Legally Addicted - By Lena Dowling Page 0,62

notes into Cherie’s hand and she slipped them into her handbag. ‘I probably shouldn’t say this, Cherie, but I will anyway. Don’t go back to him when he tries to win you round, and based on his previous form, I believe that he will.’

‘He won’t. It’s over.’

Cherie had folded her arms over her chest but her voiced sounded a note of uncertainty.

‘You’d know better than me on that, Cherie. But just in case he comes in here all smiles saying it has all just been a misunderstanding and asking you to come home, be ready. Know what you want, okay?’

Forty minutes later Pete Buckland and a female lawyer, who looked like she had put herself through law school with a sideline in runway modelling, stood in the conference room. Buckland rushed at his kids, bending down to hug them, then looked in the direction of his wife and hung his head. He kicked at the carpet with his shoe.

‘Can you all give Cherie and me a moment alone?’ Buckland asked, looking up at them.

‘Cherie, are you okay with this?’ Georgia asked her client.

‘Sure. It will be fine,’ she said, waving off her legal representation.

Outside the conference room, Buckland’s lawyer loitered a discreet distance away from Georgia and Brad as they waited to be reinvited to join their clients.

Brad leaned back against the wall, gently tapping his head back against it a couple of times, releasing a sound of frustration from the back of his throat.

‘She’s going to go back to him, you know that, don’t you, Georgia?’

‘I know. No need to take an office sweepstake on it, it’s almost a certainty.’

Brad pulled himself back off the wall, standing up straight.

‘I hate those things.’

‘You just gave Cherie money.’

‘That was different. She didn’t ask for it.’

‘Like me, you mean,’ Georgia said, unable to keep a note of bitterness out of her voice. She knew it was inflammatory but she couldn’t help it. Brad clearly had one rule for his kind of people and one for the rest.

Brad shook his head.

‘This isn’t the time or the place, Georgia.’

‘No, probably not. But it doesn’t change the fact. I don’t understand you.’

‘I’m not getting into this here. You had your chance to discuss this and you chose to leave, remember.’

A lump formed in Georgia’s throat. It was the first time she and Brad had even come close to discussing what had happened between them, and now that the subject had been broached the feeling was even more raw than she expected. He had refused to support her in something he had to know was important to her. She had opened up to him about her background and he had chosen to ignore that, putting some stupid funding protocol ahead of her, but she said nothing. Brad was right; now, in the middle of refereeing another couple’s relationship difficulties was not the time to get into theirs.

She and Brad spent the next ten minutes in strained silence until the supermodel solicitor finally approached them.

‘Pete just texted me. He and Cherie are ready for us to come in now.’

Back in the conference room, Pete Buckland smiled broadly.

‘It’s all sorted. Cherie and the kids are coming home with me.’

‘And what does she get in return?’ Georgia asked.

‘She’s got my word,’ Buckland responded.

‘That doesn’t seem to have counted for much in the past. I think it’s time Cherie got more surety than just your word.’

‘What are you proposing, Georgia?’ Brad asked, sounding curious.

‘A settlement agreement that starts at the statutory entitlement and rises with any future indiscretions. An insurance policy, if you will, for Cherie, against your word proving unreliable, Mr Buckland.’

‘That won’t be necessary,’ Buckland’s solicitor said, but Georgia ignored her, turning to Cherie.

‘What do you think, Mrs Buckland?’

Cherie nodded enthusiastically.

‘I think that sounds like a good idea.’

‘That is ridiculous. I’m not signing that. And my solicitor says I don’t have to,’ Buckland whined.

‘And you don’t have to. It’s completely unorthodox and probably unenforceable,’ Buckland’s solicitor said, trying again to bury Georgia’s idea.

Buckland folded his arms.

‘See, I’m not signing it.’

‘Why not, Mr Buckland? If you’re planning on keeping your word and if your lawyer is right and it wouldn’t stand up to judicial scrutiny, why wouldn’t you just sign it anyway to keep your wife happy. Worried you won’t be able to keep your promise after all?’

‘I’m not signing it and that’s that. It’s stupid, that’s all. Cherie knows I love her.’

‘Does she? Really? What part of your recent conduct would give her that idea?’

‘Georgia.’

Brad’s voiced sounded a