Legal Legacy (Surrendering Charlotte Chronicles) by Kimball Lee Read Free Book Online Page A

can’t buy an alcoholic beverage, it sucks doesn’t it? You and I are old enough to vote, go to war and die for our country, but we’re too young to drink. And that ‘freaky song man’ is the legendary Neil Diamond, an absolute oldie and maybe only a legend in his own mind. He was a chart-topper in the sixties and seventies and even though my mom loves elevator music she is not a fan of his.”
    “Alright, alright! Let’s have a little karaoke sing along before we light the candles on our distinguished mayor’s birthday cake. Now, my dear friend Beatrice tells me there is a couple here tonight who are hopelessly in love and I’d be willing to bet that Romeo is dying to serenade his Juliette. Where is he, who can spot a man in love? Beatrice says he’s movie star handsome and extremely tall and in the mood to sing a groovy rockin’ favorite to Skyler,” the singer said and Atticus wondered if there was a back entrance so he could get the hell out of there. But Sky waved her hand in the air and two burly security guards appeared and escorted Atticus to the raised platform where Mr. Diamond tapped his white patent leather shoe in time with his gray-haired band members.
    “Okay, alright! Here is, what’s your name buddy? There you have it, here’s Atticus Hale and he’s gonna sing my blockbuster hit from 1966, “Cherry Cherry”! The microphone’s all yours Atticus, good luck!”
    “ Neil Diamond, damn,” Atticus said studying the singer who wore thick theatrical makeup along with his hairpiece. A monitor overhead displayed the song lyrics and Atticus wondered why the hell it couldn’t have been a Rolling Stones song or a bluesy Al Green classic. He tapped on the microphone, cleared his throat and said, “My mother got me hooked on oldies when I was a kid but I think the last time I heard Neil Diamond was on my grandmother’s radio… well, it was a long time… never mind. It’s guaranteed that I’ll make a fool of myself with this song, but I’d do anything for Skyler. So listen up, Sky, this is a once in a lifetime event!”
    Skyler laughed and covered her face with her hands when the song started but she loved him more each minute as he circulated through the crowd singing that utterly ridiculous cheese-ball song. He stopped in front of her and ran his fingers over the lovely angles of her face as he belted out the song with the all the party-goers cheering and echoing the lyrics.
    “ Baby loves me, yes, yes she does, ah, the girl’s outta sight, yeah! Says she loves me, yes, yes she does, gonna show me tonight, yeah! She got the way to move me, Cherry, she got the way to move me, all right! Tell your mama, girl, we can’t stay long, we got things we gotta catch up on! Mmm, you know, you know what I’m saying, can’t stand still while the music is playin’! You ain’t got no right, no, no you don’t, ah, to be so exciting! Won’t need bright lights, no, no we won’t, gonna make our own lightning! She got the way to move me, Cherry, she got the way to move me, Cherry baby! ”
    Atticus handed the microphone to Neil and bowed to the guests in the bar who were clapping and hooting and begging him to sing another song. He hugged Skyler so tight that he lifted her off the floor as she kissed every inch of his face and he whispered in her ear, “If that doesn’t prove that I love you then nothing will!”
    Skyler knew it was cowardly but she left Atticus sated and sleeping soundly later that night, she decided it was best to make a clean break of it. She’d been getting frantic texts from Ava for hours telling her that all the men in their lives had lost their fucking minds. Alex had returned to San Diego and informed her and Jack and Amanda that Atticus and Holden were dropping out of the Naval Academy to start SEAL training. It was a great blow to her and her mother. JP had lived his life as an operative, he had cloaked himself in the cocky assurance that he was invincible, which was sadly