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They were working their way through The Wookie, a specialty plate of homemade fries, topped with beef brisket and melted cheese. Of course they’d agreed to add jalapeños. “I hope you’ve got everything covered, man.” Jake’s appetite wasn’t limited by his concern.
“I’ve been working on this for months. I’ve done everything I can think of at this point to prepare.” Tanner had also quietly gone through old files in the office when no one was looking. He’d found some very interesting things that bore further investigating once he had some freedom to do so.
“I don’t put anything past the old man to try and stop you.” That went without saying, of course, but Jake said it anyway.
“I don’t either, so legally, I should be okay.” Tanner kept on with the legal mantra that if he did everything by the book, all would be okay. In fact, it should.
Jake put to words Tanner’s concerns. “It’s not legally that I’m concerned about.”
“I had the building checked out extensively before I bought it. There were no termites, no unmitigated water damage, no cranky plumbing or electrical issues, and the roof was replaced within the past ten years.” Tanner had made certain the building would pass inspection to prevent any delays in opening the practice.
The three-quarters-eaten plate sat between them, a testament to the seriousness of the situation. “Do you want me to be there when you tell him?” Jake’s offer was a kind but serious one.
Tanner shook his head. “He’ll take it as a sign of weakness, but I appreciate your offer.” Though it would be reassuring to have Jake there.
“I’m here for you, and so is Leah. What did Carly say about coming to work for you?”
“She’s agreed to come aboard. We’re going to work out contract details on how to handle clients and cases. I can’t pay her much to begin, which should give her incentive to bring in her own work. I’m relieved not to do it alone.”
Jake nodded. “She’s smart and capable, and I’ve never met anyone with more incentive. You could do a lot worse than Carly.”
Tanner nodded. “I know. And she understands what I’m dealing with on the Carson front. Somebody else wouldn’t really get it like Carly does.” Tanner felt in his bones that Carly was the right person to help him get this office up and running.
“Keep in mind that you’re dealing with family though, okay? She seems super tough on the outside, but she has a sensitive side that’s hidden from the world too. Just a heads-up.”
Tanner hadn’t seen that side of Carly, certainly not the grown-up Carly. “That’s probably good to know. I haven’t had any kind of personal conversation with her that hasn’t involved the office yet.”
“You can be pretty fierce, you know?” his brother reminded him.
“Got it.” Tanner knew how to treat peers and assistants. Maybe he sent emails or texts without a lot of niceties, but people appreciated directness in this business. Didn’t they? It wasn’t something he’d given much thought to. Tanner wasn’t a rude person, but he did work hard and expected those around him to pull their weight.
They’d gone back to eating and the plate was now empty. “Looks like we’re done here.” Jake wiped his mouth with a napkin and took a big swig of water.
“Looks like it.”
They paid the check and stepped out into the sunlight. “I’ll let you know when it’s done.”
“Good luck. You’ve got this.”
Tanner took a breath of resolve as he headed toward his truck. His lunch sat heavy in his stomach. He was excited to move forward to the next phase in life. One that didn’t have him dreading work every day. It would be hard for a while financially, he knew, but it was beyond time.
Once he’d gotten back inside the truck, Tanner glanced over at the file folder. There were dollar amounts he’d produced while at the firm that far exceeded the costs for Tanner’s education. Tanner knew this because he’d found the file marked,Tanner’s Education, in Carson’s personal filing cabinet.
Having a father who kept to-the-penny, hard-copy records in unlocked files made it easier to get information. Carson had such an ego, he believed everyone was so afraid of him, they wouldn’t dare go into his files. Of course, nobody would dare besides Tanner.
Yes, it had been sneaky, but not illegal. When members of the same law firm worked together within an office with common clients, it was expected that there was a sharing of information throughout the workspace. There was no law against Tanner going into an unlocked filing cabinet and attaining information while working there.
It wasn’t like Tanner had broken into a password-protected personal computer. Carson was old-school and had an ego the size of the Gulf of Mexico. Andthatwould likely be his undoing at some point.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tanner’s phone vibratedin his pocket. It was a text from Carly.
Good luck. Let me know how it goes.
Thanks. He should be here any minute.
She sent a thumb-up emoji.
