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“She did, but he died recently during a private flight to Japan,” I state. “Nut allergy. The flight attendant failed to communicate the severity of his allergy to the crew, and they served him a stir fry meal where they used peanut oil.”
“Holy shit,” Cole exclaims in disbelief. “I remember seeing that on the news.”
“And she wants you to represent her?” Max asks, stepping into the conversation again.
I confirm with a nod. “Death caused by an in-flight incident and negligence. That’s what she’s suing the airline for and she’s asking for fifty million dollars.”
A descending whistle leaves Cole’s lips. “She’ll never get that.”
She won’t, but I know she needs it. Her deceased husband left her next to nothing and his children from his first marriage ensured she isn’t getting a cent more than was stated on their prenup.
“You underestimate me and my abilities.” I shake my finger at him. Depending on how tomorrow goes, because I like to gauge my client’s ethics first in a face-to-face meeting, I was going to suggest we sue for more. Although knowing Vivienne the way I do, her values aren’t that high, and she’s suing because she hasn’t got a dime to her name. Nothing more.
“Didn’t you fuck her?” Eli asks worriedly, clearly doubting if I should represent her, a thought that has already crossed my mind.
I sit forward in my seat, wanting to punch him in the face. “It was almost a decade ago, and will you keep your fucking voice down?” When my brothers follow my line of sight, they realize I don’t want Arianna overhearing that information, but we’re all met with a piercing glare.
She heard.
Asshole.
Tapping her fingers against the desk as if annoyed, she glares at me. Arianna gives the person she was on the phone with a curt farewell, slams the handset down, before removing herself from behind her desk, then she picks up a stack of files and storms off in the direction of the elevator.
“Interesting,” Eli pipes up.
Then Max. “Oh, yeah, bro, she heard that and is totally into you. She’s jealous.”
“Are you going to make a move on her?” Cole asks, and the heightening curiosity bounces between all three of my brothers.
“She’s my secretary.” As if that isn’t obvious.
Eli rolls his eyes. “Who you’ve already slept with. I think your rule about not dating staff has already been broken, don’t you?” He tilts his head to the side slightly, a smirk playing on his lips as if challenging me.
He’s right; my own law book of sorts was burnt to smithereens the minute she stepped inside this building.
Max adds, leaning over my desk, “And as you know, the clause in all of our employee contracts states,Should an employee wish to pursue a personal relationship with another employee, they must immediately notify their supervisor.”
He quotes it verbatim as if he’s a walking encyclopedia.
Smart fucker.
Which he is; he wrote the contracts.
Cole chimes in, looking smugger than a fox in a henhouse. “Unless your relationship interferes with her performance, then I see no reason why you can’t be together. In fact, it might make you more pleasant and easier to work with. Andtechnicallywe have the final say, and we give you permission to date Arianna.”
“I don’t date.” Well, that was until Arianna made me question everything about my non-existent life outside of work. I have no balance, very little fun, and no one to share my day with, which is something I have wanted to do every day since Arianna parked herself outside my office.
What I wouldn’t give to unpack my day and ask about hers over a glass of wine, in the bath, just the two of us.
This obsession I have with her is getting out of hand.
“Do you have a date for next Friday?” Max asks, bursting my dream bubble.
“Next Friday? What’s happening next Friday?” I immediately check my online calendar, and staring back at me on my computer monitor are the words I dread every year.The Connecting Kids Charity Ball.
I usually accept the invitation, secure a couple of tables for family and friends, then at the last minute make my apologies and use courtroom preparation as an excuse not to attend. Out of guilt, I send a donation toward The Connecting Kids Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing fostered children scholarships, mentorship, and resources to prepare them for life after foster care including housing and business startup grants.
They also provide grief counselling services, something I only know because it’s the same charity Arianna volunteers for.