Hope

by Tia Wylder

  He was going to pay for what he did to my sister.

  Chapter One

  Six Months Later

  A meticulously-dressed receptionist watches me suspiciously as I re-organize my application packet for the thousandth time. I am sitting in the lobby of Harper, Graham, and Graham, the premiere entertainment law firm in Los Angeles. Thanks to my straight A’s and two years’ worth of pro-bono work, I had easily gotten to the final stage of summer intern interviews. What no one at the law firm knew was that I wasn’t really here for the experience of working for an entertainment lawyer. My plan was to get out of school and go to work for a non-profit, make a difference in the world. No; I am here because this is the law firm where Zachary Graham is a partner, and I am planning to get revenge for what he did to Josie.

  My plan isn’t terribly sophisticated, or brilliant even. I am just going to do to him what he has done to my sister: lure him in, then break his heart. I am lost in thought, thinking about how I am ever going to pull this off when the receptionist clears her throat haughtily.

  “Miss Webber, Mister Graham will see you now.”

  She scowls at me again, and I force myself to suppress an eye roll. The receptionist follows me to the giant mahogany door and opens it as if I’m not intelligent enough to figure out a door for myself. I give her my biggest, sunniest smile.

  “Thank you so much for all of your polite and generous help. I’m not sure I could have managed these last ten minutes without you.”

  I shut the door behind me with a thud and thoroughly enjoy the annoyed look on the receptionist’s face. Then, I take a minute to revel in my victory and only turn around when a snicker draws my attention. And when I see the source of the snicker, I think my heart stops dead.

  A man is sitting behind a giant glass desk, a gorgeous man. He is wearing a perfectly-tailored gray Armani suit that fits him like a glove, and the light color sets off his beautifully tan skin. His hair and his eyes are dark, and he has a smattering of five o’clock shadow that defines his granite jaw. His arms are crossed over his chest, which gives me a very clear view of his full biceps and the strength of his broad shoulders. The fact that he is laughing at me shows off just the slightest crinkles at the corners of his eyes, sparkling hazel eyes that are twinkling with an air of mischief.

  I know I am just standing there staring, but I am not quite sure what I am supposed to say. Luckily, he fills the silence.

  “I’m sorry about her. My regular assistant is out sick, and I had to borrow my brother’s. He’s far less particular about politeness.” His voice is smooth and warm like honey, deep like the thunder rolling away after a storm.

  I continue to stand there, a little more confused than is probably warranted. Finally, he laughs at me again and points to the plush leather chair in front of his desk. “Please, sit. You must be Ava Webber?”

  I nod, knowing I am making a fool of myself by not speaking. But there is something about his eyes… they are making me stupid. He leans forward, with a curious eyebrow raised.

  “I have to ask. Are you here for the intern position or is the building hiring a mime for the lobby?”

  That snaps me back to reality. Right. Don’t screw this up. You have something to accomplish other than just getting a job.

  “I’m sorry, I was just already running over answers for potential interviews questions, and I got ahead of myself. I tend to always be thinking one step ahead, formulating plans. It’s a blessing and a curse.” Great interview answer. Keep it up, girl. Zachary Graham just continues to smile at me.

  “Well, I’ll be honest with you, Miss Webber…”

  I hold up a hand, and try to subtly bat my eyelashes. I want to make it clear I am an attractive woman who is interested in him but avoid coming on too strong. “Please, call me Ava.”

  “Ava,” he says as if he is relishing the taste of my name on his tongue. “While we have had a handful of qualified applicants, there hasn’t been a single person who has come in here with your unique brand of skills. Between your grades, your charity work, that application essay… You’re not just the one to beat. As far as I’m concerned, you’re hired.”

  My jaw drops. I did not expect it to be this easy. “I hate to negotiate against myself here, but are you sure? I honestly expected there to be a few interviews, or that you’d want me to meet the other partners. I suppose I just didn’t expect it to be this… easy?”

  Zachary winks. “Oh, nothing about this will be easy, Ava. You’re in for a challenging summer full of complicated real-world work, and long, late nights. But when I know someone is a right fit, I know. And you, Ava Webber, are a right fit.”

  There is something deeply sensuous about his choice of words, and I feel a tingle travel up my thighs and to my core. What the hell are you doing? Focus! Remember why you’re here!

  Zachary stands up from his desk and walks over to me, extends his hand, and I nervously accept. My hand disappears inside of his; it is huge and strong, and his long, tan fingers envelop my own. That same tingle I felt a second ago sparks when our skin touches, and I can tell he feels it too because the glimmer in his eyes increases ten-fold. I pull my hand away and tuck it under my leg, not wanting to give away that I am remotely attracted to him. Not yet, anyway. Not until I can use it to my advantage.

  He sits on the edge of his desk and crosses his legs at the ankles as he studies me. His legs look long and powerful, and I must force myself not to follow their lines up to his…

  “So, Ava. You know what we do here?”

