Breach Of Promise

“What about the women?” Nina asked.

“With the right approach, barring a hard-sell leader from the opposition, the women can be persuaded to stick with our side. One problem we’re left with is not to antagonize the men. We’ll talk more about that before the trial. Oh, and here’s another point suggested by one of the shadow jurors: We might hint that maybe Mike would have failed without Lindy. After all, before he met her, he wasn’t doing well at all.”

Nina said, “That’s good. I hadn’t thought of that. You’ve done a nice job, Genevieve. Let’s talk more after I get a chance to read the whole thing.”

“I second that motion. Hey, Ge

Genevieve said, “Give me ten minutes. I have to find something I stuck away somewhere under all the garbage on my desk.”

“I’ll wait, then.”

“You brought me over this morning. You better wait.” She went to her desk in the corner and sifted through the disorder.

“Well, I’d better go now if I’m going to catch Bob’s basketball game over at the school,” Nina said, checking her watch. “Bye.” She went out to the parking lot of the empty building and started feeling around in her purse. No keys. She must have left them on her desk. She walked rapidly back and down the long dark hallway to her office and found them. Now that she was here, she decided she might as well pick up Lindy’s deposition to take with her, but after a cursory search, she couldn’t find it. Maybe Winston had a copy she could borrow.

Without knocking on the door to his office, she opened it and looked inside. Letting out a yelp, she jumped backward.

Winston had Genevieve on the ground, her body pressed down on the rug below him. Her arms looped around his neck, and her skirt had worked its way up to the top of her thighs.

It was some kiss.

14

Nina watched Bob’s basketball game without seeing much. Her mind’s eye was stuck on the image of Winston and Genevieve on the rug. They had jumped up when she came in, offering a weak apology that had done nothing to ease the jolt they had given her. She hadn’t realized they were involved with each other-in that way. They weren’t kids! They should have known not to carry on at the office.

Blanching at the the piercing sound of squeaking shoes, she sat in the bleachers beside the other parents in the gym, shouting, whistling, and stomping when the others did. She had brought the team snack, and after they won their third victory in a row, the boys ran for her and she slapped the fruit drinks and miniature bagels she had picked up on the way into their clammy hands.

At home, Bob showered and changed. Nina picked up a friend of his and dropped them at the movies, then headed for Caesar’s and the long elevator ride to Paul’s digs on the tenth floor.

She knocked three times before getting an answer.

“Well, look who’s here,” said Paul.

No smile. No embrace.

He opened the door wide. He wore gray athletic shorts and he was drying his hair with a towel. Humid air from the shower floated into the hall.

“Can I come in?”

He stepped aside, beckoning. “Take a seat,” he said. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Whatever you’re having.”

“That would be straight whiskey, then.”

“Fine.”

He poured her a glass from the pint bottle on the table and handed it over, then sat down across from her, wrapping the towel around his shoulders so he looked like a model in a men’s wear ad, right down to his trendily surly expression. He must have been working out on the Nautilus machines in the health club several floors down.

“I’m sorry,” said Nina.

“Are you,” said Paul.

“I don’t know why I’ve been in such a mood. In my own defense, I can only say I was insane.”

“The insanity defense never works in California. You’ll have to do better than that.”

“You have a right to your opinion of the case. I know you’ll do a good job for me either way.”

Paul took a longer drink than usual. She took that to mean he needed fortifying. He hadn’t forgiven her yet. “What’s bothering you?”

“Right now, your shirtless self. The smell of soap wafting off of your body. The tan line where your socks usually stop.”

The shadow of a smile flickered on his face. “Don’t stop there.”

“Can we start over, please?”

Paul gave his hair a final thoughtful ruffling with the towel, and she thought she could see satisfaction in his eyes. He was enjoying this uncustomarily abject attitude of hers.

Well, fine. He had a right. “I need you,” she said. “Not just for the investigation, but to talk to, Paul.”

“I ought to tape this,” Paul said, throwing his towel on the floor, and she could see from the diminished tension in his body he had eased up. “Then I’ll play it back next time you get going on me. You get so self-righteous. Because you’re invested in a cause, everybody close to you has to rally around to your side. Well, that’s not always going to happen. Some of us prefer to maintain some detachment.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call you detached.”

“Ah ah ah,” Paul said, wagging his finger at her. “Don’t blow it now. Tell me some more about my tan line.” He looked down at his ankles and laid a dopey grin on her. She laughed.

“I’ve made my speech.”

“Okay, then,” Paul said. He got up and sat down beside her, on the bed. “Fill me in. How’s it going?”

“Well, I saw something this afternoon. Winston and Genevieve kissing in my offices.”

“Ah. You didn’t like that.”

“I have to question their judgment, that’s for sure.”

“Those kids.”

“Exactly. They aren’t kids. This isn’t hormones, it’s folly. Now, I know things get intense when you work closely with people. I don’t object to their fling. Just…”

“You’d prefer they play in their own backyard.”

“Exactly. And it doesn’t help that we had a meeting today where I finally saw the clashing between our styles clearly. Winston and Genevieve are only interested in tactics. Maybe they’re too big-city for me. They’re taking over, and I don’t like their-their cynicism. I feel ganged up on sometimes.”

“They’re not hard to understand. They’re in it for the money. Just like you, right?”

“No, I’m not,” she said. “It’s an important legal case with important issues.”

“And important money,” Paul said.

She kept her mouth shut to stave off any further talk on the matter. Kneeling down in front of her, he slipped her shoes off and began massaging her stockinged foot. “Listen, Nina. If you don’t like the way things are going, fire Romeo and Juliet. You’re the boss. Go it alone.”

“Not possible at this point. With the trial just around the corner, I need them. Besides, they do seem to know more than I do about this whole jury business. It makes me mistrust my own judgment…” His hands kneading her feet sent radiant heat coursing up her legs.

“Ah, who cares what they do on the rug after-hours,” she said. Her voice trailed off.

Paul got up and stood behind her. Taking a long strand of her hair, he curled it around his finger. His hands pulled gently at her jacket, and took it off. Immediately his thumbs pressed deeply into her shoulders as he began working the tight muscles around her neck. She sighed as her tension melted away at his touch. Her head drooped forward.

Paul took the drink from her hand and put it on the table.

“I find…” he said, continuing a mesmerizing circling motion at the center of her shoulder blades, “it’s always a good idea…” His fingers moved inside the top of her blouse. “When things look a little bleak…” They began a slow, gentle journey from the back of her neck. “I need to forget my troubles…” Settling in to explore the vicinity in front. “Lie down for a little while. Now, doesn’t that sound like a fine idea?” The hazy twilight had faded, and his hands appeared to ignite as they touched her skin, his tan against her pale.