by Erin Lyon
Hey. If you aren’t busy, I have a strange question.
Like I could pass up an opening like that.
I smiled. Logek smacked her palm against the table. “Enough flirting. You’re on a fact-finding mission, remember?” I laughed.
Are you sure that Jared’s interests run toward the female persuasion?
Haha. Yes, Kate. I’ve known him to date many women. Can I assume this has to do with Logek?
Bingo. She came and met me for lunch (subtle, right?) and we stopped to say hi and he still didn’t ask her out. She wanted me to make sure she wasn’t … barking up the wrong tree.
Well, if it makes her feel any better, I’ve never known him to actually have a girlfriend. He always seemed to have a string of beautiful women around but they were never around long enough for me to need to remember their names.
Ouch.
But, remember, this was back in our college days. I can’t really say what he’s been doing in the last 10 years.
Hmm. True.
“Well?” Logek asked, throwing her hands up in the air.
I relayed my conversation with Adam.
“Okay. So it doesn’t seem that his anticommitment thing has changed in the last decade, true?” she asked.
“Agreed,” I said with a nod. “You know, Mags has the feeling he’s a workaholic. Maybe that’s it?”
“Does being a workaholic turn a guy that looks like that into a monk?”
I laughed. “I don’t know. I’m just throwing out possibilities.”
Logek grunted and picked up her menu again. “I’m gonna need a margarita.”
After we’d ordered, I propped my elbow on the table and set my chin in my hand. “So. Have you talked to Derek at all?”
“He’s texted, but I still haven’t replied. Why do you ask?”
“You just seem like you’re really looking for a distraction.”
“A handsome, brilliant distraction that’s playing hard to get,” she corrected.
“Yeah, but maybe you should give yourself a little more time.”
“I was only back with Derek for a couple of weeks.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t manage to break your heart again.”
Logek looked down at her glass of water and wiped the condensation from the side with her thumb. “He did.” Then she looked up at me, looking very strong, self-assured, and Logek-y. “But I must have known somewhere deep down from the beginning that nothing had changed, because, maybe for the first time, I feel really over him. It hurt, but I guess it was worth it.”
“Oh. Well, that is really good to hear.”
The waitress set Logek’s margarita in front of her and Logek took a long sip. “So don’t worry that Jared is some desperate rebound attempt which I’ll screw up, leaving you with work awkwardness.”
I laughed. “That never crossed my mind,” I said with feigned innocence.
“Sure it didn’t. But Jared is nice.”
“He does seem nice.”
“And he’s really pretty,” she said, with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.
“Let’s not forget that.”
“And at the rate I’m going, I might wrangle a date with him in about six to nine months.”
“Well, every girl likes a challenge now and then.” I took a drink of my iced tea. “Have you talked to Daniel at all?”
“No. I told you—he knew he was getting the brush-off when I started seeing Derek, and he just disappeared.” She shrugged. “And that was for the best, anyway. There were no butterflies.” She looked at me, doing her best Elizabeth Taylor impression, and added, “You know I can’t live without butterflies, darling.”
“And you think Jared is someone that can induce butterflies?”
Logek sighed. “Oh, he already has.”
* * *
I was back in my office an hour later. I’d read the cases Jared gave me, which I needed for backup on Luann’s case. The cases were right on point, all three having to do with the nonbreaching partner making more money and the contract terms surrounding damages being vague, at best. The consensus between the cases was that the vagueness in the contract didn’t get the breaching party out of paying damages based on their contribution to the partnership.
I’d worked out the math on Luann’s case and she made more than double what her cheating partner did, but, based on the ruling in the cases, I could still calculate his contribution and put it into the standard formula for damages. It wouldn’t be a ton of money, but I didn’t think that really mattered to Luann—just that it was fair.
I looked up the opposing counsel in her case, found his contact information, and dialed his number.
“Jonas and Unger,” a woman said in a lilting voice.
