Matching earrings. Nothing overwhelming, but breathtaking all the same.
“Is this dress okay? I mean, I’ve never been to a place like this. Am I good?” She looks down, nervously smoothing her hands over her dress.
“It’s perfect.” I answer.
I hold my arm out to her and she slips her hand in. I tell her to relax just before we walk through the doors that lead us to the dinner area. Guests are still mingling, but some are starting to get seated.
Memphis and I make our way around the room. I talk with fellow lawyers, making light introductions to Memphis and small talk as much as possible. She smiles and stays connected to me as we move through the crowd.
“Are these people your friends?” she asks against my ear.
“Just business associates. Lawyers.” I answer.
“Big time lawyers.”
“Pretty much.”
“No public defenders or pro-bono work here.” she comments.
“Maybe a few.”
“Does your firm ever do pro-bono work?” she asks.
I open my mouth to answer, but my father approaches with his date, Blake, and Langston. I swallow down my answer and force a smile onto my face. He does the same.
“What’s this about pro-bono work?” he asks, bellowing out a laugh.
“Memphis was just asking about our firm and what kind of work we did.” I
explain. I introduce them and watch my father give her a once-over.
“Honey, we don’t do pro-bono work. If someone needs pro-bono work they can go to the courthouse and fill out a hardship. The judge will appoint someone for them.” he explains. “That’s how the system works.”
“I was just curious, sir. I don’t know very much about Morgan, Quinley, and
Sloan.”
“You’re dating my son, but you don’t know anything about our company?” my
father says, rudely.
Before I can explain that we’re not dating, Memphis replies, “I didn’t say that I didn’t know anything about your firm, sir. I said I didn’t know much about it. I do know that your firm is ranked number three in the state of New York for defending capital murder clients and getting them off with a conviction of not guilty. I also know that your firm is ranked number five in the state for overturning convictions and number two for getting dismissals. I simply didn’t know if your firm did pro- bono work.”
“What’s your name again?” “Memphis Stone.”
“Ms. Stone, damn nice to meet you.” my father grins. He takes Memphis’s hand in his and raises it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. I clench my jaw in annoyance.
He motions to his table and we fall into step behind him. Memphis and I sit across from my father and the woman he brought with him. He didn’t even bother to introduce us. I have no idea who she is or if I’ll ever see her with him again. Don’t care.
My father’s attention is not focused on her anymore anyway. It’s focused on Memphis. He suddenly wants to know everything about her. Where she’s from. What she does. Who her family is. She seems hesitant to answer.
“I’m from Alabama, sir. My sister and I moved here about a year ago. She’s in college.”
“Just you and your sister? Where’s your parents?” he meddles on.
Memphis glances at me and then down in her lap before looking back up. “We just have my mom and I’m honestly not sure where she is, sir.”
“What is it that you do, Memphis?”
Damn. I knew this question would come up. She looks at me again. She bites her bottom lip and I can see she’s not sure what to say. The truth?
“She’s just accepted a position at the firm actually. The receptionist position that we’ve had posted a few weeks. She’ll start it in a week or so. We’re still finalizing all the paperwork.” I answer and see my father’s eyes narrow at me.
“That’s great!” Blake exclaims. “I’ll actually have a friend working at the firm.
Not a bunch of old guys and a brother who never has enough time for me.”
I avoid looking over at Memphis, but I feel her green gaze
“Is this dress okay? I mean, I’ve never been to a place like this. Am I good?” She looks down, nervously smoothing her hands over her dress.
“It’s perfect.” I answer.
I hold my arm out to her and she slips her hand in. I tell her to relax just before we walk through the doors that lead us to the dinner area. Guests are still mingling, but some are starting to get seated.
Memphis and I make our way around the room. I talk with fellow lawyers, making light introductions to Memphis and small talk as much as possible. She smiles and stays connected to me as we move through the crowd.
“Are these people your friends?” she asks against my ear.
“Just business associates. Lawyers.” I answer.
“Big time lawyers.”
“Pretty much.”
“No public defenders or pro-bono work here.” she comments.
“Maybe a few.”
“Does your firm ever do pro-bono work?” she asks.
I open my mouth to answer, but my father approaches with his date, Blake, and Langston. I swallow down my answer and force a smile onto my face. He does the same.
“What’s this about pro-bono work?” he asks, bellowing out a laugh.
“Memphis was just asking about our firm and what kind of work we did.” I
explain. I introduce them and watch my father give her a once-over.
“Honey, we don’t do pro-bono work. If someone needs pro-bono work they can go to the courthouse and fill out a hardship. The judge will appoint someone for them.” he explains. “That’s how the system works.”
“I was just curious, sir. I don’t know very much about Morgan, Quinley, and
Sloan.”
“You’re dating my son, but you don’t know anything about our company?” my
father says, rudely.
Before I can explain that we’re not dating, Memphis replies, “I didn’t say that I didn’t know anything about your firm, sir. I said I didn’t know much about it. I do know that your firm is ranked number three in the state of New York for defending capital murder clients and getting them off with a conviction of not guilty. I also know that your firm is ranked number five in the state for overturning convictions and number two for getting dismissals. I simply didn’t know if your firm did pro- bono work.”
“What’s your name again?” “Memphis Stone.”
“Ms. Stone, damn nice to meet you.” my father grins. He takes Memphis’s hand in his and raises it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. I clench my jaw in annoyance.
He motions to his table and we fall into step behind him. Memphis and I sit across from my father and the woman he brought with him. He didn’t even bother to introduce us. I have no idea who she is or if I’ll ever see her with him again. Don’t care.
My father’s attention is not focused on her anymore anyway. It’s focused on Memphis. He suddenly wants to know everything about her. Where she’s from. What she does. Who her family is. She seems hesitant to answer.
“I’m from Alabama, sir. My sister and I moved here about a year ago. She’s in college.”
“Just you and your sister? Where’s your parents?” he meddles on.
Memphis glances at me and then down in her lap before looking back up. “We just have my mom and I’m honestly not sure where she is, sir.”
“What is it that you do, Memphis?”
Damn. I knew this question would come up. She looks at me again. She bites her bottom lip and I can see she’s not sure what to say. The truth?
“She’s just accepted a position at the firm actually. The receptionist position that we’ve had posted a few weeks. She’ll start it in a week or so. We’re still finalizing all the paperwork.” I answer and see my father’s eyes narrow at me.
“That’s great!” Blake exclaims. “I’ll actually have a friend working at the firm.
Not a bunch of old guys and a brother who never has enough time for me.”
I avoid looking over at Memphis, but I feel her green gaze
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