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“Well, we know you think that,” Jessi jokes.
I lose the battle and begin to blush. “I mean, my peers.”
“You work with Josh?” David asks.
I shake my head. “I did. Josh is on paternity leave. I’m covering his caseload.”
David looks surprised. “That’s a hefty load for a new hire,” he says.
Lewis looks between us. “Shouldn’t you know what she’s doing?”
David seems like he had forgotten others were listening. He takes a sip of his wine. “Our paths cross. But I do not directly supervise Laura,” he explains.
Jessi smiles. “Of course not,” she says. “That would be unethical.”
An awkward silence falls over the table. Thankfully, the waiter comes and interrupts the moment. David orders foreveryone, and I’m so grateful I didn’t have to try to pronounce the words on the menu that I don’t even care that he doesn’t actually know what I like to eat.
“You two don’t talk much about work, then?” Lewis asks, his voice and expression equally dry.
Jessi looks at him, and he plasters on a polite smile. I’m so impressed by her.
“I suppose not,” David says. He glances over at me, and I dip my chin just a little in an encouraging nod. He’s much better at bluffing than me—he should take the lead here.
“We discuss it, of course, and I see Laura in action every once in a while. We do departmental meetings, and as a junior attorney, she’s available to help on the larger cases that need the extra eyes. Similar to how she would work with you, Lewis, I imagine.”
Lewis nods a little. “I didn’t think to tell anyone she was my sister ‘cause I figured we’d only see each other in passing.”
“Plus,” I add, feeling on more familiar ground. “Lewis’ specialty isn’t the same as what I hope to make mine. David’s is more on par.”
“For someone who hasn't even made it through Reese Witherspoon’s book list, I sure have found myself surrounded by a bunch of smarty pants!” Jessi giggles.
Lewis smiles adoringly at her. I sneak a peek at David’s face. It’s also smitten, but in the way I know Alice and I look at each other.
Though David’s not mine, and I have zero reason to, I relax a little. I’m…glad. I don’t want him hung up on Jessi.
For Lewis’ sake! Not my own.
“Mostly,” David is still talking, and I make a concentrated effort to pay attention. “We discuss other things.”
My brain splutters.
Do we!?
David is about to ruin all of this.
“Tell me,” Lewis says, voice conversational but eyes narrowed. My brother, the lawyer. It’s not something I see in action very often.
“Well, Laura and I talk more about… our interests, I suppose.”
“That’s nice,” Jessi offers, looking between us.
The waiters arrive with our food. I immediately shove some into my mouth.
“She loves reading,” David says.
“We all do,” Lewis says. On the surface, it sounds like he’s saying it to connect, but I know my brother. I shove more of the orange puree in my mouth. It is honestly delicious.
“She loves reading young adult fiction. Those… dystopian novels.” David’s nose scrunches and his head cocks to the side. “The ones about rebellion.”