“Hi, I’m trying to reach Greg Unger. My name is Kate Shaw. I’m the attorney for Luann Sykes on the Sykes–Langley matter.”
“One moment, please.”
The next voice that came on the line was deep and gravelly. “This is Greg.”
I introduced myself again and told him I represented Luann. “Ty Langley gave Ms. Sykes your name as his attorney.”
“Yeah, I’m not sure I’m actually retained yet. I mean, he came in and met with me but hasn’t paid his retainer.”
I didn’t know what to do with that information, so I just moved forward. “Well, do you have any idea if he intends to just settle this amicably?”
“All he told me was that his partner wanted early termination of the contract but that he didn’t know why. Since I haven’t gotten paid yet, I haven’t put much time into reviewing the contract and determining what Ms. Sykes’s penalties might be for early termination.”
Son of a bitch! I’m getting much better at being sure to keep those internal thoughts internal. “Um, Mr. Unger, Ms. Sykes walked in on Mr. Langley having sex with another woman. In their bed. That is why she’s terminating.”
“Oh. Well, that’s not the way it was explained to me,” he said, matter-of-factly. “You know what? I’m going to have to call Ty. I may not be representing him after all. Let me give you a call back.”
“I understand. Please let me know.”
Yikes. That was ugly.
My cell vibrated. Scarlett.
“Scarlett, this is my cell phone. I’ve asked you—repeatedly—to call my office phone. Please call me back.” And I hung up.
My office phone buzzed a minute later. “Uh, Scarlett says you hung up on her?” Mags asked.
“I told her not to call my cell anymore.” Then I may have growled. “Just put her through.”
I made sure I’d clocked in on her time clock. If reason couldn’t get her to stop calling me ten times a day, maybe receiving her first bill would. “Hello, Scarlett.”
“Really, Kate? That’s pretty childish.”
“Scarlett, it is not a work cell—it’s my personal cell. I’ve asked you to call the office but you won’t listen.”
“Fine. I have a grievance.” Of course you do. “Rhett’s whore walked out to her car in just a T-shirt and underpants.”
“That may be tacky, Scarlett, but I don’t see how it’s a violation of the order.”
“Because he’s doing it to piss me off!”
“Not enough. It needs to be harassing you or coming onto your property.”
“He is harassing me.”
“Having a nooner is not barred by the order!” I said, raising my voice a little. I glanced up, and Jared was standing in my doorway with a smile on his face. “Call me if he actually violates the order. I have to go.”
I hung up and put my fingertips to my forehead. “Sorry about that,” I said, looking up at Jared.
“No problem. That’s one of the funniest things I’ve heard all day.”
“Crazy client.”
“We get our fair share.”
I nodded. “So, what’s up?”
“How was your lunch?” he asked. Hm. Curious.
“Great.”
Jared made a glance
behind him to see if anyone was nearby, then he came around and sat in one of the chairs in front of my desk, propped his elbows on his knees, and laced his fingers together. “So, I…” He trailed off and looked behind him again. “Maybe I shouldn’t talk to you about personal stuff while we’re at the office.”
His nervousness was kind of adorable. I laughed. “Then I wouldn’t be able to work with Mags. And that wouldn’t be okay, because she’s a friend of mine now. And so are you.”
He smiled at me. “Okay, but if this is in any way out of line, promise you’ll tell me to go away?”
“Count on it.”
“So, I have the feeling Logek is … interested … in me.”
“That is a possibility.”
“And she must think I’m completely crazy for not asking her out. Because she’s beautiful. And funny. And … I don’t know. Fierce,” he said, squinting a little.
I laughed. “She is a little fierce.”
“So, it’s just that I don’t date much. I work so much that I try not to date people I like.”
I looked at him with a dumb expression. “I have no response to that.”
He ran a hand through the side of his hair. “I just don’t want to fall for someone and have it all go to hell because I work too much.”
“Why do you work so much?”
