Dirty Rotten Tendrils Read Free

those nasty jokes are about. He lies, stalls, grand-stands, and cheats, and somehow he manages to get away with it because he wins huge settlements for his clients. Trust me, Marco. Lipinski will do everything in his power to turn this lawsuit into a major media event.”
    “And Dave will do everything in his power to keep that from happening,” Marco countered. He had done private investigative work for Dave and, like me and many others, came to know Dave for the hardworking, honest, decent man he was.
    “I’m afraid he’ll be fighting a losing battle, Marco. Dave usually refuses to take a case when Lipinski is on the other side, but this time he was hired before he knew who the opposing counsel was. Now he’s stuck.”
    Marco took a swallow of coffee. “Why doesn’t he withdraw his appearance?”
    “Because the Chappers have been with him for a long time, and he wouldn’t do that to loyal clients. Have you noticed that Dave hasn’t been himself lately, like something’s weighing on his mind? Maybe it’s his caseload. Being a public defender is never an easy job, and with the crime rate rising, he’s busier than ever. Or maybe he’s having some kind of midlife crisis. Whatever it is, having to deal with the Lip in a big, splashy civil case isn’t going to help him any.”
    “I thought Dave’s client was a young guy—Cody Verse’s high school buddy,” Marco said, heading for the bar. “Sure I can’t get you some coffee?”
    “No coffee, thanks. And technically, yes, Dave’s client is Andrew Chapper, one half of the former Chapper and Verse duo. Andrew’s grandparents have been with Dave since he first hung out his shingle. They’re the ones who brought Andrew to see Dave. Apparently, they raised Andrew after his parents died in a car accident.”
    Marco rejoined me at the window carrying a full coffee mug. He put his arm around me, and I leaned my head on his shoulder. Dave had helped me many times during my struggle to stay afloat in law school and often since then. I would do whatever I could to pay him back.
    “I wish I could help Dave somehow,” I said with a sigh. “Proving that Andrew cowrote the winning song is going to be tough. And who knows? It might not even get that far. If the judge rules in Lipinski’s favor on his motion to dismiss, it’s all over. Case closed. Andrew loses.”
    Marco nuzzled my ear. “It’s not all bad news today, Sunshine. We’ve got something to celebrate, remember? Your engagement ring should be resized and ready to wear.”
    Oh, right. About that . . .
    With the corners of his mouth curving in that sexy way of his, he lifted my left hand to his lips to kiss my fingers. “What do you say I pick it up and give it to you at dinner tonight?”
    “Marco, we need to talk.”

CHAPTER TWO

    S eeing the flicker of dismay in Marco’s gaze, I paused. Obviously I hadn’t phrased that right. Still, considering all we’d been through together, he couldn’t possibly doubt my commitment to him, could he?
    Yet I had to keep in mind that being a fiancé was new territory for Marco, whereas I was familiar with the topography. I was engaged to Pryce Osborne II, the elder son of a preeminent New Chapel family, while attending my first and only year of law school. When the law school gave me the boot, so did my fiancé. The Osbornes didn’t want the stain of my failure on their name.
    Naturally, an experience like that could cause me to have a few scary thoughts about the forthcoming nuptials. But as I had to impress upon Marco, I wasn’t doubting my decision to marry him, only the wisdom of spreading the news at this particular time. I just had to convince Marco that keeping the news to ourselves was in his best interest, too.
    It wouldn’t be easy. We’d picked out a beautiful half-carat diamond, and he was justifiably proud of it. And in truth, keeping our secret wasn’t what I would have preferred, either. I couldn’t wait to wear the ring and announce to the