  I clear my throat and try to regain control of my senses. “Yes, of course. Entertainment law, focusing on burgeoning musical careers. Several of the current highest charting pop and hip-hop musicians are your clients.”

  “All accurate, but we’re so much more than that,” Zachary says with a sly smile. “We’re a full-service agency, and we also help with PR, management, and finding our clients the absolute best producers and studios to work with our clients. It’s not just about the law here. It’s about people. Is that something you’re interested in?”

  No. Not remotely. I want to protect the rights of foster children or stop the slaughter of dolphins in Japan.

  “Oh, of course! This is my dream job. I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be.”

  I hate lying.

  Zachary jumps off the desk and walks over to the door, his thousand-dollar shoes clicking across the hardwood floor. He opens it and shouts outside, “Marlena! Can you get the intake paperwork for Ava here? I want her to start as soon as possible. Tomorrow if we can get all her background checks done today. Is that possible?”

  I hear a long, bored sigh come from the waiting room. “Yeah, okay. I guess. But I’ll have to put those cease and desist letters on hold until the morning.”

  Zachary looks at me with an exasperated eye roll. “It’s barely the afternoon. You’re telling me you can’t run a background check and send out a few letters by 5 pm?”

  Another sigh echoes from the waiting room, and Zachary just shuts the door and walks back over to me. “Are you interested in taking over some of her responsibilities? If she sighs at me like that one more time, I might have to kill her, and honestly, I don’t have time for a murder trial.”

  I laugh despite myself. This jerk is undeniably charming; I can see why my sister fell for him.

  “I can certainly try, but I’ll be straight with you Mister Graham. I didn’t apply to work here to be a receptionist, or fetch coffee, or make copies. I want to work hard, and get as much as experience as possible while I’m in your office.”

  Zachary’s face gets a very mischievous look on it, and I know I’ve struck a chord. I know he’s not stupid enough to make any sort of advance toward me in my interview; he’s an entertainment lawyer, and I’m sure sexual harassment suits are half of his business. But there is an air of electricity floating around us, and it’s obvious both of us can feel it. I’m betting it had everything to do with his natural charm and probably acco
unts for how he’s able to manipulate vulnerable young girls into falling for him. I refuse to allow myself to get sucked in, no matter how many times he gives me that half-smile.

  “I’ll e-mail you tonight to make sure Marlena got you everything you needed. And you’ll be ready to start tomorrow?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I say with a smile. Zachary walks me out, his hand behind the small of my back without touching me. When he is standing so near to me, I am suddenly aware of how tall he is. He is towering over me, and I want nothing more than to get away from his as quickly as I can for many reasons. But if he is getting any sense of my discomfort, or confusion, he’s not letting on.

  “Marlena, can you please, at least, print off the forms for Ava to fill out before she leaves?”

  Marlena rolls her eyes and starts clicking until papers begin printing off behind her, but you’d think Zachary had asked her to run a marathon while performing a concerto on a slide whistle. I try not to shake my head, but I suspect my reaction is obvious because Zachary gives me a knowing glance as he retrieves the forms from the printer.

  “I have a phone conference in ten minutes, so I won’t be able to take this from you directly. But why don’t you fill them out, then slide them under my door? We wouldn’t want to tax my receptionist’s delicate constitution.”

  I snort laugh inadvertently, and Marlena shoots us both daggers. But Zachary ignores her as he walks back to his office, yet not before turning back to me. “9 am, on the dot.”

  I nod and give him my brightest smile. “You’ve got it!”

  Once he’s in his office with the door shut, Marlena begins tapping on her desk with her pen. “He’s a notorious playboy, you know. He flirts with everyone. I’m not sure what makes you think you’re so special.”

  Her jealousy is palpable, and hilarious in how misplaced it is. Just because the guy is flirting with me doesn’t mean I have any intention of returning his affection. Whatever affection that may be. I just shake my head at her and start filling out my forms. I’ve got a lot of work to do, and filling out forms is nothing compared to what will come later.

  I’ve got to make a billionaire playboy fall in love with me, then break his heart…

  Chapter Two

  I walk into my apartment and find my roommate, Liza, crashed out on the couch, watching TV, still in her roller skates, for some reason. She works at a 50s-style diner, and one of the requirements is that she serves tables while wearing a pair of vintage roller skates, so finding her exhausted after a day of work is not all that unusual. Finding her still in her uniform, however? Rare.

  “Liza? Did you skate home from the restaurant?” I ask as I drop my bag on the floor and collapse on the beat-up old sofa next to her. She moans.

  “Yes, actually. I forgot my cell at home so I couldn’t call a rideshare and Anthony forgot to pick me up again.”

  I shoot her a look that makes it clear I am angry on her behalf. It is common for her on-again-off-again boyfriend to just blow her off for dates, but recently, he’s also begun forgetting when he’s supposed to pick her up from her job, and it’s insane that she puts up with such atrocious behavior.

