The Dying Flame of Love

Yvonne did not come home that night.

The next day, she rang up.

"Got held up last night and didn't make it back. You see the papers on my coffee table? Drop them off at the law firm for me, and hand them to Jamie. I'm not around."

I barely glanced at the coffee table and muttered, "Yeah."

I had just given Jamie the files and was ready to head out when he asked if I wanted to hang around for Yvonne, who was supposedly tied up in a meeting.

It turned out Yvonne was full of it.

As I swung the meeting room door open, there was Yvonne, practically draped over Wade.

She did not spot me—it was Wade who piped up first.

"Dr. Green, what's up? Didn't expect to see you here."

Yvonne, hearing that, scrambled to her feet. Wade, looking a bit caught off guard, shot his arms up.

That was when I noticed her hair tangled up in Wade's wristwatch.

The very watch I had bought for Yvonne.

She had raved about how it was perfect for both guys and girls, but it was sold out everywhere back home.

I went through hoops to get it for her birthday, hoping to win her over. However, she hardly wore it after that. When I asked, she brushed it off, saying she lost it.

Well, it was pretty clear where it ended up.

Yvonne's eyes darted with panic when she saw me, fumbling to free her hair.

"Thomas, it's not what you think. Wade and I were just hashing out a case."

Wade chimed in with a grin, "Exactly. Just a little hiccup I needed Yvonne's help with. Dr. Green, you're not going to sweat the small stuff, right?"

Yvonne sidled up to me, pulling out all her flirty stops.

I was sick to my stomach with her act and called her out on the watch.

She flipped, lashing out at me, "Can't you take a hint when someone's being nice? It's just some lousy watch. I can give it to whoever I please. Why the third degree? You sound like a broken record, whining like that."

Her voice was so loud that the whole office must have heard.

I caught the smirk on Wade's face, but I just gave a composed smile. "No biggie. You said the watch was lost, and here I was thinking some lowlife had swiped it."

The room buzzed with whispers and side-eyes, but I just shrugged it off with a half-smile.

"Keep it up, folks. I'm heading out."

Yvonne was not far behind. She stormed in and chucked a gift box at me like it was a grenade.

Inside? A leather belt, the same brand as the watch, but this one looked extravagant.

"Enough already. It's just a dumb watch. Here's something pricier. Happy now?" she huffed.

I dumped the box on the coffee table, my voice ice, "I don't need your charity."

She mistook my chill for a sulk and softened, a rare sight, plopping down beside me.

"Wade's company mess is done. Now I'm at his divorce gig."

"Divorce?" That caught me off-guard. Wade, of all people, splitting from his loaded wife?

"Yep. His wife cheated, and her boy toy roughed him up. Wade called me to bail him out. She's way out of line. I have to snag him a bigger slice of the pie. It's strictly business between us."

'Sure, they're close like that, so of course helping out makes sense,' I figured.

I stood. "Whatever it is, it's none of my business."

She clutched at me, "Cut the act. I'm being nice here. No more games."

I glared at her. "Got too much time on your hands, Yvonne?"

With that, I headed for my room.

She did not see that coming. Fury lit her up like a firecracker.

She grabbed the gift box and hurled it at my back, a perfect hit. "Playing hard to get? You're pathetic. If you're so tough, let's get a divorce!"

I froze, then spun around. "You want a divorce? You got it."