With any luck, I'd be gone before she could do anything about it.
I looked down at my stack of papers, trying to get ready to work, but I couldn't concentrate. I kept daydreaming about going to Texas and showing everyone how useful I really was. Maybe I'd even figure out the argument that would win Smith the case. I'd have the scholarship and a guaranteed job when I graduated.
I picked up the card from Aiden. He'd be impressed too. He'd find me at the trial and tell me just how impressed and proud of me he was. How he knew I could do it. He'd even kiss me. We'd get married, I'd be a famous lawyer, and we'd both live happily ever after. It was perfect.
“Lena,” a voice called, bringing back to earth. I started and opened my eyes to see one of the legal assistants staring at me like I was crazy. I wondered just how long she'd been there watching me daydream. “Mr. Smith would like to meet you upstairs in his office.”
I grinned. This was it. I was on my way. “Thank you. I'll be right up.”
The assistant shrugged and hurried off. I smoothed my hair and made sure my shirt was straight. This was going to be good. I tucked the card gently back into my coat pocket to keep it safe. The only thing that could make this day better would be a visit from Aiden. A girl could dream.
Chapter 6
I couldn't keep the grin off my face as I hurried upstairs. Darcie gave me a big thumbs up as I passed the library on my way to Smith's office. I could hardly wait to get in there, but I made sure to walk calmly and professionally, even though I really just wanted to do cartwheels in the hallway.
Mr. Smith's secretary sat at a large desk guarding the entrance to his office. It looked as though a paper avalanche had hit her desk overnight as she sorted and organized the files that must be about the new case. I cleared my throat and she looked up from her work, her face betraying nothing.
“Go on in,” she told me. “They’re expecting you.”
I grinned at her her, but she just returned to her piles of paper. I was excited and nervous and fairly sure that I might vibrate off the floor with all the emotions running through me. I opened his office door, stepped inside, and immediately stopped smiling. The happy vibrations were gone. I wasn't floating. I was sinking.
Sitting perched on the edge of Smith's desk was Alexa. Calvin sat in a chair beside her while Smith himself stood. I couldn't think of a single good reason why the two of them would be in here. I wished I hadn't left the card in my jacket pocket. I needed a little courage.
“Lena. Good, you're here,” Smith greeted me. He was an older gentleman, probably in his mid-sixties, though his actual age was a closely guarded secret. His hair was thick and gray, but his brown eyes were quick and sharp. “Now we can get started.”
I looked nervously from face to face, trying to figure out what exactly was going on. I swallowed hard as the door shut behind me. I didn't move away; I needed to know I had an exit if things went as bad as I was afraid of.
“Now, I'm aware that you were selected as the employee for the “Grooming the Next Generation” program this year. I remember picking you myself,” Smith started. All three of them were staring at me. I felt like a specimen in an experiment. Any moment, one of them was going to do something terrible to see how I would respond.
“Yes, sir,” I responded meekly.
“As such, you are supposed to come with me on my next case. I don't know if you watched the news this morning, but I was just hired on the Stephan Myers case in Texas.” He waited for me to nod.
“I had heard that, sir.” I held my breath, waiting for him to tell me that I was going in front of Alexa and Calvin. This could still turn out okay.
Smith's shoulders dropped a little his brows came together as he looked down, as if summoning the courage to continue. I had seen him do this in the courtroom for the jury. He had bad news for me. “I'm afraid I won't
I looked down at my stack of papers, trying to get ready to work, but I couldn't concentrate. I kept daydreaming about going to Texas and showing everyone how useful I really was. Maybe I'd even figure out the argument that would win Smith the case. I'd have the scholarship and a guaranteed job when I graduated.
I picked up the card from Aiden. He'd be impressed too. He'd find me at the trial and tell me just how impressed and proud of me he was. How he knew I could do it. He'd even kiss me. We'd get married, I'd be a famous lawyer, and we'd both live happily ever after. It was perfect.
“Lena,” a voice called, bringing back to earth. I started and opened my eyes to see one of the legal assistants staring at me like I was crazy. I wondered just how long she'd been there watching me daydream. “Mr. Smith would like to meet you upstairs in his office.”
I grinned. This was it. I was on my way. “Thank you. I'll be right up.”
The assistant shrugged and hurried off. I smoothed my hair and made sure my shirt was straight. This was going to be good. I tucked the card gently back into my coat pocket to keep it safe. The only thing that could make this day better would be a visit from Aiden. A girl could dream.
Chapter 6
I couldn't keep the grin off my face as I hurried upstairs. Darcie gave me a big thumbs up as I passed the library on my way to Smith's office. I could hardly wait to get in there, but I made sure to walk calmly and professionally, even though I really just wanted to do cartwheels in the hallway.
Mr. Smith's secretary sat at a large desk guarding the entrance to his office. It looked as though a paper avalanche had hit her desk overnight as she sorted and organized the files that must be about the new case. I cleared my throat and she looked up from her work, her face betraying nothing.
“Go on in,” she told me. “They’re expecting you.”
I grinned at her her, but she just returned to her piles of paper. I was excited and nervous and fairly sure that I might vibrate off the floor with all the emotions running through me. I opened his office door, stepped inside, and immediately stopped smiling. The happy vibrations were gone. I wasn't floating. I was sinking.
Sitting perched on the edge of Smith's desk was Alexa. Calvin sat in a chair beside her while Smith himself stood. I couldn't think of a single good reason why the two of them would be in here. I wished I hadn't left the card in my jacket pocket. I needed a little courage.
“Lena. Good, you're here,” Smith greeted me. He was an older gentleman, probably in his mid-sixties, though his actual age was a closely guarded secret. His hair was thick and gray, but his brown eyes were quick and sharp. “Now we can get started.”
I looked nervously from face to face, trying to figure out what exactly was going on. I swallowed hard as the door shut behind me. I didn't move away; I needed to know I had an exit if things went as bad as I was afraid of.
“Now, I'm aware that you were selected as the employee for the “Grooming the Next Generation” program this year. I remember picking you myself,” Smith started. All three of them were staring at me. I felt like a specimen in an experiment. Any moment, one of them was going to do something terrible to see how I would respond.
“Yes, sir,” I responded meekly.
“As such, you are supposed to come with me on my next case. I don't know if you watched the news this morning, but I was just hired on the Stephan Myers case in Texas.” He waited for me to nod.
“I had heard that, sir.” I held my breath, waiting for him to tell me that I was going in front of Alexa and Calvin. This could still turn out okay.
Smith's shoulders dropped a little his brows came together as he looked down, as if summoning the courage to continue. I had seen him do this in the courtroom for the jury. He had bad news for me. “I'm afraid I won't
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