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Rodger squinted, eyeing Austin from across the room. “Is this about the Picotte file? I told Steven it wasn’t—”
Austin snorted and shook his head, holding up his hand. “I don’t even know what the Picotte file is. It’s probably the eighteenth folder Bernice stacked on my desk just this week.”
Steven wrinkled his nose and tipped his chair forward. “Well, what did you expect, kid? You’re our partner now! A little increase in workload won’t kill you, right?”
Austin laughed and folded his body over the top of the chair, pressing his cheek to the worn leather.
“What’s wrong with you, Templeton? Are you sick?” asked Rodger.
Am I sick?
Austin giggled again, swiveling the chair back and forth.Yeah, I’m sick. I’m sick of you. I’m sick of this place. I’m sick of living in the middle of everyone’s divorce. But mostly, I’m sick of being alone! I want my Casey girl back.The truth gripped him, sending a smile to his lips as his soul sang—the direction in his heart clear for the first time in months.
“Steven. Rodger. You’ve given me the career I’ve always wanted, and I’ve worked my ass off to get here. But it’s not enough.”
Rodger squinted. “You wantmoremoney, Templeton?”
A smile blossomed on his lips as he pulled his body upright, standing tall before the two seated men. “No, I don’t want more money. I wantout.” Austin huffed out a breath. “I fucking quit.”
Their faces froze, each pair of eyes slowly widening as Austin grinned, slapping his hands onto the leather chair. “I fucking quit!” he yelled, bringing his hands to rest at the nape of his neck, the words releasing his heart from the prison sentence he’d committed to.
“Is this some kind of joke?”
“Not even close, sir.” Austin tapped the doorframe and snorted. “Consider this my resignation from Boyd & Bernstein at Law.” A bubble of laughter rose from his belly at the omission of his last name, the giggles pouring forth from his lips.
Rodger stood and hammered his fist into the table. “You’re out of your goddamn mind, kid! Do you even know what the fuck you’re doing?” he roared.
“Actually, Rodger, for the first time in my life, I knowexactlywhat I’m doing.”
“You realize this is the end of your career, Templeton?” Steven’s forehead squished together into a unibrow, his words a muted whisper.
Austin nodded. “It’s the end of my careerhere,sir.”
“Get the fuck out.” Rodger pointed to the door.
And with a grin, Austin stepped back, balancing on the balls of his feet. “Gladly. I have a plane to catch.”
The Windy City calls...
