change. I would hope I’ve evolved since we last met.
“You’re supposed to be here tomorrow,” he repeats.
“Nope. Pretty sure it’s today. I know because the plane wouldn’t have let me board if I had the wrong date on the ticket.” I stare around him, into the backyard and notice a mess of boards in the backyard blocking the doorway. “What kind of handiwork are you doing? Kay approved that mess?”
“Just little stuff. She had a fan out in the bathroom and I’m building a pergola in the back. She’d like to host more barbecues, and it gets hot back there without a cover.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You’re building a pergola? Is the patent business that slow?”
“No, why? You looking for a job? My office could use someone. When my partner found out you were coming, he was ecstatic. We’ve found this new niche, and we’re on fire. Where are you working?”
My heart flames with excitement at his words and I forget all about the pergola. I want to ask him everything about business, but my pride prevents me from saying a word. “I’m not really looking for anything,” I lie. My words surprise even me. Pride’s an ugly trait.
“Too bad. The patent business is fast and furious with all the software and social media sites popping up right and left. It’s like another Dot Com bubble for us patent attorneys. I can’t believe you’re not in on it. There are these trolls buying up patents left and right, then they sue small start-ups for patent infringement and put these companies right out of business.”
“No kidding? That’s new. They’re buying the patents?”
“Which, as you know, means they can put them into use that day. They buy them, start litigation and the battle for intellectual property is on.”
My teeth clench at the injustice and I want to jump out of my skin with questions, but I put my game face on. “What’s the patent office doing about it?”
“Nothing yet.” Matt adjusts his tool belt then steps out onto the porch, like I’m a Jehovah’s Witness and he’s trying to keep me out of Kay’s house. “You know how well they understand the technology. It will take them time to catch up.”
I ball my hands into small, tight fists. His words bring everything out in me that made me want to be a patent attorney. The rights. The doing battle for inventors and creators. I’m practically foaming at the mouth to get in on it, but I know if I’m overeager, Matt will drop the subject like yesterday’s news. “Have you been to court with any of them yet?”
“It takes less than an hour of the judge’s time for these morons to get shut down.” He steps back and opens the door wide enough for me to step over the threshold. “So what are you working on now?” He glances at my suitcase. “Besides your shoe collection, I mean.”
“Oh, you know.”
“You shouldn’t have sold your share of this house to Seth.” Matt shakes his head. “You burned the ships. Lot of people make that mistake, and then there’s no getting back into Bay Area real estate.”
“I did burn the ships.”
“You’re not the kind of woman who just becomes a housewife. Hadn’t you noticed that?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s not a criticism. It’s just you don’t bake or cook, you’re sloppier than me from what I remember, and Kay mothered you when you lived here. All I am saying is if I were going to recommend a patent attorney, you’d top my list. But a housewife? We can’t just change who we are by moving.”
“How is that not a criticism?”
“Maybe it is, but my motive is pure.”
I cross my arms. “I doubt that. Let’s not forget you are a lawyer.”
“As are you, Ashley. You always seem to attribute every piece of ugliness about the law to me, without taking any credit for it being your own profession.”
My eyes scan the room behind him, and the loss of this house looms large for me. Matt’s tossed-aside T-shirt and flip-flops are strewn across
“You’re supposed to be here tomorrow,” he repeats.
“Nope. Pretty sure it’s today. I know because the plane wouldn’t have let me board if I had the wrong date on the ticket.” I stare around him, into the backyard and notice a mess of boards in the backyard blocking the doorway. “What kind of handiwork are you doing? Kay approved that mess?”
“Just little stuff. She had a fan out in the bathroom and I’m building a pergola in the back. She’d like to host more barbecues, and it gets hot back there without a cover.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You’re building a pergola? Is the patent business that slow?”
“No, why? You looking for a job? My office could use someone. When my partner found out you were coming, he was ecstatic. We’ve found this new niche, and we’re on fire. Where are you working?”
My heart flames with excitement at his words and I forget all about the pergola. I want to ask him everything about business, but my pride prevents me from saying a word. “I’m not really looking for anything,” I lie. My words surprise even me. Pride’s an ugly trait.
“Too bad. The patent business is fast and furious with all the software and social media sites popping up right and left. It’s like another Dot Com bubble for us patent attorneys. I can’t believe you’re not in on it. There are these trolls buying up patents left and right, then they sue small start-ups for patent infringement and put these companies right out of business.”
“No kidding? That’s new. They’re buying the patents?”
“Which, as you know, means they can put them into use that day. They buy them, start litigation and the battle for intellectual property is on.”
My teeth clench at the injustice and I want to jump out of my skin with questions, but I put my game face on. “What’s the patent office doing about it?”
“Nothing yet.” Matt adjusts his tool belt then steps out onto the porch, like I’m a Jehovah’s Witness and he’s trying to keep me out of Kay’s house. “You know how well they understand the technology. It will take them time to catch up.”
I ball my hands into small, tight fists. His words bring everything out in me that made me want to be a patent attorney. The rights. The doing battle for inventors and creators. I’m practically foaming at the mouth to get in on it, but I know if I’m overeager, Matt will drop the subject like yesterday’s news. “Have you been to court with any of them yet?”
“It takes less than an hour of the judge’s time for these morons to get shut down.” He steps back and opens the door wide enough for me to step over the threshold. “So what are you working on now?” He glances at my suitcase. “Besides your shoe collection, I mean.”
“Oh, you know.”
“You shouldn’t have sold your share of this house to Seth.” Matt shakes his head. “You burned the ships. Lot of people make that mistake, and then there’s no getting back into Bay Area real estate.”
“I did burn the ships.”
“You’re not the kind of woman who just becomes a housewife. Hadn’t you noticed that?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s not a criticism. It’s just you don’t bake or cook, you’re sloppier than me from what I remember, and Kay mothered you when you lived here. All I am saying is if I were going to recommend a patent attorney, you’d top my list. But a housewife? We can’t just change who we are by moving.”
“How is that not a criticism?”
“Maybe it is, but my motive is pure.”
I cross my arms. “I doubt that. Let’s not forget you are a lawyer.”
“As are you, Ashley. You always seem to attribute every piece of ugliness about the law to me, without taking any credit for it being your own profession.”
My eyes scan the room behind him, and the loss of this house looms large for me. Matt’s tossed-aside T-shirt and flip-flops are strewn across
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