“I wish you had,” Hannah bemoaned, cutting into her chicken parmigiana.
“I had to tell you to stop laughing a half a dozen times, babe,” Adam said, kissing his fiancé on the cheek. He was sitting so close to her he was practically in her lap. It filled me with happiness to see the two of them together after years of animosity and miscommunication. I had grown up with Meg and her sister Whitney. They had been like family and Adam and Meg had been the best of friends. Then my doofus of a brother had gotten involved with his horrible ex, Chelsea, and the two had stopped talking. Now here they were, all these years later, so in love it made your teeth ache to look at them.
Meg gave me a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Lena. It was a great ceremony.”
“It’s cool. I was laughing too,” I assured her. “It’s a shame Robert couldn’t join us for dinner,’ I said to Adam, my mouth full.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Marlena,” Mom scolded. She was the only person on the planet who could get away with calling me Marlena. If anyone else dared to use my given name, I’d be compelled to take a finger or two.
Well, most everyone knew not to use my full name. One particular person liked using it for the sole purpose of pissing me off.
Nope. I wouldn’t think about him tonight. It would only put me in a bad mood. And tonight was about good moods. And booze. And lots of laughter and fun with my favorite people.
And Jeremy Wyatt was not one of my favorite people. Not even close.
I swallowed pointedly and took a long drink of the white wine I had ordered. Damn, it was good. I was already feeling a little buzzy. Adam gave me a conspiratorial smile and filled my glass. He was the best brother in the whole wide world.
“He sends his regrets, but you know Rob, prolonged social gatherings make him break out into hives.” Adam whispered something into Meg’s ear, and she smacked his leg, her cheeks turning red. I did not want to know what that was about. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other, so I had a good idea.
“That’s a shame. He’s some serious eye candy,” Hannah piped up, giving me an eyebrow waggle.
I rolled my eyes. Hannah Quinn had been my best friend since elementary school. She now worked as a third-grade teacher in the town we grew up in. She was happily single and a shameless flirt. “Did you scare the poor man off, Han?” I asked.
Hannah lifted her shoulders lazily. “I only told him that his shirt really molded his muscles nicely and asked whether he looked as good out of his clothes as he looked in them.”
Meg snorted and Adam shook his head. “Lena, I would have hoped you’d have learned how to rein this one in by now.”
Hannah flicked her short blonde hair back and leveled my brother with a saucy look. “Adam, you should know by now there’s no reining me in.”
Meg and I glanced at each other, smirking. I knew Meg would never be worried about Hannah’s harmless flirting. She had known my bestie for years and knew never to take her seriously.
“Though he more likely bailed after listening to Jenna’s endless pontificating about empty calories and the evils of processed sugar,” Hannah snarked.
“Sorry that I care about what I put in my body,” Jenna huffed.
“Putting something in your body is exactly what you need, sweetheart,” Hannah chortled. I kicked her underneath the table. “Ow!” she yelled, rubbing her shin.
“Be nice, Han, or I’ll have to take away your wine,” I warned, shaking my finger. My two best friends liked each other, though it wasn’t obvious at the moment. They squabbled like children, but I knew deep down they cared about each other. Even though I had met Jenna at college and Hannah was my friend from childhood, the three of us made a nice trio. They balanced each other out. Hannah was an in your face, no filter, party queen. Jenna was a bit uptight and a complete health nut. But they were both the most loyal friends a gal could have.
Hannah pulled her wine out of my reach. “You wouldn’t dare,” she gasped. I let out a long, pained sigh and Jenna handed her the half-full bottle as a peace offering. The two women clinked their glasses together and drank the rest of the wine.
“I was surprised Jeremy didn’t come, Adam. Given how long Lena worked at your office, I thought he’d come to support her,” Dad piped up. He never paid any attention to my friends’ antics. He was used to their craziness.
My body tensed all over at the mention of Jeremy Wyatt’s name. The thought of him filled me with annoyance. To think I had ever thought anything could happen—
Stop it, Lena. Don’t go there.
