“I should go alone to the hearing.” Drew’s voice turned somber, his gaze solemn.
“That’s not how this works.” Molly’s fingers curled into her palms. Frustration swelled inside her. Stubborn man. Always protecting someone else.
His gaze narrowed on her. “Clients terminate their agreements with their attorneys all the time.”
“Is that what you’re doing?” Molly asked.
“Why put yourself in the line of fire?” He speared his hands out to either side, his own frustration clearly showing. “Why risk your reputation too?”
“Because I don’t walk away from my clients or my cases. Because I don’t give up.” She wanted to risk so much more for Drew if only he’d let her. But he wanted to protect her—that was his way. She wanted to scream, be angry with him. She wanted to embrace him and admit she was touched by his worry. Instead she said, “Since when did you start giving up?”
“I’m not giving up.” He shoved his hands back inside his pockets, closed himself off again. “It’s more about acceptance.”
Could he have ever accepted what they shared? What they had together?
“You don’t have to defend me tomorrow.” His quiet words dropped into the evening air.
She didn’t have to defend him, but she would protect him whether he wanted her to or not. “I’ll see you at court tomorrow morning. Don’t forget to polish your shoes and iron your suit.”
As for Molly, she’d hide her heart and concentrate on the hearing in a place where she excelled: the courtroom.
“That’s it?” he asked.
“We both need to get sleep, Drew. And it’s past Hazel’s bedtime.” Molly reached for the apartment door. “We both need to be sharp tomorrow morning.”
That lost look returned. The one she’d seen for the first time at the gala on the patio. She hadn’t seen that look on Drew for a while. She wanted to believe she’d been the one to take away his loneliness. Still wanted to believe once they won that he’d admit how he felt. That he’d forgive her.
She had to face the truth.
He was and had only ever been her client.
“Good night, Drew.” She shut the door, walked to Hazel’s swing and picked up her daughter. The only family she needed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
DREW STOOD OUTSIDE the courtroom and patted his suit pant pockets. No stray coins. No pennies. No matter. The time for wishing had passed.
Soon Judge Bartlett would announce the start of Drew Harrington’s disbarment hearing and invite counsel to proceed.
Clinton Curtis, the State Bar prosecutor, would set out to demonstrate Drew’s misconduct in the Van Solis murder trial, leaning heavily on Reuben Cote’s retraction of his eyewitness account of the murder. Reuben had lied under oath. On the witness stand. That was fact.
Also fact was that Reuben had lied to Drew during their days of pre-trial preparations. Reuben had lied every time he looked at Drew and stuck to his eyewitness account. Only Drew hadn’t known Reuben had falsified that. And that was harder to verify. Not impossible, but not probable without Reuben’s testimony now.
Drew buttoned his suit coat and tried to ignore the unrest deep inside him. He hurt for Reuben’s family and their loss. Hurt for himself. Despised the defeat pulsing in his throat. Encouraged the defiance stiffening his shoulders. And welcomed the pride he couldn’t suppress in his heart.
If he was going to lose his reputation and his career in the next few hours, he would not cower. He’d make his final courtroom appearance count.
He opened the door to the courtroom. His gaze scanned the twin tables at the front of the room, slowed and fixed on Molly. Her bold red suit radiated power and confidence. Her ponytail, sleek and fixed, sharpened her appearance and matched her shrewd gaze.
A different sort of pride roared through Drew for this amazing woman, who stood beside him now, and was prepared to defend him even as the odds of succeeding were against them.
He wanted to take her hand as if she anchored him. But that was wrong. What did he have to offer her? At worst, he had no career. At best, he returned to his former ways, immersed in his work. But his work mattered to people who’d been hurt or worse. He mattered at work. And dedicating his life to that hardly felt wrong.
Molly turned and noticed him. Her eyes barely softened. Her mouth didn’t lift into a warm smile. And that felt entirely wrong.
He wanted her smile. Her laughter. Her affection. But only because he was greedy and selfish.
All that verified Molly McKinney deserved a better man than Drew.
A man that would commit completely to her. Put her first. Without hesitation. Without question.
Drew walked over to the table and set his briefcase on the floor. He faced Molly. “I know how to proceed. The video can be used as linkage evidence. It proves Reuben’s retraction of his testimony is authentic. And the time-date stamp on the video strengthens the argument that I had no knowledge as I became lead prosecutor twelve days later.”
“Drew. Sit.” Molly motioned to the empty chair at the table. “I have this under control. I know what I’m doing.”
But I don’t. I don’t want to lose. Not his career. Not Molly. Alarm and something eerily close to fear weakened his composure. He dropped into the chair. “What are you doing?”
Molly sat beside him and touched his arm. “You have to trust me.”
Trust her with what? His career? His future? His heart?
Drew rose at the introduction of the Honorable Nora Bartlett. He pressed his fingertips into the tabletop as if he required the thick wood to remain standing. Judge Bartlett announced the case and invited the counsel to begin.
Everything proceeded as it should. Until Molly stood and called a witness not on the list.
Molly brought Gina Hahn to the stand. Then everything tilted and blurred as if Drew were
