"Aiden," I said with a calm smile, cautious to reveal too much emotion. "How have you been?"
God, he was cute.
"Good... great," he answered. "I wasn’t expecting to see you. Wow."
At that point the elevator door opened and I darted out as soon as I could fit through the door.
"It's great to see you Aiden," I blurted over my shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow."
I surged towards my car, but to no avail since he caught up with me in the parking lot placing a hand on my elbow as he stepped alongside me.
"Have lunch with me,” he said.
He never was one to take a hint.
I eyed him suspiciously, not sure what I was feeling. On the one hand I was glad to see an old friend, and we had been good friends after all. I had often regretted losing touch. Perhaps it would be nice to catch up again.
We had been children then and now we were adults, completely different circumstances.
I had a chance to get to know him within a whole new context.
On the other hand, I thought, he is now the enemy.
I came into this opportunity fully prepared to use every resource at my dispense to win this job, and he was my competition. I didn’t want to get too close, even on a casual level.
I would have to be careful.
"I don't know, Aiden,” I said. "It is good to see you. Really it is. But do you think we should be socializing? We are, after all competing for the same position."
"Blair," he said. "We haven't seen each other in ages. I have wondered about you off and on for years. I'd love to catch up. Wouldn't you? I mean we have to work together, you know. Who knows? Maybe we'll pick up where we left off."
What on earth did he mean by that?
"Okay, fine,” I reluctantly agreed, though I wasn’t sure where exactly we had left off.
I smiled as we walked across the street to the charming bistro. I tried to ignore the flutter I felt in my heart as he held the door open for me.
The sun gleamed off the metal window frames and illuminated the small diner.
Despite my misgivings I soon felt the familiar mood of friendship that we had shared so long ago. We ordered toasted sandwiches and kettle chips and took our food over to the table. He removed his jacket and laid it over the back of the chair, allowing me to see just how much he had really filled out in the torso and shoulders.
Surely he worked out, I thought.
He sat down and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, exposing a Celtic tattoo on his left forearm. I had a hard time believing how much he had changed over the years. I remembered the somewhat timid boy who had once cringed at the idea of needles, and here he sat showing off his ink.
I didn’t know any lawyers with tattoos.
Maybe they were hiding under the nice suits they all wore.
"So what have you been up to for the past seven years?" he said once we were settled.
"I guess it has been that long hasn't it,” I realized. "Not since, when..."
"... just before we left for college,” he finished.
"I went on to Florida. Florida State University,” I said, picking at my chips.
"That's a good school,” he said.
"Then I completed law school there in the state. I only just moved here about a week ago."
"No kidding,” he said.
"Do you remember Kelsey Anderson?" I asked.
"Wasn't she in drama club?" he asked. "Cute red head, dated that football player for a little while?"
"Yeah," I nodded nibbling on my sandwich. "She's my roommate."
"No way!" he said in disbelief. "How the fuck did you guys get in touch?"
"Yeah," I said. "We kind of struck up a friendship over the years. After high school we stayed in touch online. Then one day she messaged me and asked if she could add me to her holiday mailing list. I said, sure. We stayed in touch and found that we had a lot of the same interests. We have a small apartment together in the city."
"So you just got here,” he said.
"I came for the job," I replied evenly. "What about you?"
"I moved out here right after high school,” he answered. "I went to college and finally decided to settle on Political Science as a major. Then I completed my years at law school, and here we are. I think my mom was concerned at first. Everyone thought I came to California to party. I surprised everyone when I got accepted to law school."
"Well, good for you," I said. "I never would have doubted you, Aiden."
"No, I would never have expected it from you. This is nuts, isn't it? You and me, after all these years working for the same firm. Why did we ever lose touch anyway?"
"I don't know,” I said.
But the truth was that I did know.
I had kept my mind in my studies, singularly focused on being top of the class, getting noticed by the scholarship boards, having the top marks. I had stayed away from distractions for the most part, but of course I couldn’t tell him this.
It made me sound…boring.
Maybe if he thought I was boring he’d leave me alone though.
"I know I asked about you every time I came home, but it seemed as if you had always just left or weren't coming back until the following week."
"We always missed each other,” he said. "Just my luck. I know our moms are still in touch. I get an update on you every time I speak to mine."
"Yeah," I laughed. "I think they both remained baffled that we never got together."
"Them and everyone else,” he said with a chuckle.
We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes. I couldn’t help but notice how easy it seemed to be talking to him. Though the sight of his flexing tattooed forearm as he reached for the salt did little to calm my heart rate.
"Let me ask you something,” I said finally.
"Okay," he said giving me a side glance.
"We've know each other for a long time,” I said. "Nearly our whole childhood, wouldn't you say?"
"Right,” he agreed.
"And I have talked about being a lawyer for about as long as I can remember."
"Sure."
"But I have never once heard you talk about wanting to be a lawyer. And yet here we are, years later, miles away from our home town, competing for the same job. You said you majored in Poli-sci, but never once did you mention an interest in any of that when we knew each other. Just when did you decide that you wanted to pursue law?"
