realized she wasn’t worth the bother. But Syneda believed he’d acted the role of a gentleman, and had stopped himself from taking advantage of the situation. Nothing she could say would convince Lorren of her theory. Now Syneda wondered how she could get Justin to succeed where she had failed, without betraying her friend’s confidence.
Justin cleared his throat. Syneda was staring at him silently, her sea green eyes oddly speculative. “Is something wrong, Syneda?”
Syneda gazed up at him, her decision made. “Yeah. I have this problem, and I’m hoping you can help me with it.”
Justin raised a brow. “Oh, what sort of problem is it?”
“Strictly professional, involving one of my clients. It may be a little out of your expertise, but at times another ear helps. And I’m hoping, with your medical background, you can possibly steer me in the right direction.”
“All right. I’ll try.”
Syneda took a deep breath. “I’ve been working with this client who’s been abused by her husband.”
“Physically abused?”
She squinted up at him. “No, emotionally abused.”
Justin nodded knowingly. “Sometimes that’s even worse. Cruel words can hurt just as deeply as any physical blow. Physical wounds can heal pretty quickly. Mental wounds can fester for years.”
“I agree, Justin. My client and her husband have been married a couple of years, and he’s managed to tear down her self-confidence as a woman by convincing her she’s sexually worthless.”
“And she believes him?”
“He’s the only man she’s ever been involved with, so yes, she believes him. And because he’s been successful in convincing her of this, she feels threatened by any other man who tries to get too close.”
“In other words, she’s built a wall around herself.”
“Precisely.”
“Sounds like your client has one hell of a problem, Syneda. Have you advised her to seek professional help?”
“Yes, I’ve tried, but she refuses to listen,” Syneda admitted softly. “To be totally honest with you, Justin, I’m not sure professional help is what she needs right now.”
Justin lifted a brow. “What do you think she needs?”
“Someone caring and concerned enough to prove her husband wrong.”
“Matchmaking isn’t within your profession, but if you feel strongly that’s the answer, I suggest you do your damnedest to get her out of her present situation by speeding up her divorce. Hopefully she’ll be able to rebuild her life. Eventually she’ll meet someone who’ll realize just how special she is.”
Syneda smiled. “Perhaps she has already. She recently moved back to her hometown and has a doctor living close by. In fact, he’s her only neighbor, for miles. The good doctor appears to be interested in her. I just hope he’s smart enough to key in on the fact she needs his help.”
She paused before continuing. “I’ve met him and, although I really don’t know him that well, both my mind and my heart are leading me to believe that he’s a good person, and that he won’t ever intentionally hurt her. I think he’s exactly who she needs now.”
She reached out and touched Justin’s shoulder. “Thanks for being a captive audience. It felt good to talk to someone else about it.”
Justin thought for a long moment before giving her a crooked smile. “You’re welcome. You can bend my ear anytime.”
Syneda nodded. Satisfied. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to mingle. I see a few people I know over there.” She turned to leave.
“Syneda?”
She looked back over her shoulder. “Yes, Justin?”
His eyes met hers directly. “This, ah, client of yours. She sounds like someone who’s really a special person.”
“She is, Justin. She’s a very special person.”
“I hope she knows just what a true friend she has in you.”
“No, Justin, it’s the other way around. I know just what a true friend I have in her. Long ago she was there for me when I was going through a
Justin cleared his throat. Syneda was staring at him silently, her sea green eyes oddly speculative. “Is something wrong, Syneda?”
Syneda gazed up at him, her decision made. “Yeah. I have this problem, and I’m hoping you can help me with it.”
Justin raised a brow. “Oh, what sort of problem is it?”
“Strictly professional, involving one of my clients. It may be a little out of your expertise, but at times another ear helps. And I’m hoping, with your medical background, you can possibly steer me in the right direction.”
“All right. I’ll try.”
Syneda took a deep breath. “I’ve been working with this client who’s been abused by her husband.”
“Physically abused?”
She squinted up at him. “No, emotionally abused.”
Justin nodded knowingly. “Sometimes that’s even worse. Cruel words can hurt just as deeply as any physical blow. Physical wounds can heal pretty quickly. Mental wounds can fester for years.”
“I agree, Justin. My client and her husband have been married a couple of years, and he’s managed to tear down her self-confidence as a woman by convincing her she’s sexually worthless.”
“And she believes him?”
“He’s the only man she’s ever been involved with, so yes, she believes him. And because he’s been successful in convincing her of this, she feels threatened by any other man who tries to get too close.”
“In other words, she’s built a wall around herself.”
“Precisely.”
“Sounds like your client has one hell of a problem, Syneda. Have you advised her to seek professional help?”
“Yes, I’ve tried, but she refuses to listen,” Syneda admitted softly. “To be totally honest with you, Justin, I’m not sure professional help is what she needs right now.”
Justin lifted a brow. “What do you think she needs?”
“Someone caring and concerned enough to prove her husband wrong.”
“Matchmaking isn’t within your profession, but if you feel strongly that’s the answer, I suggest you do your damnedest to get her out of her present situation by speeding up her divorce. Hopefully she’ll be able to rebuild her life. Eventually she’ll meet someone who’ll realize just how special she is.”
Syneda smiled. “Perhaps she has already. She recently moved back to her hometown and has a doctor living close by. In fact, he’s her only neighbor, for miles. The good doctor appears to be interested in her. I just hope he’s smart enough to key in on the fact she needs his help.”
She paused before continuing. “I’ve met him and, although I really don’t know him that well, both my mind and my heart are leading me to believe that he’s a good person, and that he won’t ever intentionally hurt her. I think he’s exactly who she needs now.”
She reached out and touched Justin’s shoulder. “Thanks for being a captive audience. It felt good to talk to someone else about it.”
Justin thought for a long moment before giving her a crooked smile. “You’re welcome. You can bend my ear anytime.”
Syneda nodded. Satisfied. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to mingle. I see a few people I know over there.” She turned to leave.
“Syneda?”
She looked back over her shoulder. “Yes, Justin?”
His eyes met hers directly. “This, ah, client of yours. She sounds like someone who’s really a special person.”
“She is, Justin. She’s a very special person.”
“I hope she knows just what a true friend she has in you.”
“No, Justin, it’s the other way around. I know just what a true friend I have in her. Long ago she was there for me when I was going through a
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