Games of the Heart (The 'Burg #4)(179)

Then he made a decision.

“How’s the job?” he asked and watched her blink and her head twitch.

“What?” she asked back softly.

“You told me you got a new job and it’s a lot of pressure. How’s that going?”

She held his eyes but did it licking her lips and her own eyes got bright before she pulled in another visible breath to control the threatening tears and she spoke. “It’s tough but I’m off probation so that’s good. And they know they can call me to do overtime or help out with other lawyers if someone’s sick and they can’t get a temp or something. So, it’s going great, I guess.”

“Good,” he muttered. “The apartment?”

“Cuts my commute from forty-five minutes to twenty.”

“Right,” Mike said.

“I like it,” she whispered. “It’s roomier and better made so it’s quieter.”

Mike nodded.

Then he informed her, “I don’t want Rees at fifteen years old four hours away in Chicago. She and I have talked about it and she doesn’t want to be that far away either. We’re hopin’ for the school in Indianapolis. It’s fifteen hundred dollars less a semester and won’t require settin’ her up in a living situation. I know the Chicago school is better but she’s too young to be that far away. She wants to think of a transfer the year after that or for her senior year, we’ll consider it. But she can’t even drive so that’s not gonna happen this year and she’s happy with that.”

Audrey nodded and said quietly, “Good because I agree. I was worried about her in Chicago by herself.”

Fucking shit, who was this woman?

He didn’t ask that.

He kept going. “Since she’s in-state for the Indy school, the scholarship opportunities are better. This money,” he tipped his head to the check, “if she gets those scholarships, will go a long way.”

“Then that’s good,” she replied.

“What I’m sayin’ is, she gets those scholarships, it’ll cut but it won’t cut deep. You need this money?”

“It’s your money, Mike,” she reminded him.

“I know, Audrey. I get that. That isn’t what I asked. You’re you and you’re goin’ from a Mercedes and a closet full of designer shit to…whatever you can afford now. Is this gonna be a problem for you now or down the road? Because if it is, I can cover Clarisse because the way it stands with those scholarships, this check would cover near on two years of tuition.”

“Then use some of it to buy No a new car,” she returned. “He told me what happened to his and even before those kids did that to it, that car was a disaster.”

Fucking shit, who the f**k was this woman?

“Audrey –”

She leaned forward and cut him off. “This is your money, Mike, you worked hard for it. I told you I was learning some things about myself and I am. And learning about me I’ve looked back and realized some things about you. And that is, you were happy to work hard for our family to give us a good life and to give our children what they need. You always provided that and if you take that check and use it on Clarisse or Jonas or however you want to use it, you’re doing that. It just makes it a lot less hard in the short run.”

He stared at her and informed her, “I gotta say, Audrey, you’re shockin’ the shit outta me right about now.”

She leaned back and replied on a murmur, “Well, finally I’m doing it in a way that’s not bad.”

Mike couldn’t hold it back. He burst out laughing. When he was done she was looking at him and smiling a hesitant smile.

His amusement faded and he said quietly, “I hope this shit sticks.”

She pressed her lips together before noting, “I do too.”

Christ, there it was. There it f**king was. Jesus. She was trying, finally genuinely trying and she hoped just like he did that she didn’t f**k it up.

Jesus.

He nodded, reached out and took the check. Then he pulled out his wallet and shoved it inside.

“Mike?” he heard her call as he was pushing his wallet back into his inside blazer pocket.

His eyes went to her. “Yeah?”

“I’ve, uh…been asked out on a date. By an attorney in another firm who was working a case joint with our firm.” When he made no reply she finished, “I thought that, um…you should know just in case something comes of it and I need to tell the kids or introduce them to him.”

“Pleased for you, Audrey,” Mike said softly and got another hesitant smile.

“Yeah, he’s kind of cute,” she whispered and Mike smiled back.

Then he told her, “But he’s a lawyer so he’s probably got some ass**le in him. Be careful.”

“Been working with them long enough, I get that better than you,” she replied her smile still there, still hesitant but less so.

Mike nodded.

“You have to go,” she reminded him.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

She held his eyes and didn’t move.

Then she whispered, “I love our kids.”

“I’m not only glad you finally figured that out, I’m glad you figured out how to show them.”