If the Shoe Fits Read Free

Bertinni does not contest his guilt in this matter?”
    “No, Your Honor. In fact, he is hoping to make full restitution to Leffler’s, which is why he’s not present in the courtroom today and why we’re hoping for a continuance on this matter.”
    “Can you explain that to me, Ms. Bartlett?”
    “Well, sir, Antonio Bertinni is currently a patient at Good Samaritan Hospital.”
    “The aforementioned diamond?” Hillman asked.
    “Yes, sir. It’s passing through his system as we speak.”
    “Continuance granted,” the judge declared without expression. “We’ll hear the details of this case on the twenty-third at 9:30 a.m.”
    One firm rap of the gavel punctuated the judgment.
    “You are the luckiest broad on earth,” Flannigan cracked as he passed her and walked out the door.
    Julianne inwardly acknowledged his statement and lifted the fishbowl to carefully inspect its occupant.
    “He called me a broad, Jonah. Are you going to let him talk to me like that?”
    When the fish did a quick circle around the inside of the glass bowl, she blew him a kiss and hurriedly gathered her things.

    Julianne couldn’t get the vision out of her head. He’d looked like something straight out of the movies, his long black coat flowing behind him as he walked purposefully toward her, the misty haze of rain clouding him into a dreamlike apparition, yet still allowing enough clarity to make out the shadow of stubble along the line of his jaw. And the way that dog looked up at him! Appreciation, admiration, and blessed relief.
    “Must love animals as much as I do.” That was the third point on her ten-point mental checklist for her very own Prince Charming!
    The only thing that had been missing from their first almost-meeting was slow-motion movie effects, and maybe a soft dissolve as his truck peeled out of the intersection.
    “He was like nothing you’ve ever seen before, in person.”
    “Well, congratulations,” her best friend and business partner said sourly. “Now can you give me a hand with this?”
    Julianne glanced down at the floor where Will peered up at her from beneath the desk, his dark hair rumpled and his brown eyes narrowed as he glared at her. But a spontaneous burst of laughter coughed out of Julianne in retort.
    “Go ahead. Laugh it up, Jules,” Will said with a frown. “But my computer’s already hooked up. I could easily leave you without one.”
    “No, no, don’t do that,” she replied, gazing first at the end of a computer cable dangling from Will’s extended hand, then at the look of sheer exasperation on his perfect, square-jawed face.
    “What do you want me to do with it?” Julianne asked him, taking the cable cautiously into her hand.
    “Don’t tempt me with questions like that, Jules,” he said, miming the wrapping of the cable around her neck.
    Julianne mouthed an unamused, “Ha ha ha,” and she gently smacked Will’s leg with the cable.
    “Run it around the length of the desk, and hand it to me through the opening in the back.”
    Julianne did as she was told and, several minutes later, Will emerged from underneath the desk with a victorious grin.
    “What are your plans tonight?” he asked her. “A dinner, silent auction, fund-raising effort for dogs, cats, starving armadillos?”
    “Very funny. I am completely free tonight. The plight of starving armadillos will have my full attention
tomorrow
.”
    “Of course they will,” Will answered with a chuckle.
    “And the dogs were last week when you graciously dusted off your tuxedo and accompanied me.”
    Will grimaced. “Whatever. You are now up and running, my friend. Once more connected to the planet via the Worldwide Web.” He took Julianne’s outstretched hand and groaned as she tugged him from the floor. “It looks like we’re official. The Law Offices of Hanes & Bartlett, open for business.”
    A surge of excitement shot through Julianne. She’d been waiting for this moment since the day she and Will had