I had worked at Adam’s law office for the past year as his assistant and part-time paralegal. The experience was invaluable, and I had learned almost as much there as I had sitting in classes. The one drawback was having to see Jeremy on a daily basis. Particularly when I found everything about him to be loathsome and frustrating.
That wasn’t entirely true.
For a brief few hours six months ago, I let my guard down. He had walked me home one night after a party at Adam’s best friend, Kyle Webber’s house. It was nice. We chatted about all sorts of things. He held my hand. I had forgotten for the briefest of moments what a pig he was.
Then…
It didn’t matter.
Lesson learned.
Though to be fair, I should have learned that lesson four years ago when he shit on me the first time. And to think I wasn’t usually the sort to make bad decisions because of a pair of trousers. It seemed Jeremy was always my exception, whether I wanted him to be or not.
Jeremy Wyatt was a jerk of the highest order. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t come to my graduation. I never expected him to. Even if his absence felt too much like a slap in the face.
I didn’t care.
Maybe if I said that to myself enough times, I would start to believe it.
Adam glanced at me, his smile something like a wince. “He had prior commitments he couldn’t get out of. He sent his congratulations and a card.”
“Commitments being a euphemism for a new screw toy,” I muttered before I could stop myself.
Adam gave me a pointed look and I gazed blandly back. My feelings about his partner weren’t a secret and I had never tried to hide them.
Meg pulled a white envelope out of her bag and handed it to me. Marlena was written on the front in Jeremy’s spikey, bold handwriting. He used my full name just to irritate me. It worked too well. “He wanted to make sure you got this,” she said, giving me a look that was both sympathetic and apologetic. As if she were sorry for being the messenger. Meg knew all about Jeremy, my feelings, and the too many times he left me feeling like a complete moron.
I shoved it straight into my bag without opening it.
The server came then, saving everyone from the discomfort that only Jeremy Wyatt could create. I ordered another bottle of Pinot Grigio, not caring about the stern looks from my parents. I was an adult. I had just graduated at the top of the class from one of the best law schools in the country. I deserved to get sloppy.
After the plates had been cleared away and dessert ordered, the topic of conversation predictably turned to my future.
“Dad tells me you’ve been talking to Carris and Fenton as well as a few others,” Adam began in his characteristic balls-to-the-walls style. He had a tone in his voice that I recognized from his courtroom cross-examinations. But I had learned long ago how to handle the great and powerful Adam Ducate.
I waved my hand in dismissal. “I don’t see how it’s any of your business which law firms I’m speaking with.” I knew it would rile him, so I poked the bear a little more. “I’m fully capable of planning my own career, thank you.”
Adam was protective to a fault. Sometimes it chaffed. Sometimes, I appreciated it. Right now, I didn’t want to hear his opinions on what he thought I should be doing. It had been a bone of contention between us for over a year.
Adam wanted me to stay in Pennsylvania. He used our parents as his reasoning. “They’re not getting any yo
unger, Lena. And you can have a great career right here. Look at me, I’ve done all right for myself.” All right was an understatement and he knew it. He, along with Rob and Jeremy, had built one of the most successful law firms in the state, if not the whole east coast.
It’s not that I relished the prospect of moving away. I wasn’t like Meg and her sister, who had hurriedly escaped Southport the second they graduated from high school. I liked the small town where I had lived for most of my life. I loved the people. I loved the narrow streets and cute shops. I was addicted to Cecilia’s coffee cake she made out of her tiny cafe on the corner of Maple and Crescent. So, my talking to firms around the country had nothing to do with getting the hell out of dodge at the first possible moment. I was simply keeping my options open. And the fact that I was being courted by some majorly impressive firms was a boost to the ego. It felt good to be wanted.
That had always been my kryptonite.
