* * *
Paul waited in the large foyer of the courtroom. He should go inside, study his notes, but he wanted to see Hayley before they faced each other in court. Worse, he’d gotten her coffee, the kind she said she liked that morning when she woke up in jail. Hell, so what? Today would be his last time with her, then she’d be out of his life.
Walking over to the wall of judges who presided in these chambers, he set her coffee on the ledge and stared blindly at the rectangular cases.
“Hey, Covington, got yourself in some hot water this weekend?”
Shit. He knew people would find out about this today, but he hadn’t expected an attack so early. He turned to find a vaguely familiar face. He cocked his head.
“Paul Covington, right?” the guy said.
“Yeah.”
“Harrison. Todd Harrison. I work at Harrison, Baker and Snow.” A rival to Cook, Cramer and Coldwell. “We met at last year’s Bar Association dinner at the Tavern on the Green.”
“I remember.” The guy had been at his table and was a showoff for all the people sitting with him.
“Must have been hard to be cooped up in a cell with that little beauty this weekend. Is she hot!”
He didn’t say anything.
“Don’t you think so?”
“That’s an unflattering way to describe her. And if it got around, you could be charged with harassment.”
“Come on, we’re both boys.”
He was a boy. Paul was a man.
“No comment.”
“Hey, sure. But watch out for her.”
Surprisingly angry at Harrison, Paul was glad when the guy walked away. He picked up her coffee and crossed to the elevator to wait for her.
The doors opened.
Early for court, Hayley got off the elevator. She was nervous and the reason stood off to the side. “Waiting for me?” she asked cheekily.
A full, sweet smile spread across his face, making her heart thump. “Yeah, I am.” He lifted his arm. “Double latte. Full fat. They didn’t have cream.”
She grinned. “You remembered. How thoughtful.” She shifted her briefcase from one hand to the other and took the drink. “Did you want to talk?”
“I think we should. Let’s find an empty room. There’ll be several this early.”
They walked side by side down the hall. She knew he was taller than her, and she was five eight without her heels. Still he had inches on her, which she only noticed today. And his shoulders were wide, stretching the material of his summer suit. The light tan flattered him.
“Here we go.” He opened the door to a small conference area. Once inside, he pulled out a chair for her.
“Trying to impress me because I called out your manners?”
“No, why, what’d I do?” He meant it.
“Sorry,” she said. “It was a dumb thing to say.”
He sat adjacent to her. “So, Ms. Hayley. How do we deal with the rest of the trial? We talked about a truce. Still on board with that?”
“I am, but what makes you think we can carry it off?”
Paul shifted in his seat. He seemed nervous, too. “Well, for one, we don’t have a choice. We can’t go to jail again, though it had some high points.”
She swallowed hard and hoped he didn’t notice.
“The case will probably end today,” he continued. “And, um, I’m not allowed in the courtroom with you again.”
“Me either, with you. I feel like a teenager who’s being punished.”
“I had that exact thought.” He waited. “Did your client call you?”
“Yes, his mother did. She wasn’t happy with what happened Friday. You?”
“My uppity parents read me the riot act. I threatened to quit if they didn’t settle down, and they probably knew they wouldn’t be able to replace me with someone of my caliber.”
“Modest, aren’t you?” Hayley teased.
“No, are you?”
“Not where my job is concerned.”
“So, we agree we have to do better today. Promise you’ll be on your best behavior.”
She chuckled. “Promise? Where’d that come from?”
His blue eyes shadowed. “It was a thing we did as kids. If we promised not to do or say something, it was sacred. Far as I know, none of us betrayed that.”
“That’s nice. Okay, Mr. Paul, I promise to be on my best behavior.”
“As do I.”
He checked his watch. “We have a few minutes. What about you and your brothers? How do you get along?”
“Great. We had a common enemy.”
“Who was that?”
“My mother. Finn, Ronan and I were very close. Finn and I still are.”
“What about Ronan?”
“Now there’s the million-dollar question. One I don’t have time to answer.” She stood. “Ready to go?”
“Yes.”
Hayley noticed his hand at her back all the way to the courtroom. Once inside, they both argued calmly, brilliantly. When the jury came back at four, finding for the prosecution, Hayley didn’t feel her usual elation at beating Paul Covington. Now that was something to think about.
* * *
Paul didn’t want to let her go, plain and simple. He lingered inside the courtroom until it emptied. She approached him. “Feel bad you lost?”
“Not a bit. All I’m going to say is Jamie Callahan and his parents are something else.”
“Will they bad-mouth you?”
“To their friends. But I don’t want that kind of client again. I shouldn’t have taken it this time. Enough said.” He picked up his briefcase. “You happy about your win?”
“Not as much as usual.” She crinkled her nose. “It used to be fun to beat you.”
“Not now?”
“Nope.”
The admission only urged him on. “So, what’s next for you?” he asked.
“I’m done for the day. You?”
“I usually work until six. But on trial days, sometimes not.”
He stared at her. What the hell? He’d take a giant leap. “Hayley, I know this is highly inappropriate to ask, and don’t slap me for it, but would you spend the rest of the day with me?”
No slap came. “Do you really want to do that, Paul?”
“I’m afraid,” he said moving closer,
