Read Online Barefoot Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story by Krista Lakes - Free Book Online Page A

trouble.”
    “I'm not?” Relief flooded through me and I no longer thought I might have a heart attack.
    “No.” Kathryn smiled and shook her head. “Quite the opposite, in fact. I'd like to offer you a job.”
    I stared at her, utterly confused. “I already have a job... unless I was fired and didn't realize it.”
    She laughed gently. It was a pleasant, normal sound I wasn't expecting. “I guess it's more of a promotion than a job,” she explained, sounding a little unsure of herself. In my head, Kathryn McDonald was a mythic lawyer of epic proportions. I had forgotten that she was human, but sitting here with her, I was slowly changing my opinion. “I'd like you to be my personal paralegal.”
    “What?” I started to shake my head no. There was no way I was qualified to be a personal anything for a lawyer as good as Kathryn. “You have plenty of associates and more qualified—”
    “Lena,” she cut me off again. The quirk of her mouth at least suggested she was finding my babbling amusing rather than irritating. “Most of the files I get from the associates have your initials on them. I've seen your work. You do as well, if not better, than several associates I know. You may not have the letters after your name, but you have experience and I'd rather have someone with experience and a brain helping me than fancy letters.”
    I sat there, in the presence of my legal hero, completely shocked. My ability to speak completely vanished. She was offering me a dream job as well as giving me the best compliment I could ask for. I couldn't find the words. Kathryn sipped on her tea again, this time finding it the right temperature.
    “Did you know I was a paralegal?” she asked, conversationally. I was fairly sure I had to be dreaming. I shook my head no and she continued. “I was. I became a paralegal because someone said I would be good at it. I became a lawyer because I knew I would be fantastic at it.”
    I was still a little in shock as she sipped her tea again. She watched me, her green eyes taking in every detail and analyzing it. I hoped I didn't look like a disappointment.
    “I tell you this because you remind me a lot of myself.” Kathryn set her cup down on the desk. “I've been searching for someone since my previous paralegal retired. She was good, but you're better. What I need is another me and you're the next best thing.”
    “So you want me to be your personal paralegal?” I asked, sounding like a very confused parrot. I was still trying to get over the fact that she was just sitting her telling me her life story like a normal person. This was beyond what I thought could happen today.
    “Yes. I want you to work solely on my cases. You report to me and only me. You will attend all court hearings with me and accompany me on meetings.” She picked her cup back up and took another sip. It smelled like some sort of green tea. “You will work closely with my secretary and the associates under me. It will be long hours, there will be travel, and I expect perfection.”
    “All court hearings?” I whispered. Just seeing her once in court would be amazing, let alone getting to go to all of them.
    “Yes.” She frowned over her tea cup, thinking that I was going to object. “Is that a problem?”
    “No!” I managed to choke out. That was the opposite of a problem. It was a dream come true. “It's fantastic! I've got to be dreaming. This is too good to be real...”
    Kathryn grinned, obviously enjoying this. “It gets better.”
    “Better?”
    “You get a raise. A good one. Better than good, really.” She sipped nonchalantly on her tea as she slid a piece of paper with an absurdly high number on it across the desk.
    I couldn't find the words for the millionth time that day. Instead, my mouth just hung open in disbelief.
    “There is one downside, though,” Kathryn informed me. She lowered her cup to her lap. “You would be ineligible for the Grooming the Future Mentor Observation with