Adam’s jaw tightened and I noticed how Meg put a hand on his thigh. He responded to her touch instantly and I could tell he was forcing himself to relax. He took a deep breath through his nose and I wanted to laugh. No one could push his buttons as I could. It seemed I still hadn’t grown out of the role of a frustrating baby sister.
“I’m not trying to plan your career, Lena. I know you’re smart and capable. It’s two of the things I respect most about you,” Adam began, and I widened my eyes in feigned shock.
“Are you complimenting me?” I turned to Hannah and Jenna, clapping my hands and bouncing in my seat. “Oh my god, guys, Adam thinks I’m smart. Hold the presses.”
“Har-dee-har-har,” Adam replied drolly.
“Don’t tease your brother, Marlena. I shouldn’t have to intervene between the two of you anymore,” Mom chastised, her face flushed from the half bottle of wine she had drunk. My dad put an arm around her shoulder, and she let out a heavy sigh.
“Behave, kids,” Hannah added, enjoying the scene. Having grown up as an only child, she had always enjoyed my brother and I’s sibling antics.
“Will you just shut up, Lena, and let me talk,” Adam snapped.
“Adam,” Meg said his name with a note of warning.
Adam sat back in his chair, his easy, crowd-pleasing smile plastered on his face. That smile worked on just about everyone. He should know better than to try that shit on me.
“Are these other firms making offers yet?” he asked, and I felt myself bristle defensively.
“I haven’t sat at the bar yet. You know very well no one will make an offer until I’ve passed. I passed the MPRE in March. With a higher score than you received, I might add.” I couldn’t help but throw that in there. But I knew Adam wouldn’t rise to the bait. “I’ve applied to take the Pennsylvania bar exam in July. My MBE score can be transferred to a few other states where some firms I’m considering are located.”
Adam leaned on the table, looking earnest. “Being an associate is tough. It’s the gruntest of grunt work.”
“I worked for you for the past year; I’m familiar with grunt work,” I reminded him. “What’s this all about?”
“Just give it to her already,” Meg said, giving Adam a poke with her elbow.
“Give me what?” I asked, looking between the two of them. Why were they being so mysterious? I glanced at Mom and Dad, but they seemed just as confused as I was. Hannah sipped her wine, seeming thoroughly entertained and Jenna wore a worried expression, which was normal for her.
Adam reached under the table and pulled out a manila envelope and handed it to me. I held it in my hands for a minute, frowning. “What’s this?”
Adam seemed on edge and weirdly nervous. “Open it, read it, then we’ll talk.”
I looked at Meg who gave me an encouraging smile. “It won’t bite you, promise.”
I tore open the envelope and removed a letter written on the official letterhead of Jenkins, Ducate, and Wyatt, Attorneys at Law. The table fell silent as I read the words typed on the page. When I got to the bottom and saw the three signatures of the partners, I looked up at my brother in bewilderment.
“What the hell is this?” I asked.
I could hear Adam tapping his foot under the table. “What does it look like? It’s an offer.”
I held up the paper, shaking it in his face. “Too generous of an offer for a freshly graduated law student.” I felt myself growing hot. “Is this so I’ll stay in Pennsylvania? Is this some elaborate bribe?” I accused.
Adam looked taken aback. “What? No—”
I threw the letter onto the table. My parents wisely kept quiet and Hannah was looking at her drink as if it were the most interesting thing in the room. Jenna chewed on her bottom lip; her eyes wide.
“I can’t believe Rob and Jeremy would agree to this. It’s ludicrous. You’re saying you’ll take me on as a junior associate and essentially fast track me to partner? There is no way in fucking hell Wyatt would sign off on that. I don’t believe it.”
Adam frowned. “He did. We all did.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but my brother held up his hand. “Lena, you just graduated with a near-perfect GPA from Penn State Law School. You helped me win one of the biggest criminal cases of my career only six months ago. You have proved over and over again for the past thirteen months that you are shrewd. You are detail-oriented. You know how to spot things that other attorneys miss. You’re going to be one hell of a lawyer and frankly, I want that big brain of yours working for me and not some other firm. I want to watch you grow professionally and I want to help you grow. I’m offering you this opportunity, not as your brother, but as your employer who has seen firsthand what you’re capable of.”
