Devil's Advocate, page 20
Trying to play it cool, Caitlyn slanted her head. “What? No cracks about how I should’ve dressed like a Munchkin from The Wizard of Oz instead?
“I would never make a joke like that.” After keeping her composure for a moment, Ash snorted. “On second thought, I probably would. But for the record, I like your height.”
A flash of heat engulfed Caitlyn’s body, frying most of her brain circuits and leaving her a babbling fool. “I don’t know, it makes it hard to reach cupboards, not to mention sometimes I—”
Ash clasped Caitlyn’s shoulders with her hands as if to ground her. “You’re perfect.”
Caitlyn could barely hear from all the blood pounding through her head, but she’d been able to hear that, and the sentiment made her weak in the knees. “You mean my height is acceptable?”
“I stand by my prior statement.” Ash drilled her gaze into Caitlyn’s with a startling intensity that drove the breath from her lungs.
“Look.” Caitlyn’s voice hitched as she searched for anything to move the conversation to safer ground. “There’s the kettle corn.”
“Smooth transition,” Ash teased. “At least you have your priorities in order.”
“Kettle corn makes the world a better place.” Though her heart continued throbbing harder than a grueling workout at the gym, Caitlyn offered a playful shrug and tried not to let on as they got into the line. “Should we get some for the boys?”
“Yes, unless you want to go down as the meanest pirate wench in history.”
Caitlyn paid for two large bags of the salty-sweet treat, giving one to Sadie to share with the boys and keeping the second for her and Ash. It was still warm and the smell of sugar and butter was divine.
“They’re showing a movie over there.” Ash pointed in the distance to where several rows of hay bales had been set up and a children’s cartoon was being projected onto the white wall of one of the buildings.
“Is it Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit?” Sadie asked, her eyes sparkling. “I love that one. Come on, boys!”
Sadie led her merry band of trick-or-treaters, collecting candy from the houses along the way until they reached the makeshift outdoor theater.
“Your sister’s a natural with the little ones,” Ash said. “I feel like I should be paying her for entertaining my nephews all night. I was a little worried when I volunteered to take them, but this has been the easiest babysitting gig in history, thanks to her.”
“Trust me, Sadie doesn’t need the money—” Caitlyn clamped a hand to her mouth as she realized how her words might come across. “I didn’t mean for that to sound the way it did, like we’re a couple of spoiled rich girls.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t take it that way.” There was nothing but kindness in Ash’s tone.
“What I meant was Sadie loves kids, so she’s having the time of her life tonight.” Caitlyn swallowed, tears stinging her eyes. “We’re the only family we’ve got.”
“Really, Caitlyn,” Ash said softly. “I understand. No class warfare tonight. Or ever.”
Caitlyn shot Ash a disbelieving look. “No more cracks about my Mayflower ancestry?”
“Considering there literally was a Brewster on the Mayflower, it’s less a joke and more a simple statement of fact,” Ash pointed out, but then shrugged. “Maybe I’ve finally figured out neither of us had it easy. You want to sit and watch the movie?”
“Do you mind standing instead? That rough hay would do a number on my bare thighs.” Caitlyn led the way to a spot at the edge of the crowd, away from the wriggling children and parents who were starting to look frazzled as the evening wore on. They stood side by side, the rough fabric of Ash’s costume brushing Caitlyn’s bare arm. The simple awareness of how close they were was driving her wild. “Mind if I have some of that kettle corn you’ve been hoarding?”
“Here you go.” Ash handed over the nearly full bag, apparently in such a good mood she didn’t even try to defend herself against Caitlyn’s admittedly cockamamie accusation. “If you behave, maybe I’ll buy you a candy apple before we go.”
“What counts as behaving?” Caitlyn tilted her head cautiously, unable to stop the stream of tempting thoughts flowing through her mind. If she could risk one little thing, anything to relieve the pressure building like a dam about to burst. They were in public. It wouldn’t be much. Just enough to preserve her sanity and avoid ever more dangerous thoughts.
