Avery’s eyes shone with interest. “It’s worth a shot.”
“I promised him an estimate, so let’s go over that.” I wanted to charge enough that we got something, but not too much and he’d go elsewhere. He seemed content with how he’d done things so far. He might decide not to hire anyone and that would be detrimental for his businesses. If word got around that you didn’t have to pay him, he’d be taken advantage of. If he wasn’t already.
Cade needed our help. If he’d never collected on overdue payments, some might be past the statute of limitations. I wanted to help him and his businesses succeed almost as much as I wanted my first client. I didn’t examine the whys of that too carefully.
Avery looked over the estimate we’d put together. “We’ll have to charge more in the future, but for now, we need clients.”
“I agree.” I had a feeling if Cade took a chance on us, I wouldn’t raise his fees.
“So, did you notice anything else about Cade Morrison?” Avery grinned.
“You mean the way he filled out that T-shirt?” I wasn’t immune to the body underneath his clothes.
“I can see why you volunteered to help him.” Avery’s smile was knowing.
“It wasn’t that. I wanted a case. I’m anxious for the firm to be successful.” I didn’t want Avery to think I made decisions based solely on how a client looked, even if Cade had made quite an impression on me.
Avery’s office was so much smaller than the one I had at the U.S. Attorney’s office. I was used to being busy—to the phone ringing with clients’ questions, emails from opposing counsel regarding upcoming trials, and people coming and going. I knew we’d just opened, and we needed to build our clientele, but I wanted it to happen sooner. I wanted this to be a success.
“It’ll take time, but we’ll get there.”
“When does Dylan start?” I asked. I’d interviewed over the phone with both Dylan and Avery. It was their plan to start the firm. They’d offered me a partnership if I could add some money to the pot. I had a fair amount saved since I hadn’t paid tuition or rent.
“She has a couple more weeks.”
She worked at another small law firm and they wanted her to stay longer to help out. My phone buzzed in my purse.
Dad: When are you coming home? I’ve allowed you a couple of months to have your little adventure. Now it’s time to buckle down and be responsible.
I growled at his insinuation that I wasn’t responsible, and at his favorite phrase it’s time to buckle down. I’d heard it so many times.
Hadley: This isn’t a phase for me. I’ve invested money into my law firm. This is what I want to pursue.
“Everything okay?” Avery interrupted my thoughts.
I startled. “Yeah, just my dad butting in where he doesn’t belong.”
“Overprotective parents?” Avery smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. We weren’t especially close. I didn’t know her history.
“The opposite. He wants to control every aspect of my life, but it’s for his benefit, not mine.”
“That sounds rough.” She smiled sympathetically.
My phone buzzed again. “I’d better go take care of this.”
“Good luck.” Avery smiled, turning her attention to her computer screen.
I sat in my desk to look at his message.
Dad: We need to talk. You can’t keep telling me no.
I had nothing else to say. I avoided responding to the next few messages until he called. I had to answer or he’d keep calling. I wouldn’t put it past him to show up here and that was the last thing I wanted. I wanted to be far enough away that he couldn’t drop in to give his opinion on how I was ruining my life and, by extension, his.
“Yes? I’m at work.” Not that he cared. Dad never cared what he was interrupting since he believed his issues were the only important ones.
“I can’t believe you’re wasting your time on some small firm.”
“I’m a partner.” I was proud I was able to invest my savings into it. Even if he’d been the reason I was able to do so.
“A firm with no clients, no reputation, and no business. When you had a perfectly good job offer here, and a proposal from a man from a reputable family.”
“That’s not what I want. Why are you pushing so hard?”
Dad sighed. “I expanded too quickly, and there’s more competition. The business is going under unless I do something about it. I need your help. I need someone I can trust. I don’t want this getting out to the employees or outsiders yet.”
My heart raced. I’d never heard my dad talk about the business not doing well. He was always confident he could overcome any obstacle. The idea that my dad’s business could go under was shocking.
“You need to do this for our family.” This was my father’s authoritative voice, the one he used to get us to do his bidding.
“No. I don’t.” Usually, I’d fall into line because I wanted his approval. As a child, it would mean no lessons, activities, or presents for whatever holiday or birthday was coming up. Now I wasn’t sure what he’d threaten me with. I didn’t live in his apartment building anymore. I didn’t need him to pay tuition or my car payment. He didn’t have any pull in my life that I knew of, but he must have something, or he wouldn’t be pushing this hard. He seemed confident I’d change my mind.
“I might need Layton’s father, Aiden Black, to bail me out.” His voice was low, and his words came out in a growl.
This admission was unlike him. He didn’t like to admit defeat. That made me think he was being honest. He was appealing to me as an equal, which was a foreign feeling.
Or, was Dad appealing to the side of me who’d always longed for his approval and by extension, his love? If he needed me, then he must be proud of me. But I couldn’t forget
