How Do You Help A Friend Who's Being Bled Dry By The Lawyers (And Your Ex)?

Day 191 of The Andie Chronicles

"An hour, that's all I ask." 

James was at the point of begging me to go shopping with him. "You know they won't be open much longer anyway. Then we can get a bite and head home." 

All I wanted to do was go home, call Cooper and figure out when we would next see each other. But I could see the sincere desperation in James' eyes. My friend needed me. And once he told me he needed a shirt for his court appearance, something muted and respectful, and he valued my opinion over everyone else's, I couldn't say no. 

We walked down from the top of Collins Street to the Bourke St Mall. We passed all the designer stores, one where James usually insisted on buying his latest threads. 

"Why aren't we stopping?" I questioned him as we waltzed past Louis Vuitton and as quickly past Dior. 

"We're going to the men's section in Myer. They're having a sale."

"We're going bargain hunting?" 

I had no objections to bargain hunting at all. In fact, I loved it. The Camberwell second-hand market was my spiritual home, and I didn't have the money to buy everything designer. Or anything designer, for that matter. 

And every time I put on the fashions Taylor bought me to impress the office, I wreaked with guilt. But this was James' shopping adventure, and he shared a different shopping policy than mine. 

"I can't afford a designer shirt today, babe." James kept his head down as we powered toward the mall.

"I don't have any problems with that, but what has changed?" It wasn't like James was paying me rent. He rarely paid for transport either. I was missing a piece of the puzzle. 

"Lawyers cost money." He started to walk faster, almost trotting away from the European names adorning the building windows. 

"I thought you were using the in-house lawyers." 

"Your ex has started docking me for the hours spent on my case." Why was he always my ex? I knew it was my fault for dating him, but I didn't want him touching our business, nor did I suggest we mix finances with him. He may have been my ex, but this shitstorm he was causing had nothing to do with me. 

And I despised him for being my ex as he was in the process of robbing my friend blind. The Douglas Gallo I knew would have sold James on helping him win this case. And then screwed him when he presented the bill later.

"Well, we had better find something pretty cheap then." 

As we entered Myer, James took us straight to the women's section, to a line of designer dresses on a sea of mannequins. "What do you think of these designs?"

"Fine, great. Why?" 

"Maybe you should take some pictures. Take some notes." I studied James' demeanour, who was producing his phone and toggling to the camera. "Yes, this is the perfect inspo for Highway."

"Should I take pictures?" 

James turned to me. "Fuck I hate working for that man. He keeps making me do his dirty work, like telling you we need more dresses in the collection after your meeting yesterday." 

God, my ex sucked. 

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You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.

By the way, this all started when Andie turned thirty-five, and her then-boyfriend didn’t call her.

Or the day after that.

Or the day after that, too. 

Everything started to unravel when her BFFs got into bed with her ex, too… ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

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A little lost on what’s happening at 1 Lovelock Drive?

Well, you see, Andie’s break-up started back in February and so much has happened since then. These stories will help you catch right up! xx

Day 93: Tales Of Lawyer Money And Liars Who Don’t Tell You Anything