“Because. I’ve worked hard to get to where I am. I’ve created expectations for myself that I’m always trying to live up to.”
“But, Jared, you’re a partner. A named partner. I could see it if you were a new associate trying to get on the partner track. But you’ve achieved that. Isn’t your life supposed to start eventually?”
He looked at me thoughtfully. Stared a little.
“Fair enough. But a part of it is habit. When I have a big case, I kind of lose myself in it. I wouldn’t want to subject someone I care about to that.”
“Well, Logek is a big girl. She can probably decide what she can live with.”
Jared appeared to chew on his lip a moment while he considered that. “Okay, honestly,” he said, leaning in toward my desk, “I can’t seem to stop thinking about her.” When he said that, he lifted a finger and made a lazy circle in the air next to his temple.
I raised my eyebrows at him. Your move, boss.
He sighed. “I haven’t really liked a woman in a while. But if you don’t think it’s a huge mistake, maybe it isn’t?”
“No guts, no glory,” I said with a smile.
He smiled back. “Could I get her number from you?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I said, pulling a Post-it note and scribbling her number on it. I held it out to him. “It’s about damn time.”
Jared grabbed the little yellow paper from me, grinning, and left.
I picked up my phone and texted Logek.
The eagle has landed. I repeat the eagle has landed.
Am I supposed to understand that?
No. I’ve just always wanted to say it. A certain smitten workaholic lawyer just asked for your number.
Logek responded with a variety of shocked and excited emoji faces. Good god, there are a lot of emojis these days. Do we really need four just to illustrate varying levels of excitement?
Remember. You aren’t allowed to make it weird. I work with him and I kinda like my job and don’t want it to be awkward.
Wait. Did you just say that you LIKED your job??
So strange. I did say that.
Huh. Well, I’m sure a crazy client will call any minute to chase that thought right out of my head:)
You’re such an optimist.
I set my phone down and Mags buzzed me again. “Greg Unger?”
“Yep. It’s on Luann’s case. Put him through.” I picked up on the first ring. “This is Kate.”
“Kate, Greg Unger.”
“Hey. So, what did you decide?”
“I’m going to be representing him.” No accounting for taste. Plus, his client’s already lied to him. I had the sneaking suspicion I wasn’t going to be a fan of Greg Unger. “Also, Ty says that Luann had stopped coming home before she showed up when he was in bed with the girl. He thought she’d already left him.”
My stomach twisted in knots. Was my client lying to me? “I don’t know anything about that, Greg. But I’m guessing that if they are both taking entirely contradictory stances, he’s unwilling to reach a settlement?”
“Maybe a settlement based on mutual termination. Even though it sounds like your client bailed. If I were you, I’d get her to take that offer.”
Yep. Not a Greg Unger fan. I’ve spoken to him for all of five minutes and I’d bet, dollars to donuts, he’s a dick. “Well, I’d say one of us is not getting the true story from their client and I’m inclined to think it’s you.”
“Suit yourself. If she wants the offer, let me know.”
And he hung up.
I just sat there a minute, stunned. I dialed Luann.
“Hello?” she said, picking up on the first ring.
“Luann, it’s Kate Shaw.”
“Oh, hi, Kate.”
“So, I just had an unpleasant phone call with Ty’s attorney. Apparently, Ty is claiming that you hadn’t been coming home, and he thought you’d left him by the time you caught him with that woman.”
I could hear Luann breathing, but she wasn’t saying anything. She took one more loud breath and blew it out slowly. When she spoke, her voice was steady and calm. “I work about sixty hours a week, sometimes more if we’re close to a breakthrough on something. But I called him every night that I was going to be home late. I always texted him when I was leaving the lab, so he’d know, because he said he worried about me. Ironically, my phone had died, so I didn’t text him the day I caught him with Monica. I guess that was the real reason he always wanted me to let him know when I was on my way.”
“That’s perfect. Sorry. Totally not perfect. What I mean is, do you think you can go online and print up your call history?”
