Counsel (Counsel #1) Read Free

rummage through a voluminous handbag. Her shapely lips purse in annoyance as she scribbles in a notepad she’s retrieved.
    "Here, I don't have time for your histrionics," she says haughtily as she rips the page out. She slaps it into my chest; and then, before I can react, gets into her car and drives away. I watch, dumbfounded as her taillights disappear from view.
    It takes me moments to uncrumple the note, which simply reads, A. White. "Well, Ms. White…you’ll be hearing from me," I mutter, incensed anew; by her audacity and my inability to stop a woman half my size from getting away. I’m still bristling with irritation by the time I enter Ian’s.
    "What took you so long?" Matt asks as I sit beside him.
    "I don’t want to discuss it," I answer tersely, raising my hand to gain the attention of a server. When I’ve ordered a drink for myself and everyone else at the table, I turn to greet Tess, Lana, Alan and Ian who owns the pub.
    Tess, whose name is actually Teresa, and her best friend, Lana, grew up in our neighborhood. They have each, at some stage, dated Matt, Alan and Ian. Tess and Ian had an on again-off again relationship spanning many years, and she may well have dated Alan and Matt to get back at him for some perceived or real slight. Lana remains what she likes to call a ‘free spirit’ and dates prolifically.
    Their dating merry-go-round had, at times, caused conflict and tension, but our friendships have endured. Both showed interest in me, but I haven’t dated either. I viewed them then, as I do now, purely as friends. Lana easily accepted my disinterest, but Tess, who joined the DA’s office almost two years ago, continues to push periodically like she did today.
    Our group, as we always do when getting together, soon settles into animated conversation and friendly banter. The night turns out to be just what I needed after the grueling weeks of trial and then, of course, the altercations with Jaclyn and that damned runaway. The pub’s all but emptied of patrons by the time we’re ready to leave. Alan opts to stay over at Ian’s apartment above the pub and drive home in the morning. As always when driving, I limited myself to two drinks, so after seeing Tess and Lana into a cab, I offer to drop Matt off.
    Arriving home just after two a.m., I find a light still on in our bedroom. I curse silently; I’d hoped to do this after having had some sleep. Jaclyn’s sitting up in bed and wearing a low-cut negligee. I recognize her two-pronged attack immediately; recriminations followed by sex as a reward for me showing suitable contrition. I chide myself with the thought that it worked in the past only because I allowed it to.
    "I’m surprised you’re still awake," I say by way of greeting.
    "I told you we needed to talk, Adam. I tried calling, but your phone’s been turned off as usual ."
    "And I told you it would have to wait. I turned my phone off because I didn’t want my evening interrupted."
    "What if someone needed to contact you?"
    "Everyone who matters knew where I was. They could have called the pub."
    "Well, I wouldn’t deign to call there!"
    "Why would you consider calling Ian’s beneath you?"
    "I’ve told you I can’t stand those people. They hold you back."
    I swear I feel a tiny explosion go off in my brain at her blatant contempt. She'd like me to forget my friends and where I come from, and despite their education and success, she probably feels the same way about my parents and sister. The only difference between them and me in her eyes, I realize, is her belief in my potential for greater things.
    "My friends have never held me back," I say, barely containing my anger.
    "People are talking about you becoming DA, possibly running for political office one day, Adam. Do you really think those people will help you get there?"
    " Those people?"
    "Those people," she says, not even trying to mask her disdain.
    "They’re my people, and I would never try to hide that