"You're acting like it's a conspiracy," he said with a grin.
"I just want to know what you’re up to." I waved a playful finger towards him.
His face grew serious, unexpectedly, and I waited for his response.
"To tell the truth," he began. "It was you."
"What?" I said.
"It was your enthusiasm and the way you had talked about it that made me think it would be a good fit for me."
"Is that so?" I responded.
"That's exactly so,” he said.
"You didn't follow me here, did you?" I asked, trying to lighten the sudden seriousness.
I don't know why it made me nervous, but I relaxed when he laughed.
"No," he said. "That much was purely a coincidence."
"Good," I said. "I would hate to think that you were following me."
“I’m not the stalker type,” he said winking.
After lunch I began to realize what a good time I'd had with him. I felt as if we really were able to pick up right where we had left off. I thought back to that night that we said goodbye, when I had squashed the moment when he had tried to hold my hand, but the truth was I had always been a little bit intrigued by him, that scrawny boy whose family had always included me in everything, as if I were one of the gang.
I think his mother viewed me as the daughter she never had.
Sometimes she and I talked about having to take refuge in the house full of twelve rough and tumble boys. Aiden had always been more of an intellectual.
Of course he would pursue la
w.
He had always been the one to help her develop arguments for me when I was on the debate team. He hadn’t noticed and developed thoughts on things that I had missed.
Of course I had wanted him to kiss me that night before we parted ways forever. But as was my custom, I decided I didn't want to complicate matters.
However now I found that I was attracted to him for a whole different reason. He had grown into an extremely handsome man, while maintaining the boyish charm that I remembered.
The tattoos had surprised me and I couldn’t help but wonder what else he had hidden, under his clothing or in his psyche.
Seriously Blair, put a lid on it! I mentally chided myself for even letting my mind wander.
We headed back to the office and spent the rest of the day going over the extensive notes for the case. Every once in a while my mind wandered to the thought of what it might be like to go out with Aiden in a different capacity than friendship or even business. Eventually I decided not to worry about that right now, as I have my whole future ahead of me.
Whether Aiden ends up being my new best friend, my lover, or my enemy, I wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize my chance at the full-time position.
No matter what, I was in it to win this thing.
I would not let myself forget that no matter how sexy the distraction might be.
I opened the door to my apartment to hear the phone ringing. Kelsey had gone to work at the restaurant, and my hands were full with bags of groceries. I rushed to set the bags down in the kitchen and made it to the phone on the wall just as it rang for the fourth time.
"Hello," I said juggling the grocery bag as I picked up the phone.
"Blair, I thought I might have missed you." My mother's voice came like a welcome balm on the other end of the phone. I hadn’t spoken to her since the first night I had arrived to let her know I had made it.
"Mom! Hi,” I said, tucking the phone to my shoulder. "How are you?"
I put the milk and eggs in the refrigerator and left the rest on the counter for later.
"I wanted to check in with you,” she said. "How are you? How is California?"
"Oh, it's great,” I answered walking to the living room and plunking down on the couch. "The weather is amazing. There's not a drop of humidity. I swear my hair has never looked better."
I heard her laugh at my description. "Have you been to the beach yet?" she asked. "I've always wanted to see the water, myself."
"Um... no. I guess I haven't. Kelsey and I had talked about it, but I've been so preoccupied with my new job I haven't had much time for recreation."
A trip to the beach sounded nice, but I couldn’t imagine finding the time. My mind ached at the thought of trying to squeeze in the time. Just this weekend I had passed up an offer from Kelsey to go along with her friends for body surfing.
"Take time to play,” my mother scolded. "Don't forget that."
"I know, Mom,” I said rolling my eyes. She had always said this to me when I was younger. When the other kids would go out to the movies or the mall, I was the one who stayed home pouring over books and studying for any upcoming test I might have. Even then she had to practically push me out the door. But I had been an awkward child, not really feeling comfortable surrounded by the vapid faces of the girls who wanted to get their nails done or buy the latest music.
Most of the time I would find myself knocking on Aiden’s back door. Then he and I would either roam the neighborhood or hole up in his family's game room. Sometimes we went back to my house depending on how many of his brothers were home and how aggressive they were acting towards him.
He liked the escape just as much as I did.
"Well, have you gotten settled in your apartment? How is your roommate?"
"Kelsey is great,” I said. "She's a lot of fun. She's always trying to get me to go out with her and her actor friends. She's trying to match make, but other than that we get along perfect."
"Match make?" she asked.
"Don't worry, Mom. None of her friends are my type. Besides I'm too busy with work."
"How is your job going so far?" she asked. "I've been so excited to hear about it."
"You won't believe who my partner is,” I said. "Do you remember Aiden Player?"
"Aiden?" she said with an incredulous tone. "Of course I do! He was practically a member of the family the way you two used to run around. I knew he had gone to college in California. What are the odds? You’re working with him now?"
