“I was. I am. But it’s more than that. Every day I have to go to court, I stare in the mirror in the morning and tell myself it’s not that bad, that I’m good at it, that it’ll get easier.”
“But it isn’t.”
“No. It’s getting worse. I can’t do this anymore.”
“Why didn’t you say anything? If you want to cut back on your hours, anything, I’m there for you.”
“I think...” Grady took a heavy breath and pushed his shoulders back. “I’ll stick around until you find a new partner, but I’m done.”
Lincoln took a slow sip of his beer, a suspicious twinkle in his eye. “Rumor has it, you’re going with Claire down to Phoenix tomorrow, then taking your time moving her up here?”
“I, uh, was getting to that.”
“No worries. How about you go on vacation, and when you get back, help me catch things up? I don’t mind taking over your cases, but I’ll need a hand until I find a new partner.”
“Sounds great.” He exhaled a long breath, the weight already starting to lift from his shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t.” Lincoln shook his head, calm when he should be pissed. Then again, Lincoln always looked calm. Born to be a lawyer, he didn’t rile easily. Unlike Grady. “Not going to say I’m not disappointed. I love working with you.” He smiled and took a long pull on his beer. “I mean, how am I going to find another partner that isn’t afraid to take a punch or two?”
“One punch. I won’t put up with a second.” He smiled back, the crunch in his jaw reminding him that even the first was a bad idea.
“March thirtieth.”
“What?”
“That’s your last day. It’ll give me plenty of time to start recruiting, or at least thin out the workload, while you transition to Black Op full time.”
“Thanks. I wasn’t sure how to even begin to tell you.”
“Any idea how you’re going to tell Patricia about Claire?”
Grady groaned and drained the last of his beer, setting the empty glass on the catering tray that brushed past them. “She already knows.”
“That would explain the vague comments about how wonderful it is to have honest people like me at the gala.”
“Ouch.”
“And that she’s hoping Pippa and I will help Claire feel welcome by keeping her occupied and dancing with her, visiting and showing her around. Pretty much making sure she’s never alone... with either of her sons, I gather.”
Grady looked across the room and saw Claire spinning across the dance floor with Asher this time. “You know? I haven’t talked with my mother all night. I’m going to go tell her what a nice party she throws.”
“Your funeral,” Lincoln muttered.
Haley caught his eye, releasing Zane from the dance and flashing him a wink. She met Grady at the bar. “Ready?”
“For what?”
“The plan.”
Grady grabbed a fresh beer for himself plus another for Patricia, while Haley grabbed one for herself. “Please tell me your plan involves a secret escape out the back door.”
“Like yours? I see that flash in your eyes. You’re looking for a fight.”
He turned toward Haley and saw her matching blue eyes sparked with mischief. “And you’re not?”
“Every time I close my eyes at night, I see big tits in a red lace bra, bouncing on top of my husband. The man that spent the last ten years slowly chipping me down to nothing.”
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. I should have seen.”