I sat there in shocked silence. For the first time in my life, I had nothing to say. I opened and closed my mouth a few times, but no words came out.
Mom took the letter and read it for herself and put a hand to her chest. “Adam, this is an amazing offer.” She looked at me. “You deserve this sweetie.” Moms were unabashedly biased, and my mother was the worst of them, but her words made me feel good, nonetheless.
“I know you’re talking to other firms but think about it. This offer is of course contingent on you passing the bar—”
“Of course, I’ll pass the bar,” I jumped in.
Adam smirked. “If you pass the bar, you’ll come work for me, Rob, and Jeremy as a junior associate. Our casework has gone through the roof. We have a number of high-profile clients that have recently put us on retainer. We had planned to advertise for associates, but we wanted to offer you first refusal.” He gave me a wry look. “I’m sure you’ll agree that you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better offer than that one.”
“And you’d be providing this same offer to any associate you take on? I don’t want special treatment, Adam. I want to earn my place.” I was adamant. I didn’t want my career to begin with a nasty case of nepotism.
Adam seemed to take offense. “I’m not even dignifying that with an answer.” His chest puffed out indignantly. “Do you honestly think I’d risk the reputation of my law firm by hiring my sister if you weren’t up to the task? That I would jeopardize everything I’ve built to give you a job you don’t deserve?”
Well, when he put it like that…
“If you don’t want the job, that’s fine. You’re not going to hurt my feelings. But you’d be a damn fool not to at least consider it. And take the idea that I’m doing you some sort of favor out of your mind because that’s not the case. Rob would never have agreed to it otherwise. And Jeremy sure as hell wouldn’t either.”
At the mention of Jeremy’s name, my stomach coiled tight. Could I work with Jeremy Wyatt? Would that even be possible? I had only survived the last few months as their paralegal because I knew it wasn’t forever, that I’d be able to pick up my stuff and walk out the door and forget all about him. But now, this incredible offer changed things. I had to ask myself if I could handle Jeremy on a daily basis without gouging his eyes out and ripping out his tongue.
But I wouldn’t make any decision based on my personal feelings. That would be immature.
I picked up the offer letter and carefully folded it, tucking it back into the envelope. “Thank you, Adam. This is very generous. Can I have some time to think about it?”
Adam relaxed and reached out to take my hand briefly. He gave my fingers a squeeze. “Of course. But don’t take too long. We plan to start scouting in the next few weeks.”
“I won’t,” I promised just as our desserts were brought to the table.
“I think we need more wine,” Hannah chirped, and the table broke into laughter, all of us relieved that tense moment had passed.
I had a lot to think about.
But first, it was time to celebrate.
Chapter 2
Jeremy
The naked tits in my face just weren’t doing it for me.
Sure, they were large and pert, and the nipples were the size of saucers, but I wasn’t remotely interested.
I was leaning back on my couch, my shirt unbuttoned, my belt on the floor. The woman in my lap squirmed impatiently against my flaccid cock, her red taloned nails scraping my scalp as she pushed her fingers through my hair. Her friend was dancing around my living room in only her panties, vodka spilling from the glass she was holding.
“Hey, don’t spill that on the wood floors,” I called out, annoyed.
“Oops, sorry,” she simpered, dribbling vodka between her massive boobs and rubbing her nipples between her fingers while she bit her bottom lip.
It was just another night in the life of Jeremy Wyatt.
I had spent most of my Saturday at the office cleaning out case files. It was bitch work, but it was better than sitting alone in my apartment. I finished up around six and headed to Sweet Lila’s, the only decent bar in Southport. It was there that I met—was her name Ginger?—and her friend...Kylie? Hell if I could remember. It wasn’t their names I was interested in.
Say You Love Me : An Enemies to Lovers Romance Page 3