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The Wrong Hero Preview
(From Chapter Two of The Wrong Hero)
Greer always knew the best places to go. It was some kind of innate ability she had. I called it party radar in college, but now it had matured into something else. We walked inside the bar and I looked at her.
“This place is amazing.”
She grinned. “It’s the most popular spot in Georgetown. It’s only been open for six months, but it’s my favorite place to go for drinks. When I get out,” she added.
I don’t know if I was expecting her to take me to one of those stuffy political bars where her work friends went and the only thing you saw people drink was dark bourbon and whiskey, but this felt soothing, calming even.
We were escorted to a table and slid onto white leather seats.
“Don’t freak out when you see how much the drinks are,” she warned. “This isn’t New Bern. You can’t get a Cosmo for less than twenty dollars.”
I had already experienced an entire day of feeling like an outsider. I didn’t need to cap the night off the same way. At least I had her now to give me the insider tips.
“Got it.” I nodded. I kept my eyes poised not to widen at the prices when I opened the menu.
“This is on me,” she announced. “We have so much to celebrate.”
The offer was generous, but I was uncomfortable letting her pay for pricey drinks. She was the reason I was here. She was the one constant I had in my life no matter what. She was the friend who offered to split an apartment and show me the ropes to a new city. I didn’t want to point out the huge gap in our salaries. There was no way she could afford this.
“Then I’ll take a Cosmo.” I folded the drink menu.
“Me too.” She smiled. “Like old times.”
A waitress walked up to our table. “Are you two ready?”
Greer placed our order and we waited for the drinks to arrive.
“I want to hear all about your first day. Everything. How was the clinic?” She leaned on the tabletop with her elbows.
I moved back when the waitress placed the cosmos in front of us. “It was mainly HR stuff all day and introductions. Tons of paperwork. There’s not much to tell.”
“Did you get any cases? Any students?”
I shook my head. “No, I think cases tomorrow and then students start next week. At least I have a few days to get my bearings before I have to start teaching. Right now I have more questions than answers. I’m not the best mentor. How can I teach when I can’t find my way around and clearly have no idea what shoes to wear?” I joked, but it didn’t feel light.
I took a sip of the vodka drink. It was refreshing with the twist of lemon floating on top.
“But you said you wanted to teach.” Greer looked puzzled. “That’s the career move, right? You wanted to use law in a different way.”
“I do. But everything’s so overwhelming. You should have seen me this morning. I wore those stupid shoes that basically broke every bone in my feet. I almost took the wrong metro. I spilled coffee on the campus shuttle, and I couldn’t find the clinic. I went to three others before I wound up at the women’s center.”
“Oh.” She pulled the glass to her lips. “That’s a rough start. I’m sorry. It’s only your first day here. It’s going to get better.”
I sighed. “It is. But D.C. moves faster than I’m used to. Maybe I’m not cut out for this. I sound like the country mouse has moved in with the city mouse.” The reference made me giggle.
“Hey, don’t say that. You graduated top of your law class. You’ve been at one of the best law firms in New Bern. You know law. You can do this, Emily. You’re going through the same stuff we all went through when we moved here. It takes time.”
I bit my lip. “I know. I know, but it was a shitty day. I wanted it to be empowering. I wanted the kind of day that would tell me I made the right decision. That I left New Bern for a good reason.”
“You mean one that would tell that you left Garrett for a good reason.” She eyed me.
The guilt clinched the sides of my lungs.
