Tristan's Loins Read Online Free

questioned that.
Nah, she figured she earned it, knowing he only bought it out of
his guilt over his affair with Ginny.
    Once she was ready, she grabbed her coat,
purse, and keys and left her second-story apartment for the lot
below. She got in her year-old BMW convertible and smiled. Jim
wanted the car back too. Well, too bad. He wanted out; he could pay
that off. She was not giving in. She knew she held out in some hope
he would come to his senses. The car was nice, but it did not
matter as much to her as her marriage.
    That demand ought to put Jim into a tailspin.
Coming up with the sum to buy her out of the house, their stocks,
and other assets had nearly cleaned him out. Paying off the car
would break him, she knew. It was unlike her to be so unreasonable,
but it was all she had to fight with now. That and the frail hope
some glimmer of love for her lingered within him.
    Selene was determined not to touch the
settlement money. It was her nest egg. Her annual salary was barely
fifty thousand. She would have to budget carefully now. Before, her
money was her own to do as she would with. Jim paid all the house
bills, her car note, the credit cards. She had her whole paycheck
to herself. Not anymore. Now she would have to justify every
expense.
    Selene pulled into the office building on
Beach Street with a shiver of apprehension. Her attorney was
probably already there talking with Jim's attorney, who also
happened to be the best man at their wedding. Talk about awkward.
Now the man was handling their divorce. Russell Wentz was a friend
to both of them. Selene did not take it personally that Russell
took Jim's case. In this economy, most attorneys could not afford
not taking cases.
    Selene looked at her appearance in the
rearview mirror, satisfied she looked good despite her
apprehension. For a thirty-two year old, she still looked pretty,
damn good. Maybe not as good as Ginny; her husband's twenty-four
year old girlfriend, but she still got her share of looks from men.
All of the self-loathing of hers would pass. Jim was hardly the end
of the line for her. The hurt would go away one day. Thank God,
they had never had children. It was one thing she was grateful. She
was the one who wanted a house full of kids. Jim had vetoed that
right after he took his Bar exam.
    Jim said they would wait until he was
established. Now she was nearly in her mid-thirties and childless
and he walked out on her. It was hard not to feel resentment. Now
he would have kids with Ginny. Try as she might, tears burned in
the back of her eyes.
    Selene went inside. Her attorney, Laura
Benson, greeted her with a warm smile. She looked pleased after
speaking with Russell. Laura was about her age with a short, smart
cut and a perfect lipstick smile. Her professional demeanor
softened somewhat to see Selene's nervousness. She knew Laura
empathized.
    "Russell and I hammered out all the
particulars already," Laura said softly as she drew her into a
private waiting room off the lobby. "Jim agreed to pay off the car,
Selene. He just wants you to sign off today. We do not have to go
in there. It's all worked out."
    Selene nodded, relieved Jim would do that
much. "He argued it last time. I was prepared for a fight
today."
    "No, he says you deserve it. He brought in
the payoff for the car and your settlement with him today. I urge
you to accept this, Selene." They sat at the table. Her brown eyes
were compassionate as she opened her briefcase and removed a file.
"If this goes before the judge, you could get much less. With no
kids, and you being gainfully employed during the whole marriage;
the judge won't give you such a nice chunk of money."
    "Why is Jim being so amicable now?" Selene
was suddenly wary. "This is an about face."
    "I assume it is because he wants this over
with quickly." Laura shrugged. "Who cares? You walk away from this
marriage with two hundred and fifty thousand in cash, the car, and
he pays all your legal fees. You also have no debt to assume