Page 49 of Elite Connections: an LGBTQ Romance Charity Anthology

“Doyou have the case files for the Riley case?”

“Which Riley case? I have two.”

“Insurance fraud.”

Shuffling the towering stack of files around on my desk, I hand the right file to the prosecutor. “This is everything I have so far.”

“Thanks, Blair. We should be heading to trial with this one within the week.”

”Keep me updated. I’m ready for this one to be over with.”

“So you can focus on all your other cases?” My boss laughs.

”All thirty of them.”

Life as an assistant prosecutor. The good work is never done. As soon as one case is crossed off the docket, another five land on my plate. No matter what I do, I can never get ahead on the cases I have.

Yet, it’s still better than being a junior associate for a big firm. I couldn’t handle the hours. Not with needing to be home more often.

Law books the size of bricks take up one side of my desk while the chaotic pile of papers is strewn across the always messy surface.

The buzzing of my phone on my desk pulls my attention away from the files that threaten to collapse on top of me.

My sister’s high school.

This can’t be good.

Tension bunches my shoulders. I haven’t even picked up and I know I’m not going to like this call.

“This is Blair Stevens.”

“Miss Stevens. This is secretary Wilson from Avi’s school.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Avi has been suspended?—”

“Suspended?” I cut her off. “For what?”

“For breaking the dress code.”

I can picture her prim face screwing up at my sister breaking the dress code for some minor infraction.

“You will need to come pick her up and meet with the assistant principal. She can return to school on Wednesday.”

Almost a week from now. We can’t even get a break during summer school. Avi wants to be done with high school as much as I do and is taking classes during the holiday break to get ahead.

“Wednesday? That seems drastic.”

Fuck. This is the last thing I need to deal with right now. With court next week, I won’t be able to be home with Avi.

“I will be there shortly, Miss Wilson.”

“We’ll see you then.”

She hangs up without another word. Grabbing everything I need to work from home for the afternoon, I let my boss know I’m leaving and head out.

A steady rain is coming down now as I leave the Seattle court building.

Great. Digging in my bag for my umbrella, I come up empty.

You’d think I’d be used to this by now. It’s even better because I’m in a pair of heels that aren’t made for running.

By the time I cross the parking lot to my old, but trusty, car, I look like a drowned rat.

I blow out a breath, pulling back my blonde hair into a haphazard bun. The rearview mirror doesn’t do anything to help my look. Mascara is caked under my eyelashes and my eye shadow is smeared.

I do my best to clean myself up before I leave for Avi’s school.

Taking care of my little sister is the last thing I planned on doing, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Even for all the headaches she causes me.

Or the headaches that aren’t her fault.

I was lucky to get her into the school she’s in. It’s one of the best schools in Seattle and I know she’s getting a good education. With a recommendation from my boss, it was all but a guarantee.

But I hate the administration. It seems no matter what line Avi toes, she’s always getting called into the principal’s office.

It makes doing my job hard, but thankfully I have an understanding boss.

By the time I make it across the city at this time of day, I’m a little less wet. Damp clothes stick to me as I grab the umbrella in my car and head into the office.

And there’s the little troublemaker now. She’s a mini version of me. Long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Except for the curves. She’s as gangly as a stick.

“You okay, Avi?” I ask.

She’s dressed in a dark zip-up hoodie and jeans, so I’m having a hard time finding what dress code violation she broke.

Did they really call me out of work to come get her for this?

“I’m fine,” she grumbles. She picks at a spot on her jeans. Jeans that I had to shell out a pretty penny for in order to make sure they met the dress code. One rip above the knee and it would be detention. “Fascists trying to tell me what to wear.”

She grabs her backpack, and I take the paperwork handed to me by the secretary without comment. God, what I wouldn’t give to lay into them.

“I’m really sorry, Blair,” Avi tells me once we’re outside of the building.

“It’s not your fault.”

“Yes, it is.”

“It’s this stupid school’s fault,” I grumble, getting back into the car. “Listen, let’s grab some Dick’s on the way home.”

“I get suspended and you suggest Dick’s? I thought I was in trouble.”

“Hey, might as well make the most of it.”

Because if she’s going to be stuck at home for the next week, I can worry about dinner tomorrow.

All of the same problems will still be there. Nothing is ever going to be easy for the two of us. But at least this can be.

A bag of Dick’s always makes things better.