Richard had been one of the people who’d helped me with that particular problem. It was one of the many reasons why I was sitting here talking to him about it.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make you happy, James. I still have to look over the numbers, but I’m positive we can work something out.”
“Thanks, Richard. I appreciate it. So does Harper, even though she doesn’t know it yet.”
He nodded. “No problem, son. Let me crunch some numbers, and I’ll get back to you.” Richard’s eyes flickered to the clock on the wall beh
ind me. It was time I got going.
We said our goodbyes, and I was nearly out the door when Richard’s voice called out to me. “James, I know that it wasn’t your fault, but never kiss my daughter again. Okay?” There was a gleam in his eyes that I had never seen before.
I nodded. “Sure, man.”
His office door clicked shut behind me, and I released a deep breath. The conversation had gone well, especially considering that it started with Richard’s daughter making out with me.
Speak of the devil. She was fuming into her phone, gesturing wildly as she leaned her tight ass on the hood of a cherry red hybrid. Her eyes widened as she saw me jogging towards her.
“I have to go, Heather. I’ll talk to you soon.” She clicked off her call and braced her arms on the hood.
“That was quite a scene in there,” I said by way of greeting, and extended my hand to her. “I’m James, by the way. I thought you deserved my name after a kiss that hot.”
Her face remained set in stone. Usually, girls went crazy for the smirk I’d just given her. Yet, she seemed unaffected. Her grip was surprisingly firm as she took my hand, holding my gaze without faltering. “Good for you, James. And don’t flatter yourself. That had nothing to do with you.”
It wasn’t like I expected every girl I met to worship at my feet. I knew that a real man worshipped at the feet of his woman. I had just never had a woman whose feet I could worship at, with the exception of Harper, of course. But it would have been nice if Gabrielle would at least acknowledge me a little. “I’m happy to lend you my lips any time you need them.”
Still no smile, but there was a ghost of a twitch on her full lips. “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for your kind participation.”
She spun off the hood, sashayed into her car, and drove off without another word. I watched as she cleared security and turned out of sight.
She was a firecracker. That was for sure. It was fucking hot. Richard’s warning to stay away from her echoed in my mind. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make her even more alluring.
Chapter Six
Gabrielle
I’d been so focused on law school and the bar exam for so long, I had no idea what to do now that I had informed my dad, and one of his players, of my decision not to take the bar.
For the first time in maybe forever, my future stretched wide open and unplanned before me. It was exhilarating, and it was terrifying. I needed to talk to Heather.
She answered on the first ring. “Please tell me that you’re calling because you’ve changed your mind and are on your way to study with me.”
“Uh no, the opposite, actually. I’m freaking out because I suddenly have no plan and that is not my natural state. What exactly does one do if you’re young and free?”
Heather sighed but didn’t mention her disappointment. “I wouldn’t know, Gabbi. I’d start with not worrying about criminal procedure in Florida, as I am the moment, but you’ve always been good at the procedures anyway.” Her voice was tired, but alert.
I wondered how many more empty takeout containers littered her apartment. She’d promised on Monday that she would start remembering to care of herself again, but it didn’t sound like she was making good on that promise.
I tried to be helpful anyway. “Procedure is procedure, Heather. It follows a linear course, with some possible branches that might change the picture a little, but it all comes back together again in the same way. Don’t get intimidated by the branches. Focus on the bigger picture of how it all works together to get to the outcome.”
“You’re only making me more pissed that you’re not studying with me, you know that?” Her voice already sounded clearer, though.
“Yeah, I know. I told you that we could still do our thing. How about I come over to help you make sense of criminal procedure, and you help me make sense of life without it?” I sounded whiny, even to myself. I hated it. Also, I was kind of jealous that she was stuck in criminal procedure. I loved the procedural subjects.
I quickly pushed the thought from my mind. Heather was studying it without me because I’d chosen to follow my own path. Getting sucked in by what was familiar was precisely what I didn’t need.
“Sure thing. Sounds good, I’m sure that I could do that.” She sounded relieved. “Come on over. I’ll make the coffee.”
“Got anything stronger?” I was only half-joking. We hadn’t had much time to party over the last few years, given how serious we both had been about our studies, but I kind of felt like a buzz that wasn’t caused by caffeine.