“As I told the boys when we got out of the car, no kicking, biting, pinching, or spitting.”
“What about this?” Pulse ticking faster, Caitlyn stood on her toes and placed a soft kiss on Ash’s cheek. “Does that get me more points toward a candy apple?”
“That might get you a whole bushel of them,” Ash said with a grin, looking surprised but pleased by Caitlyn’s impulsive gesture.
“Good.” Caitlyn snuggled closer to Ash, taking her hand and lacing their fingers together with a squeeze. “I do like to win.”
Amazingly, her plan had worked. She felt better already. Surely it wouldn’t be too difficult to continue like this until… A lump formed in Caitlyn’s belly as she realized she had no idea how that sentence was supposed to end.
Until when?
Until she moved back to New York? Or Ash moved on to some new woman who wasn’t a coworker, or was maybe taller, too… Until the sun went supernova and the earth exploded at the end of time?
Caitlyn closed her eyes, breathing in to stave off panic. Instead of the smells of candy and popcorn, it was the scent of Ash’s soap that calmed her, engulfing her in its simple, no-nonsense comfort. Which it had no business doing, considering Ash was the source of her sudden existential crisis. But there it was.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sitting at her desk behind the day’s pile of work, the hustle and bustle of the office a low hum in her subconscious, Ash ran the tip of her finger along her cheek. If she allowed herself to close her eyes, she would have been able to feel the exact spot where Caitlyn’s lips had made contact. That memory would have filled her to the brim with the same fluttering excitement and anticipation she’d felt that night three weeks before.
She kept her eyes firmly open.
That didn’t stop Ash’s imagination from reliving that moment one more time, or for the feelings to flow like warm molasses through her veins.
“I need a vacation,” she muttered to herself.
“Not today.” Caitlyn’s face peered through the open doorway, even more beautiful than it had been in the moonlight on Halloween. Which was quite a feat considering the terrible overhead lighting in the office.
Ash desperately needed to get a hold of herself before these obsessive thoughts about Caitlyn drove her stark raving mad.
Caitlyn was studying Ash with a curious look, like she was expecting something other than the awkward silence that was all Ash seemed capable of producing. “It’s almost time for the meeting with the Fosters and their attorney.”
“Wonderful.” Ash leaned back in her desk chair, closing her eyes to keep from drinking in the way Caitlyn’s frame leaned against the doorjamb, her crossed arms doing wonders for—
Nope. This was neither the time nor the place, especially considering her overactive imagination was already responsible for her nearly being late for a client meeting. Ash was never late.
“It gets better,” Caitlyn added as soon as Ash’s eyes had opened. “Fergus Clark’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit this morning. They’re claiming the negative environment created by Coach Dryden contributed to their son taking his own life.”
At this news, Ash practically launched out of the chair, joining Caitlyn in the hallway. “Has the coroner’s office determined cause of death yet?”
“Not yet.” Caitlyn and Ash walked rapidly toward the conference room side by side. “But with a lawyer like Hank Kearns representing them, do you think that matters?”
“Hank ‘Take No Prisoners’ Kearns?” Ash stifled a groan.
“That would be the one.”
“Fabulous.” Ash’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “And here I thought that mess couldn’t get worse.”
Caitlyn’s jaw hardened. “I’d call him a no-good ambulance chaser if he wasn’t so damned effective.”
Dread weighed on Ash’s frame, pulling her shoulders down. Hank Kearns was ruthless and known for getting big settlements. He’d be salivating to dig his hands into the deep pockets of the academy’s endowment. “I should’ve known they’d end up with someone like him. The goal will be to get Moorehead to settle quickly and quietly.”
“And for big bucks,” Caitlyn added, confirming she and Ash were once again on the same wavelength.
“Hey you,” Zach sidled up next to Caitlyn, catching Ash by surprise as if he’d materialized out of thin air. She immediately stiffened, not liking his ingratiating tone, which as far as she knew was the only one he had.