"It's a little bit more complicated than that, Mom."
"How so?"
"He and I are competing against each other for a full time position at the law firm."
"I see," she said. "How do you feel about that, considering how close the two of you once were?"
"It’s nice to see him again,” I said, hesitant to say too much. "But don't worry. I came here to win this job, not to rekindle an old friendship."
"Friendship? Are you sure about that?" She had taken on that tone of Mother-knows-best, much to my ire.
"Yes Mom,” I said firmly. "Friendship. Nothing has changed in that regard."
"No, I’m sure that it hasn't,” she said but she didn’t sound convinced.
"Typical," I giggled. "What about you, Mom? Anything new on your end?"
"Well, I had thought about coming to visit in about a month. I have some vacation time from work and I thought a visit to the beach might do me some good. Would that be a good time?"
"The case should be over by then,” I said doing mental calculation in my head. "It starts in two weeks and should not take more than a couple of weeks. That timing is perfect."
"Oh Blair," she said suddenly serious. "Are you sure you’re okay out there all on your own? I worry, you know."
"Of course I'm okay, Mom,” I answered. "Why would you ask that?"
"I've often felt badly that you have never had a brother or sister. Once I'm gone you’re going to be all alone."
"Oh Mom," I said rolling my eyes. "Don't talk like that. It's a good thing you raised me to be a fully competent adult who can function within society without much assistance. I'm the one who should feel sorry for leaving you alone in that huge house."
"Darling, you know I like my solitude,” she said. "And that closes the subject."
"Hey, I've got to go, Mom. I have a little bit of work to do before I call it a day."
"Okay, honey. I'll look forward to seeing you in a month." I could hear the smile in her voice. "Just remember to have fun every once in a while."
"That sounds great, Mom,” I said.
"I love you."
"I love you too. Bye Mom."
I hung up the phone and leaned my head back on the couch. I already felt exhausted from the hard work we had done at the firm that day.
Seeing my Mother would be a nice break after this case.
I glanced at the clock, and decided that I had time to make myself something to eat before I tucked into my boring home work. I headed to the kitchen to put away the forgotten groceries sitting on the counter.
The next day I arrived at the office excited and feeling good. Stepping off the elevator I asked Willa if I could take her up on that previous offer of coffee.
"Of course," she said. "It's one of the perks of working here. Don't tell the others but I make a killer Cappuccino,” she whispered in a conspiratorial tone.
"It will be our secret,” I said with a grin as I headed down the hallway towards Mr. Mahoney's office.
She brought me the frothy hot beverage a few minutes later, with a black coffee for Mr. Mahoney and a regular coffee for Ms. Klein. Aiden hadn’t arrived yet, but I started to look over some of the files while sipping my coffee. When he finally arrived a few minutes later I was struck once more by his charisma as he walked in the door with his blinding good looks and captivating smile.
"Good morning Blair," he said with his crooked grin on his face as he slid into the seat across from me.
I couldn’t figure
out how he looked both sharp and professional while exuding the beachy charm of a surfer. He looked tan and blonde but his tattoo was covered by the sleeves of his buttoned shirt and suit jacket.
"Hi Aiden,” I said trying to keep my voice cool and professional.
I couldn’t fully suppress a small grin as we exchanged a glance, almost as if sharing a private joke.
"Are we ready to get started?" Mr. Mahoney asked, standing at the head of the table.
Ms. Klein sat down at the far end of the table. She was a trim stern woman who wore her hair in a low bun. I admired the way she carried herself being the only woman on the board and secretly hoped that she would mentor me once the job was awarded.
"We are ready, sir,” I answered as he laid out the folders and evidence files.
"What we will be doing today is as follows,” Mahoney began. "I'm going to let the two of you take over the case for the most part after our brief recap. You two will work independently. If you have any questions, Ms. Klein or I will be available to guide you as you work. I will be heading up the case once we reach the courtroom. Do either of you have any questions so far?"
"Has there been any progress on whether or not we get to meet Mr. Shaw?" I asked, eying the large pile of papers that were being laid on the table.
"Later this week,” Ms. Klein spoke from the other end of the table. "We can go over to the prison. We have a meeting with him already planned. Perhaps we can arrange for the two of you to join us."
It didn’t go unnoticed by myself or Aiden that Mahoney gave her an imposing glare the entire time she spoke. I also noticed that she responded with a calm glance and a smile after she had finished speaking.
"I'll look forward to it,” I said.
"Our goal is a simple one," Klein continued. "Our job is not necessarily to prove our client innocent. Our job is to place a reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors. Enough that they would not be willing to find him guilty based on the evidence presented. It is an often misunderstood difference."
"That confirms my theory," Aiden said. "That his innocence is largely arbitrary."
"For the most part, yes,” Mahoney said.
"I’m sure," I interjected. "That the difference means much more to Mr. Shaw himself."
Tempted (A Player Brother Romance Book) (A Standalone Novel) (Player Brothers Book 1) Page 3