  “Liza, you really need to stop putting up with this garbage. You’re too good for Anthony, and you work too hard to waste your time with someone who isn’t worthy of you,” I say as I hand her a beer out of the little fridge next to the couch. She takes it, but then she smacks me on the leg.

  “He’s not that bad. He’s just… forgetful. Besides, you’re one to talk. You’re trying to seduce some dude for revenge. It’s like a romance movie, and you’re that blonde actress who is always giggling and acting stupid around the man she likes?”

  I laugh. “Liza, you just literally described every actress in every rom-com.”

  She waves a hand at me. “Whatever. You need to get your house in order before you start judging my life choices, sunny girl.”

  I can’t argue with her. Liza is the only person in the world who knows everything about Josie, what happened between her and Zachary Graham, and what I am planning to do. She thinks my plan is insane, and that I am going to regret it, and I can’t even tell her she’s wrong. I don’t know if this will work, or if Zachary will even be interested in me. But I know I must try. I must make things right for Josie.

  Liza reaches over and squeezes my hand reassuringly. “So, I take it you got the job, huh?”

  “Yup. It was a piece of cake. You know, if the cake involved working my ass off to get an amazing internship opportunity with the express purpose of making a sexy lawyer fall in love with me.”

  Liza turns to me with an eyebrow raised, her brown eyes dancing. “Sexy, you say? You think he’s sexy?”

  “It’s not a matter up for debate. He is empirically an insanely attractive man. I just have to keep reminding myself what a monster he is, you know? That my sister would still be alive if it weren’t for him and his behavior.”

  Liza crosses her legs, the wheels on her skates spinning and making a strangely soothing noise that lulls me into a false sense of security. When she crosses her legs, she’s about to drop a truth bomb on me. And I can feel the bomb getting ready to explode.

  “Honey, I just want you to keep something in mind. Josie was a wonderful girl, but she had… issues. You would know that, even if she didn’t. So, please remember that maybe, just maybe, her narrative might not be the most reliable. You go out there, and you get your revenge if it’s deserved, but keep an open mind. Some things may not be what they seem.”

  With that, Liza hops up on her skates and weaves her way toward her bedroom. “Wait! Where are you going? You can’t say something like that and then ditch me!”

  “I have to take a shower. I smell like fryer oil. And you need to get a good night’s sleep. You have to get up extra-early so you can… sexify yourself for your first day tomorrow.”

  The sound of her skates on the hard wood disappears into her bedroom, and I’m left mulling over her words.

  Could she be right? Could Zachary be a good guy?

  No. It’s too late to doubt myself now. And I have planning to do.

  * * *

  It is the morning of my first day of work at Harper, Graham, and Graham, and I need to make sure I look as amazing as possible. Liza’s mom works at the most exclusive clothing shop in Los Angeles, and she got me a huge discount on a sample designer jumpsuit with flowy black pants, a sequenced top, and just enough of a plunging neckline. I throw on a pair of knock-off red-bottomed red shoes, swipe on some makeup, pull my blonde hair into a high ponytail, and head for Zachary Graham’s plush office.

  When I arrive, five minutes early, the office is bustling in a way it wasn’t the day before. There are women and men running around, carrying stacks of papers and folders, and gathering around each other’s desks to talk about work. A man that looks a lot like Zachary, but at least five years younger, rushes by me without noticing, heading straight for a cubicle in the back. I hear him start at whisper-shouting at a man inside.

  “Where the hell is Zach?”

  I can’t hear the other man’s answer. But the Zachary clone’s face turns red.

  “That singer won’t stop calling the main switch board, and they keep forwarding her calls to me. I don’t have time for this, and he was supposed to be in an hour ago. I have to be in court and if she calls my cell phone one more time…”

  He turns around and makes eye contact with me. I freeze in my tracks, like a deer in the headlights. “YOU!” he shouts so loudly; the whole office turns and stares at me.

  “Me what?” I ask, both terrified and confused.

  He stalks over to me. “You’re Zach’s new intern, right?”

  I nod, unable to form words. Up close, he’s just as attractive as Zachary, and it’s just as unnerving.

  “Come with me.”

  He starts running towards Zachary’s office, and I have to run double-time, almost triple in my stupid shoes, to keep up. When we get inside the office, the
man sits down and picks up the phone with a sigh.

  “Ava, right?”

  I nod again, still finding myself devoid of the ability to speak. He just shakes his head at me. “I’m Donovan Graham, Zachary’s brother, and his partner in this law firm. And once again, I am picking up his slack, because he’s disappeared to god knows where. So, now that he’s hired an intern, you’ll be picking up his slack. And you’re starting here.”

  “Right, of course. Happy to help. But I literally just got here, so if you could maybe fill me in on what client this is regarding?” I ask, trying to hide my nervousness.

  “Hell, if I know!” he responds, clearly annoyed. “Some pop singer he just signed. A needy one. And she keeps calling the front desk because he’s not answering his cell phone, so they send her to me like I know what is going on. And I don’t. I’m writing down her number. I want you to call her and put her at ease until Zachary graces us with his presence. Can you do that?”