The Lawyer Read Free Page A

and very aware of the fact that I had Alex’s full attention. I was also very aware of the fact that I liked this attention and that I liked the way he made me feel.
              “I just wasn’t sure if, you know, you were wanting to go out sometime or if you left your card for business purposes.”
              “Are you in the market for a job?”
              “Yes.”
              “Then why don’t we meet this evening to discuss it? Say, six o’clock?”
              “Okay, that sounds fine. Where do you want to meet?”
              “I’ll send a car. What’s your address?”
              “2408 Locust.”
              “The car will be there promptly at six. Business casual, okay?”
              "Okay, I’ll see you then.”
              I hung up the phone gingerly. What had I just agreed to? A meeting with a sexy stranger? Was that a good idea? I had a boyfriend, yes, and I was quite aware of it, but this wasn’t a date, right? It was a business meeting. It was a meeting to determine my possible fate. A new job would mean different, more normal and structured hours and hopefully a higher pay grade. I glanced at my crappy coffee maker. A higher pay grade would mean I’d be able to replace my cheap, useless appliances and get something that really worked well instead of something that just sort of worked sometimes when it felt like it.
              I glanced at the clock again.
              It was time for class.

CHAPTER 3
                  I stared at my closet for what felt like hours. Had it really come to this? I had never been one of those girls who screamed “I have nothing to wear,” but for a business casual dinner, I truly felt like I had nothing to wear. Most of my clothes were things that were either comfortable and ratty or comfortable and inappropriate. I wore a uniform at the café, so I couldn’t exactly wear that tonight. I sighed in frustration. Why hadn’t I bought more dresses like my mother told me to?
              In the end, I settled on a flowered print dress that my grandmother had gotten me a few summers ago. It said “church” more than “professional,” but it would have to work. I paired it with black heels and my leather jacket, and I felt ready enough. Twirling in the mirror, I couldn't help but watch the way that I moved. I was curvy, for sure, but the dress made me forget about that for a few moments. Just for tonight, I felt beautiful.
              When the door rang promptly at six, I was ready. I left a note for Timothy on the table so he wouldn’t wait up if I got home late. We almost never ate dinner together because of our separate shifts, but occasionally he came home early and I didn’t want him to worry.
              I opened the front door and was surprised to see a stiff, tall gentleman waiting for me.
              “Miss Elizabeth, I presume?” The man questioned. I almost expected him to have an English accent, but he didn’t.
              “Yes, that’s me, but who are you?”
              “I’m Mr. Smith’s driver,” the man informed me. “Ted Johnson. If you would please follow me, I would be happy to take you to your dinner reservation.”
              “Um, of course,” I told him. “Just a sec.”
              I grabbed my purse and locked the front door tightly. I shoved my keys in the pocket of my jacket and followed Johnson to the car. He opened the back door for me and I hesitated.
              “I can really sit up front,” I told him, suddenly uncomfortable at the idea of a chauffeur. After all, this was just dinner. It wasn’t a date. It wasn’t a prom. It was dinner.