Share the road part 2

He paused.

“Come to think of it she was wearing pants today, wasn’t she? Well, her rear end in a pair of slacks is pretty stunning too.”

“Keep it up, you lecher, and I’m telling Kim!”

Ed glanced up.

“Wow, you must really like her. You know I like looking at women, and you’ve never threatened to tell Kim before.”

“Tell me what?”

Ed’s wife had walked in without my hearing her. Kim’s small, delicately pretty, and runs her family with an iron hand in a velvet glove.

“That you’re way too good for him. When are you going to dump this joker and run off to Tahiti with me?”

I made a halfhearted grab at her just to give her an excuse to squeal and jump into Ed’s lap. She giggled as she cuddled up to him.

“When elephants fly, jerk! You’ve been giving me that line since before our wedding, and I keep telling you the same thing. I’d rather have my man who knows he’s lucky to have me than a smartass with delusions of superiority.”

She waved the big rock on her left hand at me.

“Go find your own woman, Ben. This one is all Ed’s and that’s how I like it!”

Ed kissed her, laughing. It was true that we’d been kidding around like this since we had all met in college. Those two were so devoted to each other that no one took it as anything but a joke.

“He’s finally working on it. He was just telling me about his date with Jill Williams last weekend.”

Kim’s eyes widened.

“That blonde who almost caused a riot when she walked into the Bar Association Christmas party in a little cocktail dress? And you call Ed outclassed! How did you manage that?”

“Literally by accident.”

I told them the story about the bike wreck. Kim shook her head when we got to the part about how Jill wasn’t going to see me outside of court while the case was open.

“Well, Ed, you better get it resolved quickly before this poor schnook loses the plot. He’s obviously got it bad. Couldn’t find a more elegant woman to fall for, though. Now come on, I came down here so you guys could take me to lunch.”

Jill called me that evening.

“Well, that was a shock seeing you this morning. What’s this ‘Angus B. McLoughlin’ stuff? I never made the connection.”

“Old family tradition, but if you had a first name like ‘Angus’ you might go by your middle name too. You can imagine what they called me in junior high.”

“I can see that. Look, I can’t tell you how much I regret this, but there’s no way I can go out with you while this case is going on.”

I sighed.

“Yeah, Ed told me about the e-mail. No way around this, is there?”

“I wouldn’t take it if there was. There are lines I can’t cross professionally, and you’re on the wrong side of one of them. Once this case is over with, though, I hope we can pick up where we left off.”

“I hope so too. I’ll keep the first mate slot open.”

“First mate already?”

“Would you prefer galley wench? I need one of those too.”

She laughed.

“First mate it is. I really am sorry about this, Ben.”

“So am I. Talk to you later.”

Ed called me two months later.

“Hey, Angus, your dream girl got the State’s side of the case dismissed. She’s not off limits any more, so you can stop finding excuses to ask me twice a week.”

“Don’t call me Angus, jerk, and don’t poke fun at Jill. Thanks for letting me know, though.”

“Still sensitive about her, eh? Well, enjoy it. She’s a nice gal and a hell of a lawyer.”

Jill called me after work. She sounded nervous.

Ben? It’s Jill Williams. Remember me? I resolved that case, so if you want to get together sometime, it’s not a problem…”

“Hey, that’s great! Want to go sailing this weekend?”

“Love to. Listen, you doing anything tonight?”

“Nothing important. Why?”

“Some of my coworkers dragged me out to a bar to celebrate winning the case and it’s getting old fast. If you want to come pick me up we could hang out a while.”

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

When I got to the bar Jill hugged me, kissed me on the cheek, and dragged me around with her hand firmly in mine to introduce me to a few people before announcing that she was leaving with me. It seemed a little over the top, but why should I complain about her being happy to see me? When we got in the truck it made more sense.

“I hope I wasn’t coming on too strong. Some of those dorks get a couple of drinks in them and think they’re God’s gift to women. Being seen leaving early with a good looking guy is going to save me stress later. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Having a pretty woman pretending I’m her boyfriend? It’s a tough job, but if it’s for a good cause, I guess I can tolerate it. Any side benefits?”

She punched me in the arm.

“Keep hoping! Are you always this full of it?”

“Most of the time. You want to go get dinner?”

“It’s been a long few days getting this case settled, and I have to go to work tomorrow. Would it be OK if we just got some takeout and went to my place? I’m too tired for anything fancy.”

“Fine with me. Szechuan Heaven?”

“Sounds good.”

Her house was simple and neat on the inside with lots of interesting photography she’d done.