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“You’re wrong,” he says. “And I hope when you get over your anger, you change your mind because not taking this case right now, is as much about you as it is me and us. And even this firm.”
“When will it be okay to take another high-profile case, Cole?”
“You haven’t even dealt with the fact that you were attacked. And I haven’t either. We need to fucking breathe, Lori. I’m not my best right now and neither are you. And that’s not fair to the client or this firm. There will be ten offers or more in the next week. This one wasn’t the one. I’ll know when it is.”
His phone buzzes again. “The district attorney is on the line,” Ashley states.
Cole’s lips thin. “And we aren’t done with the last case yet or the DA wouldn’t personally be on the line to talk to me right now.” He pushes off the door and walks to his desk in what will obviously be a conversation about the lawsuit he’s promised to file.
I don’t stay. I open the door and exit without looking at Ashley, needing time to think. Was I wrong in there? Was I right? I cross the lobby, stopping to speak to Maria like normal. I enter my office and shut the door. Cole doesn’t follow. Fifteen minutes later, I haven’t heard from him. My files are in his office and I have no choice but to return when my phone buzzes with a text from Cole: I’m on my way to the DA’s office. I cancelled our dinner with Cat and Reese.
I’m glad he cancelled because I’ll want to talk to Cat, and if I do, I’ll have to tell her Cole turned down a huge case for the firm. I would never do that. She’s a friend, but she’s also the wife of Cole’s partner. I need to talk to my husband. I need to think. I need to take a pregnancy test. I pull up my computer screen and google: What if you take the birth control pill and you’re pregnant?
Per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), no evidence has been found that supports taking birth control pills while pregnant will harm your baby, or cause birth defects or complications.
I breathe out a sigh of relief. I don’t need to take a test today. I don’t need to know today. I need to talk to my husband. I dial his number. He answers on the first ring. “Are you already gone?”
“Yes. I’m walking to my meeting now. It’s only a few blocks away.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“You didn’t even stop by and see me.”
“Because if I walked into your office I would have shoved your skirt up, fucked you, and then left for my meeting angry anyway.”
“Oh,” I say.
“Oh?”
“I think I would have liked that better than you just leaving.”
“You were wrong in there, Lori but that was my fault. I opened us up to this when I told you what I told you.”
“Are you saying you shouldn’t have told me?”
“I don’t know what I’m saying. I need to think and so do you.”
“I don’t like how that sounds.”
“I love you, Lori. It doesn’t mean anything besides I love you, I have a meeting, and I need to think. I need to go.” He disconnects, and I suck in a breath. Was I wrong when I challenged him? Or was I right and he doesn’t want me to be right? And who can I even talk to about this? No one. I can talk to no one.
It’s nearly seven when Cole finally calls. “I have a problem I need to deal with. Savage is going to take you home.”
“What problem?”
“The DA offered us a settlement. I’m meeting with Gabe Maxwell, one of Cat’s brothers, to negotiate the civil settlement for us, our client, and the victims’ families, and unless you have a problem with it, I’d like to donate our portion to the victims’ families.”
My heart swells with love for this man. “I love that you want to do that.”
“Good. I might be late. I want Savage to take you home just to be sure that there are no lingering press issues.”
I open my mouth to argue and decide I’ve done enough of that today. “That sounds good.”
“I’ll be home as soon as possible and then we can talk.”
“That sounds good,” I say again. There’s a voice in the background.
