Free Falling Read Free Page B

together in
bewilderment. “Alex, do you know this man?”
    Alex sighed mightily. “It’s him,” she said
sarcastically. “Father’s future partner at the firm.”
    “Oh,” Free said knowingly. So this was the
guy Alex lived to hate.
    “I have the distinct impression that what
you’ve heard isn’t flattering, Ms. Renzetti,” Jake suggested in a
sexy drawl that made even Free shiver.
    “Let’s just say that it doesn’t bear
repeating,” she told him politely.
    “This situation represents a stark breach of
ethics,” Alex said coolly.
    “I don’t see how,” Larsen countered.
    “No one ever accused you of being quick on
your feet, Jake. This is a definite conflict of interest. We’re
both from the same law firm and our clients are on opposing
sides.”
    Alex’s reply made sense to Free, but then she
wasn’t legally inclined.
    “Well, I suppose if you have a problem, Alex,
you’ll just have to bow out.”
    “I don’t think so.” Her tone was icy.
    “In that case, I say we get this disagreement
negotiated.”
    “There’s nothing to negotiate,” Mac
interjected brusquely. “It’s my property. I have every right to ct
down that tree if I so choose.”
    “Over my dead body,” Free retorted, meeting
his steel-melting gaze with lead in her own.
    “That can be arranged,” Mac muttered.
    Jake held up his hands to stop them. “There’s
got to be some way we can compromise.” He turned to Mac. “What
exactly is your problem with the tree?”
    “Magnolias continually loose their leaves and
I don’t want to deal with the mess.” He shrugged. “I like things a
certain way and that tree doesn’t fit into the plan.”
    “You’re not cutting it down,” Free stated
simply.
    “What if,” Alex said slowly, seeming to
consider her words carefully before she continued, “you leave the
tree standing—”
    “No way.” Mac shook his head. “The tree
goes.”
    “Just hear me out, McFerrin.”
    Several tense seconds ticked by before Mac
finally relented with a slight nod.
    “You leave the tree standing as long as Free
agrees to rake up the leaves, blossoms, and the seed pods on a
regular basis.”
    “That would work,” Free chimed in. “The tree
would be safe and you wouldn’t have to worry about the mess.”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Sounds like a good compromise, Mac,” Jake
said and then added, “and if at any time Ms. Renzetti fails to live
up to her end of the bargain, you could still cut down the
tree.”
    Free held her breath as she waited for his
decision, fingers and toes crossed. Bare toes, she noted. Phil
hadn’t given her time to get her shoes.
    Mac sighed long and deep. He looked from the
two attorneys to Free, his gaze lingering on her for a
breath-stealing moment. That odd awareness passed between them once
more.
    There was something about him, she decided.
Something she couldn’t quite separate from the anger and arrogance
he radiated.
    “All right, I can live with that if she
can.”
    “I can,” Free said quickly. Her smile faded
as uneasiness stole over her for the second time that day. An
uneasiness that felt suspiciously like attraction. What on earth
made her think that she could live with any solution that involved
seeing more of this man?
     
     
     

Chapter Two
     
    Free rubbed the thick, sticky residue of
paint and remover from the intricately carved nineteenth-century
mantel. The mahogany beneath the numerous layers of paint would
finish out beautifully and would replace the badly damaged mantel
in the parlor of the LeMont house. Mrs. LeMont had been thrilled
when Free was able to find an exact match to the other four mantels
in her sprawling Victorian mansion.
    Refinishing these old pieces gave Free almost
as much pleasure as finding them did. Thomas had taught her to
relish the hunt and savor the restoration. Free sighed and laid her
steel wool aside. She removed the protective gloves and tossed them
onto the worktable as well.
    Thomas. She missed her old