“It goes well with your eyes and with that suit.”
“Thank you, but…”
“But wasn’t that what you meant?”
I laugh and shake my head gently.
“I understand, Mr Kennedy.” He stands and approaches. His bare feet on the floor, quiet and unobtrusive. He lifts his hands and adjusts the collar of my shirt. A wave of pure, electrifying energy, like a jolt of lightning, runs through my body, leaving me tingling all over. “Now you’re perfect.”
The hands slide slowly away. It takes all my strength not to grab and hold them just a moment longer.
“Have a good day, Mr Kennedy.” His lips brush my cheek, then his footsteps walk away in the chaos that now reigns in my mind.
PAUL SITS IN MY office at lunchtime with his pasta salad and energy drink.
“Did we have a lunch date?”
“Do I have to make an appointment to have lunch with you? You were quiet this morning, so I thought I’d come and see what you were up to.”
I sigh heavily, then take off my glasses and throw them on the table, irritated.
“And now I understand why.”
“Did you at least bring me something?”
“Sure. Not me, obviously. George, bless him!” He shows me a paper bag, which I accept without hesitation. If George took care of the lunch, I have nothing to fear. “By the way, I sent him on a break. Out to get some air.”
“You did well.”
I unpack my bag and, to my great delight, find a chicken and pesto sandwich and an iced tea with no sugar.
“We should give him a raise,” I say before biting into my sandwich.
“I think you’re right.” Paul pops a forkful of pasta into his mouth. “How’s the hearing preparation going?” he asks with his mouth full.
Fortunately, he did not ask me how the move-in was going.
“It’s progressing.”
“And…”
“It’s too early to tell, but I think we’re pretty much doomed.”
“You mean to tell me that your sacrifice for the common good will not lead to victory?”
“I don’t know, Paul. The opposition is fierce, and Seth… Well, you’ve seen him too.”
“I like him.”
“Hmm?”
“Seth. The kids. Ross. Mr Yang. I like them all.”
“Maybe you should have pretended to be his partner.”
“I wouldn’t have tricked anybody. Besides, you’re his lawyer, not me!”
“Would you have done that? If you were his lawyer…”
