Virgin Romance by Penny Wylder

14

The courthouse is both beautiful and intimidating. I suppose they probably designed it that way. It’s an old building, all wood and polished floors and delicate moldings. I feel sick. The whole ride in the car I kept thinking about what my uncle will say to me when he sees me and now that Andrew and I are close, I think I’m going to throw up. Suddenly the world feels like it’s spinning and I’m hyperventilating. Andrew takes my hand and his voice is calm and steady as he tells me, “Everything will be fine. He won’t cause a scene here.”

“He doesn’t have to,” I say.

“You’re here because I want you to be. That’s all you have to remember.”

“Easier said than done,” I mutter under my breath.

We turn the corner and approach the courtroom, and I see Uncle Roger standing with Mr. Sterling. I feel like the floor might swallow me up, but I keep walking because Andrew is still holding my hand. My uncle sees Andrew first, then me, then our joined hands. His expression turns livid. He says something to Mr. Sterling and makes a beeline toward us, meeting us halfway. “Naomi, I don’t see any reason for you to be here, as you have nothing of substance to contribute.” His tone is acid.

Andrew squeezes my hand, and I take a deep breath. “I’m here at Mr. Finch’s request.”

“And actually Roger, Naomi may have saved our case,” Andrew cuts in. “When you interrupted us last night she was in the process of uncovering an important piece of evidence.”

My uncle laughs, “That’s impossible.”

Andrew looks over at me. “Naomi?”

My mouth is suddenly dry—the plan was for Andrew to tell him what we found, not me. I don’t even think I can. I feel Andrew change his grip, fingers threading through mine and squeezing. “Tell him what you found.”

I clear my throat. “There may still be evidence that Mr. Sterling left the house on the night of the murder.”

My uncle narrows his eyes. “How?”

I outline what I found out about Trident Security, Andrew filling in as needed. The incredulous look on my uncle’s face is more than enough for me to know that he doesn’t believe me. But he does have to take Andrew’s word. I can see he’s not happy about it. I pull out the subpoena I prepared before we left. “You can use this to get the back-up.”

“Or,” Andrew says, “Just have Timothy call Trident. As one of their most valued clients, I’m sure they would send over the information right away.” I can hear the smile in his voice. He’s enjoying this just a little too much.

My uncle—his entire body rigid with anger—turns and waves over Mr. Sterling.

Andrew doesn’t let my uncle lead the conversation. As soon as Mr. Sterling joins us, Andrew asks him, “Timothy, when the police checked the security logs from Trident, did they check every back-up?”

Mr. Sterling puts his hands in his pockets. “They told me they did.”

“Including the one kept by the board exclusively for your diamond membership?”

“Well, I would have thought…maybe not,” Timothy says, mulling it over. “I guess they wouldn’t have known to look there.”

I can’t help smiling. “Call them. If they can give you a copy of the data without us having to use a subpoena it will be faster, and if it shows you leaving your house when you said you did, it proves that Robert Greene is lying and casts reasonable doubt on your status as a suspect.”

It looks like Mr. Sterling lights up from within, and he practically runs away and out of the courthouse to use his cellphone.

My uncle turns back to us, his whole face a portrait of disgust. “Well played.”

“This isn’t a game,” I say. “It isn’t some sort of play to make you look bad.”

“And I’m supposed to take your word on that after you went and fucked the very man I told you was trying to take my company? I was going to fire you, but I suppose I’ll have to let you stay after this. We’ll see if you can earn your keep with more than a fluke discovery.”

I grind my teeth together, suddenly sick to death of everything he’s put me through. “That’s very generous of you.”

“Actually,” Andrew interjects, “you don’t have to stay at Grayson & Wates.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

Andrew lets go of my hand and steps forward. “Roger, you may consider this my notice. I will stay on for the remainder of the trial, but as soon as it’s completed my resignation will be in effect immediately. I want no part of a firm that treats people the way you do your own family, so I’ve decided to start my own. And you’ll release me from my non-compete clause, because if you don’t, I’ll tell our clients how you treat people who are beneath you. If you think you’ll have any clients left after that, you’d be mistaken.”

My uncle sputters, but can’t seem to find words.

Andrew turns to me then and adds, “And I’d love it if you’d be my first new hire at the firm.”

Now it’s my turn to gasp. “Really?”

Softly, so my uncle can’t hear, he says, “I told you that I would make sure you were okay. I want to be with you, and I want to do it in a place where kissing you isn’t going to get me a dagger in the back.”

“You can’t hire her,” my uncle interrupts. “She’s agreed to work for me for an entire year.”

I ignore him, and for the first time it’s easy to do it. His words bounce off me like I’m wearing armor. In a way, I suppose that I am. I close the distance between Andrew and myself, and I kiss him. It’s not the kind of kiss that’s meant to be in public, but right now I don’t particularly care. Andrew’s arms wrap around me and I feel safe. When I pull away from him, lipstick is covering his mouth and he’s grinning like a fool.

I look over at my uncle and smile. “You’re a lawyer. Next time get it in writing.”