Read Online Fair Game Inc (2010) by Stephanie Bedwell-Grime - Free Book Online
Authors: Stephanie Bedwell-Grime
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leaning against the filing cabinet, waiting for her.
She jumped, in spite of herself and bit back a very unladylike word.
oI was waiting for you,o he said softly.
oSo I see.o She waited patiently to hear what heAEd say next.
oIAEm sorry I took off after you earlier.o
Amber opened her mouth to offer a othatAEs okayo, but he held up his hand so sheAEd let him continue.
oPlease forgive my bad behavior. IAEve been under a lot of pressure lately, not that thatAEs any excuse,o he said quickly. oBut I wanted to thank you for your hard work. It was generous of you, in view of the circumstances.o
Amber found herself smiling. A nice euphemism. Especially since the court had ordered her. But it was nice to know her help was appreciated. oI couldnAEt resist, you were in such a pathetic mess.o
oGee, thanks.o
oYouAEre welcome.o
They looked at each other, suddenly uncomfortable.
oHereAEs the material you wanted from the library,o she said, picking up the file folder.
Grayson took it from her hands and put it back down on the desk. oI was wondering if youAEd like to have a drink with me. My brother, Roger,o he winced at the sound of RogerAEs name and the significance it had to Amber, but she smiled back and he continued. oMy brother says that too much work makes me boring.o
oHeAEs probably right about that,o Amber said. oBut I have to admit IAEm guilty of the same crime. When you love your work so much, sometimes itAEs hard to stop.o
oHave you had dinner?o
As if on cue, AmberAEs stomach growled. oNo, I came straight from,o she paused, self consciously, owell, the surveillance I was working on.o
oDid you get him?o
Amber grinned wickedly. oI got him.o
oWhy donAEt we call it a night then? I know this place that makes great burgers, assuming that you eat meat--o
oRight now I could devour a steak!o
oThey make great steaks, too.o
He looked so open, so vulnerable, she couldnAEt help but agree. oSounds great, Counselor. LetAEs go.o
The unseasonably warm air packed the sidewalks with people enjoying one of the last pleasant nights of the season. They walked the couple of blocks to the tiny restaurant Grayson suggested and sat outside on the patio.
oSo,o Amber said as they finished the last of their coffee. oTell me about John Barlow. That was him who stormed past me earlier, wasnAEt it?o
oIn the flesh,o Grayson admitted.
oHeAEs a lot older than I expected somehow.o
oLike I said, he was my fatherAEs partner.o
oAnd you felt obligated to join the firm.o
oWe arenAEt in court, Amber. I donAEt have to answer your questions.o
She laughed and dug into the scoop of ice cream sitting in the silver bowl. oSorry, force of habit.o
He picked up his own spoon and stole a scoop of her ice cream. oBut IAEll answer your question anyway. Barlow & Charles was my motherAEs only source of support. I couldnAEt let her down. My father died young, before heAEd had a chance to save for a comfortable retirement.o
oAnd Roger wasnAEt going to follow in your dadAEs footsteps?o
oRoger helps when he can,o Grayson said defensively. oYou shouldnAEt judge him by what Sandy said. HeAEs really not so bad.o
oHe dumped her, Grayson. After heAEd led her to believe they were going to get married.o
oRoger has a problem with commitment.o
oIAEm not surprised.o
oThereAEs no law against it.o
oThere ought to be.o
He swiped the last mouthful of ice cream. oLetAEs stop talking about Roger.o
oDeal.o
oNow that IAEve answered your questions, youAEre obligated to answer mine.o
oLike you said, Counselor, weAEre not in court.o
oYouAEre free to take the fifth.o
She laughed. oWhat is it that you so badly want to know?o
oWhat attracts a nice woman like you to a career getting even with straying men?o
Dangerous ground, that, Amber thought. oI take the fifth. And I never said I was nice.o
oHave you never had a male client?o
That softly spoken question stopped her cold. oNo,o she said laying down her spoon. oI-I guess I havenAEt. Not that I wouldnAEt, you know
She jumped, in spite of herself and bit back a very unladylike word.
