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“Should we get together tomorrow to map out our plan of attack?” he asked. He didn’t want to have to wait until Monday to see her again.
“I have plans tomorrow but will be in the office Sunday to work on another case. If you want to come in the afternoon, we can review what we have. I think we really need to study the financials and determine what, if any, funding came from joint accounts and dig up as much precedent on that,” she said, between nibbles of her fries.
“How did you rattle off so much case law today?”
“I have a great memory, some would say photogenic, even though that’s not real.”
“Did you grow up in Virginia?”
“Nope.”
“You don’t want to talk about it?”
Shrugging, she took another sip. “Not much to say. I grew up in North Carolina. I went to a state college in Virginia, then law school. I finagled a position with Baxter and Stewart because Inez Stewart went to school with my mentor at law school.”
“Maybe one day you’ll tell me about where you got that grit, but only if you want to.” He polished off his drink and stood. “Shall we head back to the office?”
“You go ahead. I’ll be there in a little bit.”
Disappointment was like an unexpected tidal wave crashing over him, but she’d already spent more time with him in two days than she had in two years. If he was going to convince her to consider a personal relationship, he was going to need to be patient with her.
“Thanks for the drink and lunch. Well done today,” he said.
*
Later that afternoon,he noticed when Hailey returned to the office, but they didn’t discuss their case the rest of the day. They each had an existing case load, and he picked up on her need to concentrate from her office door being closed. The rookie bullpen always got a little noisy on Fridays, and several of the other lawyers were vocal about planning their evening out. They were all younger than him by at least five years, but usually kind enough to invite him if they were just going to a local bar. But he knew they’d be hitting the trendy club scene, and that wasn’t really his style. By six o’clock, he was ready for a run and an early night. Hailey’s door was still closed, so he settled for sending her a short message via their interoffice chat system.
I’m heading out, see you Sunday around 1.
He waited, staring at the little box for their chat and was struck with how eager he was for her to respond.
Finally, three words popped up.
See you Sunday.
Short and sweet, and a little underwhelming, but it wasn’t reasonable for him to expect her to want to celebrate their success in one pre-trial hearing with him on a Friday night. She probably had plans with someone outside of work. She probably had an entire big life outside the office, some man that spoiled her, friends she brunched with, and didn’t give him a second thought. Shutting down his computer, he grabbed his bag and turned off his office light. With one last look down the hall where Hailey’s office door remained closed, he made his way toward the elevator. Once inside, he caught his own reflection and smiled. He may not get to see her socially yet, but he still had Sunday and that was a start.
Chapter Four
Finn
The glow fromthe desk lamp bounced off Hailey’s glasses while she reviewed her notes and scanned something on her screen. It was only noon on Sunday, and she had the office all to herself.
“So this is how you memorize all those case files?” Finn asked.
Her screech caused a ripple of caution to slide down his spine, like a warning. Her head popped up, and she pulled out her earbuds as the papers on her desk cascaded to the floor.
With his hands up in the air, he cringed. “It’s just me, Finn. Sorry.”
She stood now with her face in the shadows, one hand on her chest and the other gripping a round object, as if she could fend off some intruder with what looked like a paperweight. Her pupils had grown big in her searching glacier-blue eyes.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
He took a tentative step closer and watched as realization sank in and her breath started to steady. He bent to pick up the documents and set them on the side of her desk but didn’t dare move closer to her.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on someone like that.”
“I promise I wasn’t sneaking. I figured if you were here, you’d have heard the elevator ding, or my laugh when I spotted you working on the case without me.”
