Chapter Thirty-Four
On their short drive to Diane's office neither of them brought up what had happened in the courtroom. Diane was rather pissed, but she didn't want to let it out on Will, even though she supposed that he was probably gloating inside. But it was just a pre-trial hearing after all, it's not like she'd lost already. And it definitely hadn't been the first time she'd lost a few motions, it just felt a little differently now that he was on the opposite side.
"I can't believe that he denied almost all my motions," she finally said, deciding that talking about what bothered her was better than keeping it inside.
"A one to three ratio is not that bad," Will shrugged as if he hadn't given it too much thought, but she just couldn't believe that. She knew too well how much he loved to win, just as much as she did. And the worst thing about working on opposite sides was knowing that one of them would have to lose for the other to win.
"You only say that because yours are the three."
"Well, what can I say? I've learnt from the best," he tried to flatter her, and it kind of worked, because she felt like kissing him for that remark, not that she acted upon that urge, she was still pissed and couldn't calm down just like that.
"You're playing basketball with him, that's your secret," she put two and two together and was actually proud of herself for finding an actual reason to blame him, simply because it felt good to blame someone.
"No one stops you for joining the team," Will said chuckling.
"Well someone has to be with our children while you're sweating to get in the judges good graces," she chuckled as well at this thought. She couldn't really imagine herself on that court anymore.
"You used to love watching me play and now you're mocking me?"
"With love," she said, placing a kiss on his cheek, the teasing helped after all, she was feeling much better already.
"Then you're excused."
"So what about our dinner tonight?" she asked as he stopped the car.
"I wouldn't miss it, it's been two weeks."
"You'd better not," she threatened him playfully then kissed his lips, "You might have won a battle, but the war is not over yet," she whispered in his ear and pulled back, but he softly grabbed her neck and pulled her in for another kiss.
"You are a soar loser," he whispered in her ear this time and she kissed his cheek again before she got out of the car with a smile on her face.
o-o-o
"Please tell me you're calling to say you'll be here in five minutes," she answered the phone without saying hello.
He was supposed to pick her up ten minutes ago and she had to hold herself back from calling him before he did, but her self-control didn't last a second longer.
"I'm sorry. Something came up, I need to stay another two hours at least."
"So much about our night," she was disappointed, even though she should have seen that coming after the previous week.
"I'll make it up to you, I promise," she knew that he would she also knew that she had no right to get angry with him. It was just the nature of their job, sometimes it included late hours.
"I know, just hurry home, all right?"
"I will."
After she hung up she looked around in her office, considering if she should go home now to the empty house, or pick up the kids from her aunt and try to have a fun evening without Will. But as her eyes fell on the file of that morning she decided to use this extra time to dig into their common case with Will, to make sure next time she'd come out as the winner.
o-o-o
If it wasn't for the sound of footsteps on the floor about two hours later, she probably would have forgotten to go home that night.
"I thought you'd left already," Chris appeared in her doorway, with his briefcase and coat in hand.
"I wanted to check something, but I kind of lost track of time. I should be going home too, just need to call a cab first," she blamed it on tiredness that this last part slipped out and she wasn't surprised hearing his words at all.
"Nonsense, I'll drive you home."
"Oh no, you don't need to do that, we live in opposite directions."
She didn't feel like having any out of work contact with him and not only because she knew Will would have cut her head off for it. She valued their work relationship, but always kept the distance with Chris, and the Parker case clearly proved that it was the wise thing to do.
"I insist, it's the least I can do."
She knew she wouldn't be able to change his mind and she really appreciated the gesture, even though she already prepared herself for the awkwardness that would follow.
"All right, let's go then," she grabbed her purse and coat and walked out the office followed by him.
If she hadn't been angry with Will before now was the time to start blaming him for this and again it just felt good to have someone else to blame.