Page 11 of Miss Fortune

I was an idiot. I didn’t believe in coincidences or fate or karma, so having the woman who’d hit my car the other day now filling in as my assistant was disconcerting. I was keen on order and predictability, and I especially preferred to work without distractions.

I blamed my more-than-usual awkwardness around her on the way we’d met and the fact I’d been attracted to her before I’d known she’d be working for me. If I’d met her in the office for the first time, I wouldn’t have once entertained a forbidden fantasy of touching her.

Who was I kidding? I thought way too much about my assistant to deny the attraction regardless of how we’d met.

“I should be hearing from Doris’s husband once she comes out of surgery. I hope everything goes smoothly today.” Her furrowed brow showed worry.

She wasn’t alone in her concern. I allowed few people to get close, and Doris was one of these rare exceptions. She’d been like a surrogate mother to me ever since I’d first started with the firm as a young and ambitious associate. “I’m sure all will go well. I should send her something.”

“I’d be happy to send her flowers on your behalf.”

“Thank you. I’ll give you her home address.”

“I have it. Any preference regarding type of flowers?”

Of course Daisy would have Doris’s home address. She was a family friend. Doris had probably given her an earful about me and what it was like to have worked for me over the last decade. “I don’t have a preference. Flowers aren’t my department, so I’ll leave you to pick out something you think she’d be fond of. Don’t worry about the price.” I reached for my wallet, took out my black Amex card, and handed it over. I’d performed the same gesture for Doris countless times so she could arrange my travel. But now I suddenly realized I was handing my credit card to a stranger.

Humor sparkled in her eyes. “I sense your hesitation, but don’t worry. My last prison stint really curbed my habit of stealing from people.”

Her humor was unexpected, and I found myself tempted to smile. “Right. Um, thanks for taking care of the flowers.”

“Sure thing.”

After my call, I sat facing the window and sighed. I needed to get a handle on my unexpected attraction to Daisy, and learn to respond to her in a normal way. Not that there was much normal about me, but being unsettled about a woman was new.

Usually, if there was a problem, I dissected it, broke it down, and analyzed how to solve it. In this case, I was at a loss, though. I hardly knew her, but it was obvious we were opposites in every way. Perhaps the allure was because she was so unlike anyone I’d ever met.

Who the hell went to MIT to become an engineer, worked for NASA, but decided to throw it all away to move to LA in order to be a dog walker, babysitter, and temporary office worker? It made no sense. No sense at all.

I sat up when a knock sounded on my door. “Come in.”

Daisy walked in with a smile causing my jaw to clench.

“Here’s your card back. I ordered lilies since they’re her favorite. They’ll be delivered to her house tomorrow.”

I took the card from her hand, accidentally brushing my fingers against hers. The jolt to my system was a shock, but I recovered quickly. “Thank you for taking care of the flowers. How are you finding things here at the firm?” The gossip I’d overheard concerned me.

“It’s fine. Everyone seems nice enough.”

I studied her face. Although I had a hard time being social, I was quite good at reading people. Sometimes a quiet observation could tell you more than the words coming out of someone’s mouth. “Sounds like you’re trying to be diplomatic.”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I’m only here for a short time. Do you have anything for me today?”

“No. I have court tomorrow, so I’ll be prepping the rest of today.”

“Sounds intense. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. In the meantime, I have a few new client requests I’ll type up for you to take a look at.”

When I’d first started out, my intake process had consisted of returning every call I received asking for my services. But over the last five years, I’d become in demand to the point I could now pick and choose my cases. Those I didn’t take would either go to other partners in the firm or would have to take their business elsewhere. Fortunately for them, there was no shortage of divorce attorneys in the LA area.

“Sounds good. Thank you.”

She hesitated before smiling. “Okay, I’ll leave you.”

“What were you about to say?”

Her expression was sheepish. “It’s okay; it can wait. I know you’re busy.”

Either she told me now, or I’d obsess over it the rest of the day. “Please tell me.”