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“Maybe I’ll give Clare or Autumn a call.”
Her smile widened. “Yes! Do that. Now get on out of here. Enjoy a weekend for once.”
“Well, I have some notes to add to the Jenner file and—”
She lifted her brow. “Rory Ann Adams.”
I knew when I was defeated. Lifting my hands, I giggled. “Okay! Okay! No need to pull out the full name. I’ll call the girls now.”
“Good. Don’t forget dinner with us on Sunday.”
I groaned internally. Sunday dinner was a weekly thing we had done since I started Harvard. It was my parents’ way of staying in my business.
“I wouldn’t think of forgetting dinner.”
With a smack on my ass, she smirked. “Don’t be a smart-ass, Rory. It doesn’t become you.”
Laughing, I grabbed my purse and briefcase and headed back to my office. Once there, I pulled out my cellphone and sent Clare and Autumn a text.
Me: Hey! I need a night out. You guys up for it?
In less than a minute they both responded.
Clare: Who is this?
Autumn: I’m sorry…this number used to belong to my BFF Rory. But she never has time to go out.
Me: Ha. Ha. Seriously. I need a night out in the real world. Will you help a girl out?
Clare: We’ll pick you up at eight. Dress sexy.
My heart dropped. “Oh shit,” I whispered as I stared at the last text. Do I even own anything sexy?
“Everything okay?”
Letting out a small yelp, I dropped my phone onto my desk and looked up at Russell. “Russell? You didn’t knock.”
The corners of his mouth lifted into a smirk. “Your door was open.”
My cheeks heated. “Oh. Sorry, everything’s fine. Just some friends of mine giving me a hard time about going out tonight.”
His smile faded. “They beat me to it.”
Pulling my head back in surprise, I asked, “Excuse me?”
He waved his hand and sat down in a chair. “Nothing. I was going to see if you wanted to get a drink or two. Maybe even grab dinner, since it looks like we’ll be working together on the assault case.”
My breath caught. He knew about the case. I could get the information from him! No, wait. What would he think if he knew my mother hadn’t given them to me yet?
“Normally, I would, but I promised myself a much-needed weekend off.”
With a nod of his head, he replied, “You have been cranking out the cases. I’m impressed with your work ethic, Rory. It’s rare.”
Feeling my cheeks heat, I glanced at my phone. “Well, thank you, I appreciate that. I’m really looking forward to working alongside of you on this case.”
Something passed over his face, but I couldn’t read it. He stood and gave me a wink. “Enjoy your weekend. Starting Monday, we’ll be too busy for fun times.”
My heart sank. Ugh.
Standing, I straightened out my skirt. “Don’t worry, I’ll be ready and able.”
“Let’s hope so.”
With a frown, I watched him turn on his expensive Giacometti shoes and retreat out of my office.
What in the hell did that mean? Does he think I’m not ready for this kind of case? Hell, I don’t even know what the case is!
Whatever.
I wasn’t going to let Russell McCormick ruin my weekend.
—
By the time we ate dinner and had a couple of drinks, it was nearly midnight when we hit Guilt. It was a popular bar in Boston and always packed. Clare and Autumn were both still single, which surprised the heck out of me. Clare was tall, blond hair, and the bluest of eyes. Every man’s dream. Whereas Autumn was shorter than me, and I stood at five three. She had red hair that was pulled up into a crazy ponytail. Kind of matched her spit-and-fire personality.
“It’s packed in here!” I called out over the music.
Clare wiggled her brows. “Perfect for grinding up on some men!”
I rolled my eyes. My two best friends most definitely were more sexually experienced than I was. We were roommates in college, and while I was sitting in my room studying they were screaming out “Oh God faster” almost every night. I’d only ever been with one guy.
Frank.
Yuck. Even his name makes my skin crawl. We dated in high school and through our first few years of college. Things ended when I drove to upstate New York to pay him a surprise visit. Needless to say, I was the one who was surprised when I walked in on him and another girl having sex.
“Don’t roll your eyes, Rory. One of these days a guy is going to catch your attention and you’re going to want to ride his stick.”
Clare laughed. “Yep. What Autumn said.”
I couldn’t even be shocked. That was how Autumn was. Blunt and didn’t give a hoot what came out of her mouth. Clare wasn’t too far behind her, but had a tad bit more control over what she said.
