was not only old-fashioned, but innocent of the less than stellar dealings of the world. And she liked it that way. It made dealing with her ex much more difficult, but she’d leave that up to Crispin.
    The traffic ahead moved and Emma let out a sigh of relief. The clock on the dash said she had just over ten minutes to get there. Good thing she knew where the building was. She’d make it with a few minutes to spare.
    At the lawyer’s office she got out of the car, after a quick check of her hair and makeup, and grabbed her purse, which had all the documents he’d asked her to bring. She paused by the entrance to smooth down her just-above-the-knee skirt and make sure her blouse was properly tucked in.
    Quit fidgeting and get this over with.
    She pulled open the door and was immediately greeted by a chipper blonde.
    “Good morning. Do you have an appointment?”
    “Yes. With Mr. Miller.”
    “Please, have a seat and I’ll let him know you’re here.” The receptionist waved at an inexpensive-looking dark brown leather sofa.  
    Emma sat, her knees together and her purse resting on her lap, while she scanned the reception area. It wasn’t what she’d expected at all. Most lawyers’ offices reeked of money. You could almost feel your money leaking out of your purse while you waited. But, Crispin’s office was different. It wasn’t shabby, nor was it pretentious.
    “Emma.” Crispin stood in front of her with a grin.
    Emma glanced at the receptionist who seemed surprised.
    Did he not normally greet clients this way?
    Emma got up and held out her hand.
    He gave it a business-like shake, but took his time releasing it.  
    “Please, come this way,” he said as he gestured toward his office, his eyes lingering on her face.
    An uncomfortable feeling coursed through her. She’d never liked overt male attention. Maybe that was why she’d lasted so well with Alan. He had treated her like a piece of furniture.
    Maybe a little attention would be good for me.
    Emma sat in the chair in front of his large desk. Crispin’s office mirrored the front lobby. It looked clean and professional, but far from wealthy. She wondered what kind of a lawyer he was.
    I didn’t even think to ask.
    The sun shone in through a large window behind the desk so bright that it cast Crispin’s face in shadow. Emma gave him a nervous smile, opened her bag, and then handed him the documents.
    “This is everything I have.”
    He set them on his desk and then ignored them. He watched Emma, but she couldn’t see his eyes well enough to figure out what he was thinking.
    “How long were you married?” he asked.
    He seemed relaxed and Emma tried to follow suit. She put her bag on the floor beside her chair and crossed her legs.  
    “I was married for almost twenty-six years.”
    “Seriously?” Crispin’s eyes opened wide.
    “Yes.”
    “How old were you when you got married? Five?”
    Emma laughed. “Thanks, but no. I was nineteen.”
    “Wow. You don’t look forty-five.”
    “You’re very quick with your math, Mr. Miller.”
    He grinned, then became serious. “Now, let’s look at what you brought me.”
    “Do you do family law, Mr. Miller?”
    “Crispin, please, or Cris.”
    “Okay, Crispin.”
    Crispin barked out a laugh. “You surprise me.”
    “Why?”
    “You seem so quiet and even a little shy, but I sense there’s quite a spitfire beneath that calm surface.”
    Emma studied Crispin’s face, unsure how to respond. No one had ever said that to her before, or even noticed her as much as Crispin already had. Her face grew warm under his gaze. Alan had sure never made her feel this way before.
    Emma tore her gaze from Crispin and looked down at her lap. She wanted to say something witty, maybe