The judge gave her a slow, thoughtful nod.
“That’s ridiculous, Judge. She’s provided the expected answer,” Brad muttered. “If she said anything else, she’d destroy her case.”
“Mr. Steele, I’m going to say this one last time. Shut. Your. Mouth.”
Brad pursed his lips, nearly sending Cassie into a fit of giggles. For a moment, he resembled a contrite child that she half expected to kick and launch into a tantrum. Oh, how sweet victory was.
But as he wadded up a piece of paper, his expression cleared to cool and impassive. He leaned back in his chair, seemingly unaffected by the judge’s harsh reprimand.
“I’ve heard enough for the time being,” Judge Larker continued, swinging his attention back to Cassie and her client. “Ms. Blaire, I am going to keep this matter under consideration as it relates to the parenting plan. However, Mrs. Cooper, I am bound by regulations to have Mr. Cooper’s claims investigated further. Let’s keep it as simple and non-threatening as possible. We’ll assign a guardian and a child psychologist, who will both meet with Anna in your home, where she’s comfortable. We’ll go from there, pending the results.”
Cassie expelled a quiet sigh as Jennifer nodded. Relief flooded through her. She couldn’t ask for more from the judge; ethics demanded he look into the accusations. But he didn’t have to separate the two processes. Still she couldn’t quite claim victory. No doubt Miles would find another means of dragging things out if this tactic failed.
“Your Honor,” Brad said. “You can’t exclude one from the other. And you’ve tied our hands until the results are presented. Nothing can move forward or resolve. I’d like to conclude this case as quickly as possible.”
A traitorous flicker of hope burst behind Cassie’s ribs. She darted a glance at Brad. Did he want it resolved so they might be able to sort things out between them? Don’t be foolish, Cassie. You’re only setting yourself up for disappointment. His argument was likely just jockeying for position.
When he refused to make eye-contact with her, she knew the truth behind his request. The sooner he wrapped this case up, the sooner he could claim his partnership. Her heart twisted painfully with the realization.
“It’s my courtroom, Mr. Steele. I can do as I wish, within the boundaries of the law. And I assure you, this is within bounds.” He pushed away from the bench and rose. “Good afternoon, counselors. I will notify you both when a guardian has been appointed.”
Through blurring vision, Cassie stood as Judge Larker exited the courtroom. When the bailiff dismissed them, Brad stalked out, long, purposeful strides carrying him out of the room. And, she suspected, entirely out of her life. She couldn’t blame him this time. She’d landed the felling blow to what remained between them by using his email to her advantage.
“Cassie, thank you.” Jennifer caught her in a sideways hug.
“Of course,” she murmured. Her heart was a small sacrifice compared to Anna’s suffering.
Chapter Twenty-six
Cassie dropped her leather satchel at the front door, toed off her heels, and wriggled out of her jacket the minute she entered her house. Immersing herself at the office for the rest of the day hadn’t done a thing to keep Brad out of her thoughts or make coming home any easier. Contrary to the last week of constant text messages, her phone had become ominously silent. Proof she’d completely destroyed any possibility of reconciliation. Not that she really wanted to reconcile. The man defied arrogant, selfish jerk.
If she could just convince her heart of the truth, things would be so much easier.
She trudged to the kitchen, took last night’s bottle of wine out of the fridge, and poured a half glass. She needed a hot bath—one of the few places in her house that didn’t hold memories of Brad was the bathroom. Lord knew she’d never go near the hot tub again. But a hot bath would make relaxing easier. Along with the wine. Then, maybe, she’d actually get some sleep. She’d changed her master bedroom sheets this morning. At least she couldn’t smell him when she closed her eyes anymore.
God, she’d been so foolish. She’d known she would get attached to him. She should have refused to let him come over the second night. But no, like a naive teenager, she’d given in because it was impulsive and passionate and she’d never had any of that before. Now she’d wear the scars he left behind. Why, why couldn’t she just shove him out of her memory?