even ask him out for a drink, but her tongue seemed tangled in her mouth.
Forty-five years old and acting like a teenager.
Crispin cleared his throat and opened the envelope. He began shuffling through the papers, mumbling to himself.
“What type of lawyer are you?” Emma forced herself to ask.
He looked up. “Oh, sorry. I do family law, but my practice is unique.
“In what way?” Emma asked.
“I’m tired of lawyers gouging their clients.” Crispin looked slightly sheepish. “I’m no martyr, I have to eat too, but I don’t charge my clients, most of which are women being gouged by unfaithful husbands, unless they get a decent divorce settlement. Since I’m good at what I do, they usually get a fair deal. And I get paid a modest fee. They are usually very grateful for my help.”
Emma raised her eyebrows.
He colored and dropped his eyes. “Not that grateful,” he mumbled.
Emma smiled, happy he was the one fumbling for once. “I was teasing.”
She tried not to fidget while he read over the documents, taking notes as he read.
Moments later Crispin came to the end of the documents. He straightened them and put down the pen, then cleared his throat and gave Emma a direct look.
“Your ex-husband is trying to sneak in a few things in his favor. You told me already what the original agreement had in it. From what I remember, the house was to be sold and the profits divided. You would take whatever things you wanted, apart from his office, and the rest was to be sold. The money and the investments would also be divided down the middle. Correct?”
“Yes.” Emma folded her hands on her lap, waiting for the blow.
“Well, the agreement you read and the one you got from his lawyer are not the same. Basically, you are agreeing to give him the house in Greece, taking only one-third of the money from the house sale here and you’ll receive none of the investments.”
Emma nearly choked in her shock. She cleared her throat and gasped, “What? How can he get away with that?”
Crispin gave her a look that seemed a lot like pity. “He wouldn’t get away with it if you had a lawyer, and if you read over the final documents. He obviously didn’t believe you’d do either.”
Emma twisted her fingers together. She couldn’t meet his eyes. “I hate confrontation.”
“Emma,” Crispin said quietly. “You’re going through a divorce. It’s pretty hard to avoid confrontation right now.”
Emma straightened her back and looked him in the eye. “That’s why I’m here.” Her voice wasn’t nearly as strong as she’d have liked, but she was proud of herself nonetheless.
“Good. Now, let’s get to work. I won’t let him get away with this.”
Emma’s eyes teared up. How long had it been since anyone championed a cause for her?
Never?
She resisted the urge to grab him and kiss him.
Chapter 17
Connie sat at the first table that came free in the crowded Starbucks. She waited for Alan to arrive before she ordered her coffee, otherwise she might lose her seat. She’d called his home earlier and asked him to meet with her. He hadn’t even asked what it was about, just agreed instantly and suggested the Starbucks two blocks from his house. Connie wondered why he hadn’t asked, but was happy he’d agreed to meet.
She hoped to be able to make him back off Emma and treat her more fairly. Maybe it was a pipe dream, but she couldn’t sit by doing nothing. If it came out well, she’d tell Emma what she’d done. If not, then she’d hope Alan would keep his mouth shut. She didn’t think Emma would thank her for interfering, but, It’s easier to obtain forgiveness than permission.
She’d been waiting and watching customers come and go for about ten minutes when Alan stepped inside and spotted her. He gave her a warm smile and headed over.
“Hi, Connie,” Alan said. “How nice to see you.” He slid out the chair.
“Hi, Alan. How are you?” she asked in a polite tone, now very
Forty-five years old and acting like a teenager.
Crispin cleared his throat and opened the envelope. He began shuffling through the papers, mumbling to himself.
“What type of lawyer are you?” Emma forced herself to ask.
He looked up. “Oh, sorry. I do family law, but my practice is unique.
“In what way?” Emma asked.
“I’m tired of lawyers gouging their clients.” Crispin looked slightly sheepish. “I’m no martyr, I have to eat too, but I don’t charge my clients, most of which are women being gouged by unfaithful husbands, unless they get a decent divorce settlement. Since I’m good at what I do, they usually get a fair deal. And I get paid a modest fee. They are usually very grateful for my help.”
Emma raised her eyebrows.
He colored and dropped his eyes. “Not that grateful,” he mumbled.
Emma smiled, happy he was the one fumbling for once. “I was teasing.”
She tried not to fidget while he read over the documents, taking notes as he read.
Moments later Crispin came to the end of the documents. He straightened them and put down the pen, then cleared his throat and gave Emma a direct look.
“Your ex-husband is trying to sneak in a few things in his favor. You told me already what the original agreement had in it. From what I remember, the house was to be sold and the profits divided. You would take whatever things you wanted, apart from his office, and the rest was to be sold. The money and the investments would also be divided down the middle. Correct?”
“Yes.” Emma folded her hands on her lap, waiting for the blow.
“Well, the agreement you read and the one you got from his lawyer are not the same. Basically, you are agreeing to give him the house in Greece, taking only one-third of the money from the house sale here and you’ll receive none of the investments.”
Emma nearly choked in her shock. She cleared her throat and gasped, “What? How can he get away with that?”
Crispin gave her a look that seemed a lot like pity. “He wouldn’t get away with it if you had a lawyer, and if you read over the final documents. He obviously didn’t believe you’d do either.”
Emma twisted her fingers together. She couldn’t meet his eyes. “I hate confrontation.”
“Emma,” Crispin said quietly. “You’re going through a divorce. It’s pretty hard to avoid confrontation right now.”
Emma straightened her back and looked him in the eye. “That’s why I’m here.” Her voice wasn’t nearly as strong as she’d have liked, but she was proud of herself nonetheless.
“Good. Now, let’s get to work. I won’t let him get away with this.”
Emma’s eyes teared up. How long had it been since anyone championed a cause for her?
Never?
She resisted the urge to grab him and kiss him.
Chapter 17
Connie sat at the first table that came free in the crowded Starbucks. She waited for Alan to arrive before she ordered her coffee, otherwise she might lose her seat. She’d called his home earlier and asked him to meet with her. He hadn’t even asked what it was about, just agreed instantly and suggested the Starbucks two blocks from his house. Connie wondered why he hadn’t asked, but was happy he’d agreed to meet.
She hoped to be able to make him back off Emma and treat her more fairly. Maybe it was a pipe dream, but she couldn’t sit by doing nothing. If it came out well, she’d tell Emma what she’d done. If not, then she’d hope Alan would keep his mouth shut. She didn’t think Emma would thank her for interfering, but, It’s easier to obtain forgiveness than permission.
She’d been waiting and watching customers come and go for about ten minutes when Alan stepped inside and spotted her. He gave her a warm smile and headed over.
“Hi, Connie,” Alan said. “How nice to see you.” He slid out the chair.
“Hi, Alan. How are you?” she asked in a polite tone, now very
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