“Good. Sounds like you’re on top of everything—as always. What about the will?”
“Pretty straightforward.” He’d left everything to me.
He nodded. “When’s the service? I was going to try to fly out for it.”
“What?” I jerked my head back. “Really? That’s super sweet, but totally not necessary. I know how busy things are there, plus you should be with your family for the holidays.”
“Audrey.” His serious tone caught my attention. “You’re like family. And they’ll understand.”
“You just want an excuse to visit wine country,” I teased, unprepared for his confession.
“There’s that, too. Plus, I remember what it was like when your back went out in law school.” He cringed, as did I. “I’m sure you’re under a lot of stress, and…”
“How’s the Stein case coming?” I asked, needing to change topics.
Though I’d been gone a few days, it felt like much,muchlonger. So much happened so fast, given the point we were at in the case. And I didn’t want to miss anything. As much as I appreciated Ben’s offer, it seemed like a waste of time for him. Especially with everything that needed to be done back in Boston.
“It’s, uh, good.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Geoff is concerned that your component of the case is too risky.”
Shit.“Seriously?”
I thought I’d put all his concerns to rest before I’d left. He’d seemed convinced in the last meeting. But Ben’s serious expression told me that wasn’t the case.
“Okay. Okay.” I stood and started pacing behind my dad’s desk. “How about this?” I launched into a comprehensive argument.
“Wow,” he breathed when I finished. “That was hot.”
“Yeah, but are you convinced?” I didn’t care about being hot; I cared about being right. About being convincing and commanding respect.
“Yes.”
I grinned, batting my eyes. “I know—you think my brain is sexy.”
“Everything about you is sexy.” His eyes darkened.
“Oh yeah?” I laughed, playing it off as I always did. Ben was a playboy, a flirt. This was how we bantered. “I look really sexy right now.”
I peered at myself in the small screen. My hair was piled on top of my head in a frizzy knot, and I had absolutely no makeup on. My skin seemed even paler than usual, and not in the “ooh, look at her alabaster skin” way. Even though it was nearly two in the afternoon, I was still wearing my pajamas, and I’d draped a cashmere shawl over my shoulders. I’d forgotten how cold this big, old house could get in the winter with its thirteen-foot-high ceilings.
He flashed me a grin. “I’d still do you.”
“You’d do anything in a skirt with a pulse,” I shot back.
“Hey!” He clasped his hands over his heart, feigning injury. “That’s harsh.”
“Harsh but true. Can we focus on the precedent set by Rowe v. Emergent? I want to look at that again.”
We spent the next thirty minutes debating the merits of the case until a loud, jarring noise interrupted.
“What’s that?” Ben asked. “Is that a—” He tilted his head to the side.
“Jackhammer,” we said at the same time.
And it sounded really close. I stood and turned so I could peer out the window to the back.Fucker.
