Harley Jane Kozak - A Date You Cant Refuse

Also by Harley Jane Kozak

Dating Dead Men
Dating Is Murder
Dead Ex

For Mary Kozak Coen
Big sister, tough cookie, pilgrim soul

you must be generous to double agents.

Sun Tzu, The Art of War

M embers of the jury, have you reached a verdict? When Judge Roberto Cohen spoke, the fate of Western civilization hung in the balance. Or so it seemed. Judge Cohen had a voice like Moses must've had, resonant with significance and authority. He pushed his bifocals up his nose and stared at us.

In the back row of the jury box, Mimi, the foreperson, stood and spoke in little more than a whisper. We have, Your Highness. She stopped, stricken. Your Honor, I mean.

To my left, Jeremy, juror number eight, snorted.

I laughed. The last thing I wanted was to incur the wrath of Moses of Santa Monica, but I have no defenses against snorts. I struggled with my laughter, trapped it in my nose, and by some physiological fortuity turned it into a sneeze. That got Jeremy snorting again. To my right, Romaine, juror number six, handed me a Kleenex.

Across the room, the defendant smiled at me.

Pretty confident, I thought, smiling at a moment like this. I looked away from him, back toward the judge.

Judge Cohen's stare was fixed on me, his eyebrows going up and down as he played with his hearing aid. I'd seen a lot of eyebrow displeasure from him, but had never before provoked it. I clapped a hand over my nose and mouth as if fending off an allergy attack.

Judge Cohen motioned to the bailiff. The bailiff brought him the verdict.

At the plaintiff's table, Miss Lemon was breathing too fast, her substantial chest heaving precipitously. She should've brought a paper bag to breathe into, I thought. Her lawyer should've brought her one, knowing Miss Lemon's propensity for drama, but he was oblivious, making notes on a yellow legal pad.

Judge Cohen handed the verdict back to the bailiff. His face gave away nothing.

At the defense table, the lawyer kept his eyes on Judge Cohen.

The defendant kept his eyes on me.

Why? I wasn't the prettiest woman on the jurythat would be Taylornor the best dressed (Louise), or the youngest (Taylor again). I was the tallest, and I took the most entertaining notes, filling my court-issued steno pad with cartoons, but that was my claim to juror fame. So why had the defendant, Mr. Milos, taken to staring at me the last few days? His family, too, in the row behind him? It wasn't just unnerving, it was embarrassing, and more than one juror had teased me about it during deliberations.

Madam Foreperson, Judge Cohen said, you may read the verdict. Loudly.

Mimi cleared her throat. In the matter of Lucille Lemon versus MediasRex Enterprises and Yuri Milos, we find in favor of the defendant.

Mr. Milos reached over and smothered his lawyer in a bear hug. He did the same for his lawyer's flustered associate. Then he turned to his family and raised his fist in a victory salute. When told by the judge to contain himself, he sat and flashed a drinks are on me grin at the jury box.

Mr. Berkita, do you wish to poll the jury? the judge asked.

The plaintiff's lawyer rose, weary with defeat. Yes, Your Honor.

Jurors will answer yes or no to the following question, the judge said. Did you find that the defendant, Mr. Milos, or his organization, MediasRex Enterprises, was substantially responsible for the injuries suffered by Miss Lemon on February fourteenth of last year. Juror number one?

No.

Juror number two?

Yes.

The final count was ten to two in favor of the defendant, more than enough in a civil case. Once the polling was over, Judge Cohen took off his glasses and relaxed.

I'd like to commend both sides, he said, for conducting themselves in a civilized manner. The jury, too, behaved laudably, once we ironed out the cell phone problems. Juror number eight, my clerk will return yours now. I expect the battery is dead. He motioned to a motherly-looking woman to his right, who rummaged around in a desk drawer. Members of the jury, I now lift my admonition. You may talk about this case with anyone you wish. You are also welcome to flee the building and erase the trial from your memory. That's it. Until your next jury summons, the State of California thanks you for your service and this matter is now concluded.

We stood and filed out like a class of third graders on the last day of school. I glanced over to see Jeremy being handed his cell phone, which prompted me to turn on my own, which distracted me enough that I didn't notice who was holding the swinging door for me until I was brushing against him.

Juror number seven, a husky voice said. Thank you.

I looked into the face of the defendant. No problem, I said. His eyes, up close, were the color of sage. Uh congratulations.

May I have a word with you? he asked.

Well, okay, but I actually have to

Please. He took my arm, leading me out to the hallway, and whispered into my ear. You see, I have a rather big crush on you. And an offer I think you'll like.

T he thing about Yuri Milos was that he was very attractive. He wasn't particularly handsome, but he dripped confidence, as though total baldness, medium height, and a cleft chin were the most desirable attributes a man could have. I found him sexy. I'd found him sexy from fifteen feet away, the distance from the jury box to the defense table, but now I was up close, face-to-face with him and my own discomfort.

I didn't want to find him sexy. For one thing, he was too wealthy. His cuffs were monogrammed and he wore a huge gold watch and drove a black PorscheI'd seen it in the parking lot. Secondly, he was too virile. I pictured him chopping firewood bare-chested or shoeing horses or one of those Middle Ages activitieshe'd look at home in another century, wielding a scimitar. Also, he was a little old, old enough to be my father if he'd started young, and I imagined he had. He had eyes that crinkled at the edges, eyes filled with innuendo, eyes that saw it all and found most of it amusing. He'd even looked at Miss Lemon with warmth, all through the trial, as though she'd been wooing him rather than suing him.

So will you talk to me, juror number seven? he asked, his hand on my arm.

Mr. Milos, I'm, uhat the moment I tripped over my words, which annoyed me.

Married?

No, headed for the bathroom, actually, but

You're not married?

No, but I'min a relationship. Of sorts.

What sort? There was that smile again. Good teeth. Good skin. Tan, but not cancerously so. Even his bald pate was golden, suggesting yachting.

A woman pulled him into an embrace. She was his age, fifties or sixties, I guessed, but so well preserved it was hard to be sure. She was also quite beautiful. Yuri, good job. She turned to me and held out a hand. Hello, I'm Yuri's second wife. Donatella Milos.

Juror number seven, I said, shaking her hand. Wollie Shelley.

Very impressive. How many centimeters are you?

Centimeters? The metric system, I'm sorry to say, eludes me. No idea, I said.

What size shoe?

As I pondered why a complete stranger was interested in my admittedly large feet, my phone rang. I was glad for the interruption, until I answered it.