“Zach, buddy.” For someone whose day was going to suck every bit as much as Ash’s, Caitlyn managed to sound downright perky. It was a wonder how the woman managed it. Ash could never keep her true feelings hidden quite so deeply, but Caitlyn was a pro.
“I heard the news about the new Moorehead suit. Whatever you need, I’m your guy.” He hooked a thumb toward his chest. What a doofus.
“I might take you up on that,” Caitlyn replied.
At exactly the same moment, Ash said, “I think the two of us have that under control.”
Ignoring Ash completely, Zach zeroed in on Caitlyn. “You just let me know what I can do.”
“What’s up with Zach?” Ash demanded as soon as the fourth-year associate was out of sight. “Why is he being so friendly and helpful?”
“He’s always like that. He’s a—”
“Smarmy butt-kisser,” Ash supplied, not trusting the guy or his intentions one bit. “I want to be straight with you—”
“Well, that’s a shame.” Caitlyn’s tone was flirtatious, a teasing look in her eyes.
Ash’s body tingled all over and for a moment her mind went blank. “What was I saying?”
“I have no idea.” Caitlyn’s smirk told Ash she knew exactly what effect her little joke was having.
“Oh, right. Zach.” Ash took a breath, forcing herself to focus on something other than Caitlyn’s shiny red lips. “I wouldn’t trust him if I were you.”
“You don’t trust anyone,” Caitlyn reminded her. “I wouldn’t say I’m more trusting, but I know I have to give a little to make this job work.”
“That’s not true,” Ash argued, referring to the first part of Caitlyn’s statement. “I trust people.”
She was about to add I trust you, but held back. No matter what signals her body was sending her—which were loud and clear in the let’s say whatever it takes to get this woman in bed again variety—Ash’s brain needed to keep a firm grasp on reality. Caitlyn was a colleague, which meant they were on the same side. But she was also the competition, every bit as much as someone like Zach. Just because she looked a hell of a lot better in a red dress didn’t change the facts. The more Caitlyn shone, even if she had no intention of pursuing a partnership, the more it could detract from Ash’s chances at the promotion.
Ash needed to do a lot more thinking about how to get what she’d worked so hard for in her career, and a lot less mooning over how soft Caitlyn’s lips had felt against her cheek.
Caitlyn placed her hand on the conference room doorknob and turned it slowly, pushing the door open. A young man wearing a purple and gold men’s rowing jacket from Williams College was flanked by a man and woman who appeared to be his parents. Another man, who was definitely an attorney, sat beside the father.
“Thank you for coming in,” Caitlyn said in a breezy everything’s going to be fine tone. And it would be fine—for Moorehead Academy and the law firm of McGill and Harding, that was—once the Fosters were confronted with what Ash and Caitlyn had dug up about Alex’s less than exemplary behavior at school.
“Ready to settle?” the Fosters’s attorney asked when Caitlyn and Ash had joined them at the table.
“You’re dropping the suit?” Caitlyn countered with just enough snark that the other lawyer’s expression flickered with doubt.
He let out an overconfident laugh but it was clear Caitlyn had made him sweat. Ash’s chest swelled with an unexpected sense of pride. That woman was a marvel.
Meanwhile, young Alex looked as if he wanted to blast off into space, while his father had the look of a man who would like to bite the heads off of everyone in the room. The mother, however, wore a wary expression. Ash caught her casting glances at her son in a way that didn’t exactly exude confidence.
Finally, some good news. If the mother was having doubts about her precious son, the evidence they were about to present would go a long way to swaying her toward the modest settlement they would eventually propose.
“We’ve been talking to some of the students at Moorehead,” Ash began, splitting her focus between Alex and his mother while ignoring the father and the attorney for now. “Know what we found out?”
The young man shook his head and Ash had to wonder if he was always so quiet, or if he’d been instructed not to utter a peep.
“I’ll give you a hint,” Ash continued, eager to see what reaction her revelation would receive. “It’s about the junior varsity barbecue last year, and it’s not that you’re winning a merit badge for your hamburger grilling skills.”
“Junior varsity?” the father growled. “Alex was a senior and co-captain of the varsity team. He wouldn’t have been at some JV kiddie party.”
