His smile stays firm even as he shakes his head. “Do you want the job or not?”
I pause to gather my thoughts, despite having already made a decision. Working for this guy has trouble and a half written all over it. Still, he’s just got something about him that makes it more difficult than usual to say no. “I don’t…I don’t really think I have time.”
“If you think you’re busy during law school, you’re in for a rude awakening when you start practicing law.”
I scowl. “It’s not just school. I have a job too.”
“Where?” he asks, challenging me. “Because I know you don’t really work at the library now.”
I balk. There’s a reason I use a pseudonym for the voice-over work I do narrating romance novels. I’m not ashamed of it, but it conflicts with the other part of my life—the lawyer part. Keeping the two separate from each other has always been imperative. But telling Caplin Hawkins about all of that seems like a major conflict of interest.
“I’d rather not say.”
“A job you’d like to keep secret?” he hems. “Are you a high-priced escort?”
“Yes. This conversation alone will cost you one billion dollars.”
He smirks, and my panties dissolve in a comedic poof. “A steep price, doll. But I have a sneaking suspicion you’d actually be worth it.”
Unexpectedly, I find myself reconsidering the possibility of working for him. It would look good on my resume, that’s for sure. I mean, even Professor Hullum was waxing poetic about Caplin’s career achievements, and that man doesn’t wax poetic about anything but the actual law.
I hold my breath for a second and a half, but just when I’m ready to let it out—ready to take a dive and give this reckless idea a chance—a woman steps up beside me and starts talking to Caplin like I’m not even there.
“Oh my God, Cap! I haven’t seen you in forever.”
He takes a minute to move his eyes from me to her, but when he does, and she latches on to the eye contact like a leech, his reaction is almost comical. I don’t imagine he ever finds himself out of sorts, but right now, he looks about as prepared to deal with the two of us as a chicken with its head cut off.
“You said you’d call, but I never heard from you,” she purrs. Like a flipping kitten. “Maybe it’s fate that I’m seeing you now. We should get together again. Maybe go to that beach house we did last time. Remember how we didn’t come up for air?”
I roll my eyes and turn away, ready to head for my apartment again when he reaches out and grabs my arm. “Ruby, wait.”
I sigh, but the other chick doesn’t even fucking register that he’s talking to me. “Ruby? My name’s not Ruby…”
His patience waning, he turns back to her and holds up a finger, but he doesn’t let go of my arm. “I know, Tess. Just give me a minute, okay?”
She smiles and bats her lashes, completely unfazed by me now that he’s proven he remembers her name.
I sigh again, this time heavily, but he steps toward me and lowers his voice. “Just think about it, okay? You’re obviously smart, and I’m in real need of some brains around the office. I’d write it up like an internship, and I can promise, an internship with me will get you a job at just about any firm you want when you graduate.”
I’m about to say I’ll consider it when Tess talks over me.
“Cap, are you ready? Want to go get a drink?”
I smile sardonically. Maybe Tess’s interruption is a sign. I alter my answer to go with the feeling I have. I’ve always followed my gut, and it’s gotten me this far. No reason to stop now. “Bye, Cap.”
I gently pull my arm from his hand and walk down the block toward my apartment. He’s silent for a while, but right before I round the corner, he yells one more time, “Just think about it!”
I wave a hand over my shoulder and smile.
The day I work for Caplin Hawkins will be no sooner than the day pigs fly.
Cap
It’s Sunday night, and Bar Louie is packed and the women plentiful as I scoot my way through the crowd toward the bar. There’s a brunette with some of the nicest tits I’ve ever seen making eyes at me from one of the booths to the right, but I’m about fifteen minutes late, so I know Trent and Quince will be waiting.
I give her a wink and a jerk of my chin, though, just a little something to keep her on the hook, and continue walking on my way to my friends.
I’ve been late more than once because of a woman, and let’s just say the guys weren’t fucking thrilled.