I took in a deep anticipatory breath.

Alyssa kept talking.

“Thing is, that firm actually drew up your granny’s will so they can’t exactly not defend it when it gets contested. And Arnold Weaver may be on a leave of absence due to the sad fact that his wife just passed but he didn’t die with her and Schuller and him have been partners a long time. They’re best buds. And they don’t do shit without there bein’ a consensus between them so when Schuller took this to Weaver, apparently, Weaver lost his ever-lovin’ mind.”

Suddenly, I felt better.

Alyssa continued.

“Weaver went into the offices and he and Schuller dragged Terry in and told her to pack up her desk, she was out. Flies came outta the woodwork then, assistants and paralegals tellin’ the partners that Baginski did to other clients what she did with you, that bein’ pushing a variety of Stone Incorporated crap on them including advising sales of properties and investment of assets and this was because she’d invested and heavily. Now, don’t have any legal knowledge but this didn’t make Weaver or Schuller all that happy so I’m thinkin’ this isn’t a good thing.”

I didn’t have any legal knowledge either so I couldn’t confirm or negate.

“Anyway,” she went on. “Stone got wind of this and walked into the office without an appointment, demanded to see the partners, told them they had to reinstate Terry and take on your uncle’s business or they’d lose his. They asked him where he’d like his files sent.”

“Good God,” I breathed.

“I know,” she agreed. “But, way my client tells it, Stone might be loaded but Weaver and Schuller have pretty much cornered the market on legal counsel in this county. There are a couple ambulance chasers here and there but if you want someone who knows their shit, you go to them.”

I started smiling.

She looked up at me.

I finished smiling and did it big.

“So they called his bluff,” I noted. “What did he do?”

“Blustered, sayin’ he’d inform them who he was goin’ with and took off. He’s only got one real choice. Terry.” The light in her eyes dimmed when she concluded, “And now she needs the work and he’s a big client even if he’s only one so I don’t think this is over for you.”

“But hopefully it means my attorney will phone me,” I replied.

She grinned before looking back to my toes, saying, “Hopefully.”

“Thank you for telling me this, honey,” I said. “And I’ll be discreet about what you shared from your client.”

“Wouldn’t have told you if I didn’t believe that to be true.”

“I’d give you a hug if I wasn’t pretty certain that I’d fall out of the pedicure tub trying to do it.”

She looked up at me and grinned.

I looked into her warm brown eyes and swallowed.

Then I told her, “The best decision I ever made in my life was to give up the life I had and stay in Magdalene.”

Those warm brown eyes got bright and she ordered, her voice husky, “Now, sister, don’t go makin’ me cry. Cuttin’ cuticles and swiping polish may look easy. But it isn’t.”

“Okay, I won’t make you cry.”

“Instead, let me know which outfit of yours I get to borrow for when we go out with you and Dee-Amond to The Eaves tonight.”

These were our plans for the evening. Jake, me and the kids, Alyssa, Junior and their kids and Dee-Amond and his posse at The Eaves. His manager had sorted it. They were setting up a function room for us.

I couldn’t wait.

I smiled and invited, “Come over whenever you can and you can have your pick.”

“I just decided to cancel my last client.”

My smile got bigger. She returned it and then turned her attention to my toes.

I took in a deep breath and let it go.

An hour and a half later, I gave my friend a big tip.

She tried to refuse.

But I refused to let her.

And after that, I finally got to give her my hug.

* * * * *

I tripped on my fabulous Christian Louboutin pump the instant I walked into Jake’s gym.

This was because Jake was in the middle ring wearing loose gray workout pants, boxing shoes, boxing gloves, one of those padded things on his head and nothing else.

And he was slick with wet and sparring with a gentleman I didn’t even look at.

I didn’t look at his sparring partner because I felt a spasm in a nice place and had to concentrate on walking as I moved further into the gym, noting distractedly that it was quite full.

This was something I found a minor marvel, as it was quite full frequently, even now, mid-day, when most people should be working.

It was fuller today because Amond’s entire crew was working punching bags or weights. All except Amond, who had on a very flattering tracksuit but was standing close to the corner of Jake’s ring.

Jake being focused, it was Amond who turned to me and called, “Hey, beautiful.”

I got looks and greetings from the men I knew as I made my way across the gym but I was still concentrating on Jake even as I called, “Hello, Amond.”

I heard Jake grunt a garbled, “Hold,” this being garbled because he had a mouth guard in his mouth.

His partner moved away and Jake turned my way, lifting a glove and spitting the guard into it, his eyes on me, his lips lifting in a smile.

“Yo, Slick,” he called.

“Hello, darling,” I replied.

He met me at the ropes.

Then he did something lovely, bending his big body over the ropes so he could get his face close to mine.

I took his invitation, tipped my head back and lifted a hand to cup the padding of his headgear at his jaw. He touched his mouth to mine and moved back an inch.

It was then I said quietly, “I have news.”

His eyes roamed my face before they locked on mine and he asked, “Yeah?” right when my phone in my purse rang.

“Hang on, honey,” I murmured. “I’m hoping for a call.”

I looked to Amond and gave him a smile before I dug my phone out of my purse, saw a number displayed on it I didn’t know but took the call anyway because that number was local.

“This is Josephine Malone,” I said in greeting.

“Josephine, my dear, this is Arnie.”

I looked to Jake, my lips still curved. “Hello, Arnie.”

Jake’s brows shot up.

“Listen,” Arnie started. “I’d like to begin by apologizing that we haven’t responded to your calls until now. We’ve had some internal issues that needed my attention. But we’ve sorted those out and I just wanted to inform you that I’m aware that Lydia’s will is being contested and I’ll be dealing with this issue personally.”

“Arnie,” I said softly, shifting my eyes to Jake’s chest, deciding that was too distracting a view so I moved them to his feet. “That’s not necessary. In this time—”

“It is, Josephine,” he interrupted me to say. “I drafted that will. It’s sound. I’ve known Lydia for thirty years and know her mind was sound. This is a nuisance lawsuit and I’ll be handling it as a priority.”

I lifted my eyes to Jake’s when I replied, “That gives me much relief, Arnie.”

“If I should need you, my dear, I’ll call. But first allow me to see what I can do when Mr. Malone has found new counsel.”

Faking confusion and hoping I pulled it off, I asked, “New counsel?”

“He was erroneously taken on at Weaver and Schuller. We’ve dealt with that matter and it’s been explained to him he needs to find alternate representation. I’ll let you know when he has and how things will proceed.”

“I’d appreciate that,” I told him.

“And don’t worry, Josephine,” he assured me, his voice low but firm. “As I said, this is a nuisance suit, it’s my top priority and everything will be just as it should be in the end. That being you having what Lydia wished for you to have, Lavender House, her monies and her possessions.”

“Thank you, Arnie,” I said softly.

“My pleasure,” he replied.

“Until we speak again,” I said as my farewell.

“Until then, my dear. Take care.”