“You’d think that, right?” Ash tossed back. The man’s use of the word kiddie was priceless, considering what they were about to reveal. “In fact, Alex had no reason to be at the gathering, but we have several signed affidavits that he was, indeed, in attendance.”
The father rolled his eyes. “So what? That’s not a crime.”
“No, it isn’t. But”—Caitlyn tossed a stack of papers across the table, where the lawyer swiped them up—“we also have signed affidavits that Alex brought alcohol to the party.”
The father looked angry enough to climb over the table. “That’s—”
“A crime?” Ash suggested, shooting Caitlyn a bemused look. “I assume that’s what you were about to say. Alex had, in fact, celebrated his eighteenth birthday shortly before this incident took place.”
“Personally, I find it fascinating that one can both be under the legal drinking age and also be charged as an adult for supplying alcohol to minors, don’t you?” Caitlyn asked. Alex’s eyes doubled in size and his mother appeared to totter on the verge of passing out.
“I don’t believe a word you’re saying.” The father crossed his burly arms over his chest.
“Mr. and Mrs. Foster.” Ignoring the father’s outburst, Ash moved her eyes slowly from one parent to the other, hoping to impress upon them the seriousness of the situation. “Last year, at the end-of-summer barbecue for the JV rowing teams, your son, who was eighteen at the time, snuck into the party uninvited. He poured alcohol into the punchbowl when no one was watching, and this resulted in many of the students becoming intoxicated, some to the point of illness.”
The mom’s head whipped toward her son. “You did that?”
“Don’t answer that!” the lawyer shouted. “I’m sorry, ladies, but you just said there were no witnesses to this alleged punch spiking. How do you know it was my client?”
“Because he confessed, repeatedly,” Ash answered. “Bragged about it to anyone who would listen. We have seven signed affidavits supporting the accusation from students who witnessed his confession firsthand.”
“Somehow,” Caitlyn said, “this incident never made it into Alex’s official school record. If it had, that would have been more than enough reason for an immediate expulsion.”
“In fact,” Ash added, “it’s not too late to rectify that oversight, according to the Moorehead Student Handbook. Or we can refer this matter to the proper authorities. You should know, we’re talking about a criminal offense that could result in jail time.”
“Alex. Look me in the eyes and answer me.” The mother didn’t back down. “Is what they’re saying true?”
Instead of answering his mother, Alex turned to his father with venom in his eyes. “I never wanted you to file this stupid lawsuit. I told you to leave it alone.”
The father’s arms slowly fell to his sides as he locked eyes on his son. “Answer your mother’s question. Did you do it?”
Alex hung his head. “I didn’t mean for anyone to get sick.”
“What were you thinking?” the father bellowed.
“I thought it would be funny,” Alex managed to choke out, tears filling his eyes. “I swear, that’s not who I am anymore. I’m in college now. I know you might think I’m just saying this, but I’ve matured a lot. I feel terrible for the way I acted sometimes back at Moorehead.”
“That school was a toxic environment for our son,” Alex’s mother pleaded.
“I’m not the only one who was an asshole at Moorehead,” Alex insisted. “Mom’s right. The environment there wasn’t good for me, no matter what they say. Just take a look at those stupid gym rats, the ones sporting jackets with that dumb slogan. Something about dying.”
“Do or die trying?” Adrenaline pumped through Ash’s veins as she made the connection to Fergus Clark. On impulse, she turned to the Fosters’s lawyer. “Your client is an adult. Any chance we could get Mom and Dad to wait outside for a few minutes and talk to just him? With you in the room, of course.”
They had to get some answers about Fergus, and Ash’s instincts told her that would be easier to accomplish with the parental units out of earshot. She gave a questioning look to Alex, who nodded slowly.
“I suppose that can be arranged,” the lawyer replied begrudgingly. The parents tensed but didn’t argue as they were shown to seats outside the conference room.
“What’s this all about?” the lawyer demanded when the conference room door clicked shut again.