“I’ll check. I’m pretty sure I can. I’m not sure it has texts listed, though.”
“Okay. I can attach the call history and hopefully that will be enough for his attorney to realize his client is lying to him. Then we’ll make clear that the phone records will back up your story if this goes to litigation. Maybe that’ll be enough to get Ty to come clean. And if he won’t, we’ll bring a complaint and, based on the contract, you’ll be entitled to recover your attorneys’ fees.”
“God, I really hoped it wasn’t going to get ugly. I just never realized he was such a good liar.”
“The best ones have had the most practice. This isn’t your fault, Luann.”
“I know.”
“Plus, Monica has agreed to help, and he told her he was single, which also makes him look like a liar,” I added.
“Right. I gave you her contact info, right? I was hoping we wouldn’t need it. Damn.”
“You did. Let’s see if we can get him to realize he’s going to lose big if he keeps up this lie, and see if he’ll agree to settle.”
Another loud sigh from Luann. “Yeah. Thanks, Kate.”
“Of course. I’m really sorry he’s pulling this.”
“You and me both.”
I hung up with Luann and went and briefed Mags on the case.
“Oh my god, what a prick,” she said.
“Right? I think I understand why Jared said a lot of signing attorneys end up too cynical to ever sign themselves. It’s disheartening, realizing there are so many assholes out there.”
“They’re there, either way. You just get a front row seat as a signing attorney.”
“I guess,” I said, and gave myself a shake, trying to get the icky feeling off. No, it was going to require a shower.
CHAPTER 16
Thursday night, after I had curled up into bed, my phone vibrated on the nightstand.
It was from Dave. Well, that was a pretty short-lived brush-off.
Change your mind yet?
Sorry.
Who is this?
Ouch. Still know how to hurt a guy, beautiful.
Just teasing. Lighten up.
You’re not the one that got dumped last week.
There was no dumping. Just stopping it before it started.
I had started.
I’m sorry, Dave.
So is that a ‘no’?
No what?
No, you haven’t changed your mind.
Sigh. This breaking things off was supposed to put an end to my Dave stress. Apparently, Dave hasn’t gotten the memo yet.
I really think it’s for the best.
Then he went quiet. Guess a little reinforcement was all he needed.
My phone vibrated again. Okay, or maybe not.
Except it wasn’t Dave. It was Adam. I frowned at the phone.
Come meet me for a drink.
I looked at the clock in the corner of my phone. 10:30 p.m.
Now? It’s kind of late.
Oh. I didn’t realize the old-folks’ home closes its doors this early on Thursday nights.
I chuckled.
Well it does on ‘Green Jello Night’ … they don’t want us getting frisky.
Yes. That. Frisky Kate needs to come have a drink.
Mr. Lucas. Have you been drinking?
Nope.
Uh huh.
Ok. One. Or four.
What’s the occasion for exceeding your ordinary iron restraint?
Birthday celebration.
Yours?
No. Come.
Crap. Let’s see. I’ve been able to deny Adam Lucas a total of … zero times. And it doesn’t look like I’ll be breaking that streak tonight.
Where are you?
The Trunk.
Well, I was kind of ready for bed. I’ve got to put myself together.
Just throw on some jeans. You always look perfect.
Maybe someone stole Adam’s phone?
I was in the middle of doing as instructed, donning a pair of jeans, when my phone vibrated again.
Why aren’t you here yet?
Impatient much?
It’s been 5 minutes, Adam.
Oh. Haha. Well hurry.
I checked my reflection in the mirror and looked pretty much the same as I had at the office that day, so I just ran a brush through my hair, grabbed my keys, and headed out.
I lucked out and found some street parking near the bar. Apparently the bloom was not off the new-bar rose, though, because there were still some people waiting to get in, even on a Thursday night. Since Adam knew the owners, I figured I’d try my luck talking to the bouncer rather than waiting in line.