Indiscretion

“How’s your sister?” Dawson stopped at my desk the next afternoon on his way back from court.

“She’s doing much better. They gave her a second transfusion today, but her color has improved, and she has a lot more energy already. They’re going to keep her at least another day, though.”

“Well, do whatever you have to do workwise. If you need to be home to take care of the kids or shift your hours or work half days, it’s all good.”

I smiled. “That’s very sweet of you. But Cynthia, Frannie’s sister-in-law, came to stay for a few days. With the two of us, it shouldn’t be a problem working my normal hours. I do appreciate you offering, though.”

Dawson nodded. “Just a heads up, I have a client coming in with her now ex-husband. They own a mortgage brokerage company and were both indicted for mortgage fraud. They were still married at the time, but the case has dragged on for two years, and it’s become more complicated since they split up. Worse, when they told me they were getting divorced six months ago, I advised that they should have separate counsel, even though they were charged jointly. Now Emily represents the wife. So this should be a fun-filled afternoon.”

“Oh my. Yeah, that sounds like an interesting dynamic. Is there anything I can do to help you get ready?”

“No. I’m good. But I have a prospective new client I’m meeting with tomorrow. Maybe you could do some research on him and let me know what you come up with? I like to do a bit of due diligence before I sign on anyone new, to see what I’m potentially getting myself into and know what type of questions to ask when they come in.”

“Sure thing.”

“Thanks. I’ll email you over his name and what I know about his case.”

A half hour later, Dawson was on the phone when the receptionist buzzed to say his client’s wife was here with her counsel. I figured I’d help out and get them set up in the conference room, so I went out to greet them.

“Hi. I’m Naomi Heart. I work for Dawson.”

The woman who I’d assumed was the client stood. But her attorney was too busy typing into her phone to look up. I waited. When Emily finally dragged her nose from her cell, she blinked a few times. “You…”

I smiled and extended a hand. “It’s good to see you again, Emily.”

She looked me up and down with her lip snarled and left my hand waiting. “Why are you here?”

“As I said, I work for Dawson. I’m a paralegal.”

She cackled. “Oh, that’s rich. Did he run through all the attorneys in the City and he’s been forced to resort to the help?”

The help? This woman really had a giant stick up her ass. Though I was at a place of business, so I wasn’t going to take the bait. Instead, I offered my best pageant-worthy smile. “Why don’t I show you to the conference room?”

Her eyes narrowed. “I think I know where it is.”

I ignored her and looked to the client. “Right this way, please.”

Once the two of them were seated in the conference room, I excused myself to let Dawson know they’d arrived. At the door, Emily stopped me.

“I’ll take a coffee with cream and sugar.”

Not that I asked… Yet I smiled once again. “Sure. And how about you, Ms. Webber?”

“Nothing for me, thank you.”

I didn’t feel the need to rush, so I went to Dawson’s office first. He was still on the phone, but held up a finger telling me to wait. His eyes skimmed their way from my feet up to my face. When they met mine, he grinned. I found it oddly refreshing that he never tried to hide his checking me out, and that the smile at the end told me he liked what he saw. Or maybe I was delirious from not getting enough sleep lately.

Dawson said goodbye to whoever was on the phone, swiped his cell off, and tossed it onto a pile of papers on his desk.

“Ms. Webber is here, along with her counsel, who didn’t look too happy to find out I’m working for you.”

Dawson frowned. “What did she say?”

“Nothing important. Just tried to make me feel small.”

“Sorry. I have no idea how I didn’t see who she was until recently.”

“It’s fine. Doesn’t bother me. I find it amusing, actually.”

“Emily? Amusing? You sure you got the right person?”

I smiled. “She wants to make people feel beneath her, but only an insecure person does that.”

“You have her pegged.”

“Did she make you the asshole bracelet, by the way?”

The corners of Dawson’s lips turned down. “No.”

Okay then. I thumbed over my shoulder. “I put them in the conference room. But don’t rush. Mr. Webber isn’t here yet.”

“Thanks. I’ll tell the receptionist to bring him back when he gets here.”

“Okay. I have to get Emily coffee.”

“Did you offer her some?”

“No. She told me how she’d like it.”

“Did the client want coffee?”

I shook my head.

Dawson picked up a case file and started toward the door. “Then we’re all out. I’ll be sure to let Emily know.”

***

Hours later, I was getting ready to leave for the day. I planned to stop and visit my sister before going home to the kids. Dawson was still in the conference room with the Webbers and Emily. Raised voices had echoed down the hall earlier, but it had been pretty quiet the last hour. I shut down my laptop and straightened my desk, then headed to the ladies’ room. I had to pass the conference room to get there. Dawson’s back was to the glass, but it didn’t look like they’d be finishing up anytime soon. Papers were scattered all over the table. I’d probably have to write him a note before I left.

In the bathroom, I locked myself in a stall and emptied my bladder. Stepping out, I was still tucking my shirt in when I found Emily leaning against the vanity examining her nails. She didn’t look up as she spoke. That seemed to be a thing with her.

“I’m here as a public service, woman to woman,” she said.

I raised a brow, intrigued, though I suspected she was going more for intimidation than intrigue. “Oh?”

“He’s a great lay. But don’t fall in love.”

I chuckled. “I appreciate your concern, but I assure you that’s not a problem.”

She pushed off the vanity and stood tall. This woman was so calculating. She now tried to use her size to make me feel small when her words didn’t cut it.

“He can’t commit. The woman who damaged him ruined him for the rest of us. It’s a shame, really.”

I folded my arms over my chest. “And who exactly damaged him?”

A smile slid across her face. “Oh, my. You haven’t slept with him, yet you have it bad.”

“I don’t even know why I’m entertaining this conversation, but how would you know if I’ve slept with Dawson or not?”

Emily turned around. She leaned toward the mirror and used her pointer to fix her lipstick before flashing an evil grin at my reflection. “Because you’d know her name if he ever stayed the night.”