Page 16 of Hooked on Mack (Hooked #7)
Mack
I stood next to Larissa, my heart pounding as we faced the judge's wrath. Our clients flanked us on either side.
“Mr. Harrington, Ms. Montgomery,” the judge addressed us, his brown eyes piercing our souls with every syllable.
“I am extremely disappointed in the behavior displayed by both counsel and your clients during yesterday's proceedings.” He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. “This is a court of law, not a circus.”
“Your Honor,” I began, trying to muster whatever charm I had left after the previous day's disaster, “we apologize for any unprofessional conduct on our part. We understand the seriousness of the actions and will ensure that it does not happen again.”
“See that it doesn't, Mr. Harrington,” he warned. Larissa nodded beside me, her green eyes reflecting the same contrition I hoped was mirrored in mine.
“Moving on,” the judge continued, flipping through pages of documentation before him, “I have reviewed the terms of the proposed settlement agreement and find them to be reasonable under the circumstances. Therefore, I grant Ava Kennsington ownership of the four properties she requested, along with everything else on her list.”
Ava smirked, while her husband clenched his jaw in silent fury. This case had been a roller coaster from the start, and frankly, I just wanted off the ride.
“Thank you, Your Honor,” I said, my voice betraying a hint of gratitude. Larissa echoed my sentiments, and together we vowed to uphold our end of the bargain, regaining control over the proceedings that had previously spiraled out of hand.
“Very well,” Judge Phillips concluded, “court is adjourned.” With a final resounding crack of the gavel, the room was dismissed.
I didn't even glance at Larissa as we rushed out of the courtroom, eager to put some distance between ourselves and the judge’s disdainful gaze.
We arrived at the elevator bank, still not speaking. I tapped my foot impatiently while waiting for the doors to open. Finally, the elevator dinged, and we stepped inside, careful to keep a respectful distance between us.
“Floor?” I asked, my voice low and defeated as I reached for the control panel.
“Ground,” she muttered, and I pressed the button without another word. Our descent was slow and agonizing, much like our collective pride that continued to plummet alongside us.
“God, that was humiliating,” I confessed, running my hand through my hair. “I don't think I've ever been chewed out like that in court.”
“Join the club.” Larissa sighed, her piercing green eyes focused on the elevator floor. “I guess there's a first time for everything, huh?”
“Seems so,” I agreed, trying to chuckle, but it came out more like a choked cough. We fell silent again, lost in our thoughts. My mind raced, replaying the judge's words over and over, each time feeling a new sting of shame.
The elevator jolted to a stop, and we stepped out into the cold, sterile hallway of the courthouse. We trudged past the security guards, heads down, avoiding eye contact.
“Hey, have a good day!” one of the guards called out, his voice dripping with sarcasm. I forced a smile, but Larissa didn't bother to respond, her expression set in a steely resolve.
“You know,” I began, suddenly desperate to fill the silence. “We'll bounce back. We always do.”
“Sure,” Larissa replied, but it was clear she didn't share my optimism. The weight of defeat hung heavy in the air as we continued onward, wondering what the future held for our bruised egos and reputations.
“Mack,” Larissa suddenly said. I looked over at her, concerned, only to find her struggling to hold back a fit of laughter. In the juxtaposition of our solemn departure from the courtroom and the ridiculousness of our defeat, it seemed that she had found something infinitely amusing.
“What's so funny?”
“Us!” Larissa gasped, finally giving in to her laughter. “We just got our butts handed to us by Judge Phillips, and all I can think is… what a spectacular show!”
Her laughter was contagious, and soon I found myself joining in, my own chuckle turning into a full-blown guffaw as I leaned against a nearby car for support. Our laughter echoed through the parking garage.
“God, you're right,” I wheezed, wiping tears from my eyes. “I don't think I've ever been more humiliated in my life.”
“Neither have I,” Larissa admitted, her laughter slowly subsiding as she wiped her own tears away. “But it feels good to laugh about it.”
“Absolutely.” I felt lighter and more relaxed than I had in weeks. It was as if being able to find humor in our situation had stripped away some of the weight of our failure, allowing us to breathe again.
Larissa turned to me with a curious glint in her green eyes. “Do you have any place to be right now?”
“Uh, not really. Why? What's up?”
Larissa bit her lip. “Well, since we're both free, and we've just survived that disaster of a case together… I was thinking…”
Her hesitation only served to heighten my curiosity, and I eagerly awaited her suggestion—whatever it might be.
“I think you owe me dinner after the disaster we just went through together. There's this place I've been dying to try—Trattoria dell'Arte. You in?”
“Trattoria dell'Arte?” I echoed, my eyebrows shooting up. The restaurant was known for its exquisite Italian cuisine, but it wasn't exactly the most affordable option in town. Still, the thought of indulging in a luxurious meal after the ordeal we'd just experienced was undeniably appealing.
“Are you sure?” I asked, still somewhat taken aback by her suggestion. “I mean, I'm all for treating ourselves after that fiasco, but that place is pretty pricey…”
“Consider it a peace offering. Besides, I have a feeling we could both use a little pampering right now.”
Her words struck a chord within me. After weeks of tension, stress, and ultimately, humiliation, the idea of a lavish dinner at one of the city's finest establishments sounded like the perfect way to unwind and put the whole ordeal behind us.
“Alright, you've convinced me. Let's do it.”
“Great! Meet me there.”
I made my way to my car and slid into the driver's seat. We may have been defeated in the courtroom today, but there was something about Larissa's invitation that made me feel like we were on the cusp of a new beginning.
As I pulled out of the parking garage and onto the city streets, I smiled, the lingering embarrassment from earlier already fading as I looked forward to a night of good food, laughter, and the unexpected company of a fierce and captivating woman.