oI was waiting for you,o he said softly.
oSo I see.o She waited patiently to hear what heAEd say next.
oIAEm sorry I took off after you earlier.o
Amber opened her mouth to offer a othatAEs okayo, but he held up his hand so sheAEd let him continue.
oPlease forgive my bad behavior. IAEve been under a lot of pressure lately, not that thatAEs any excuse,o he said quickly. oBut I wanted to thank you for your hard work. It was generous of you, in view of the circumstances.o
Amber found herself smiling. A nice euphemism. Especially since the court had ordered her. But it was nice to know her help was appreciated. oI couldnAEt resist, you were in such a pathetic mess.o
oGee, thanks.o
oYouAEre welcome.o
They looked at each other, suddenly uncomfortable.
oHereAEs the material you wanted from the library,o she said, picking up the file folder.
Grayson took it from her hands and put it back down on the desk. oI was wondering if youAEd like to have a drink with me. My brother, Roger,o he winced at the sound of RogerAEs name and the significance it had to Amber, but she smiled back and he continued. oMy brother says that too much work makes me boring.o
oHeAEs probably right about that,o Amber said. oBut I have to admit IAEm guilty of the same crime. When you love your work so much, sometimes itAEs hard to stop.o
oHave you had dinner?o
As if on cue, AmberAEs stomach growled. oNo, I came straight from,o she paused, self consciously, owell, the surveillance I was working on.o
oDid you get him?o
Amber grinned wickedly. oI got him.o
oWhy donAEt we call it a night then? I know this place that makes great burgers, assuming that you eat meat--o
oRight now I could devour a steak!o
oThey make great steaks, too.o
He looked so open, so vulnerable, she couldnAEt help but agree. oSounds great, Counselor. LetAEs go.o
The unseasonably warm air packed the sidewalks with people enjoying one of the last pleasant nights of the season. They walked the couple of blocks to the tiny restaurant Grayson suggested and sat outside on the patio.
oSo,o Amber said as they finished the last of their coffee. oTell me about John Barlow. That was him who stormed past me earlier, wasnAEt it?o
oIn the flesh,o Grayson admitted.
oHeAEs a lot older than I expected somehow.o
oLike I said, he was my fatherAEs partner.o
oAnd you felt obligated to join the firm.o
oWe arenAEt in court, Amber. I donAEt have to answer your questions.o
She laughed and dug into the scoop of ice cream sitting in the silver bowl. oSorry, force of habit.o
He picked up his own spoon and stole a scoop of her ice cream. oBut IAEll answer your question anyway. Barlow & Charles was my motherAEs only source of support. I couldnAEt let her down. My father died young, before heAEd had a chance to save for a comfortable retirement.o
oAnd Roger wasnAEt going to follow in your dadAEs footsteps?o
oRoger helps when he can,o Grayson said defensively. oYou shouldnAEt judge him by what Sandy said. HeAEs really not so bad.o
oHe dumped her, Grayson. After heAEd led her to believe they were going to get married.o
oRoger has a problem with commitment.o
oIAEm not surprised.o
oThereAEs no law against it.o
oThere ought to be.o
He swiped the last mouthful of ice cream. oLetAEs stop talking about Roger.o
oDeal.o
oNow that IAEve answered your questions, youAEre obligated to answer mine.o
oLike you said, Counselor, weAEre not in court.o
oYouAEre free to take the fifth.o
She laughed. oWhat is it that you so badly want to know?o
oWhat attracts a nice woman like you to a career getting even with straying men?o
Dangerous ground, that, Amber thought. oI take the fifth. And I never said I was nice.o
oHave you never had a male client?o
That softly spoken question stopped her cold. oNo,o she said laying down her spoon. oI-I guess I havenAEt. Not that I wouldnAEt, you know
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