ATTENTION: THE AUTHOR IS POSTING THE LAST CHAPTER ON MAY 5. TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO HAVE READ HER STORY, SHE IS ALLOWING THE ENTIRE STORY TO BE PUBLISHED UNTIL MAY 22.
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REGINA MILL'S WORK LIFE as she knew it was over. Her comfortable status as the only civil attorney for Holloway, Dunn & Gold was about to change. Her boss, Stan Gold hired not only the most arrogant attorney in southern Texas but her rival.
Hearing the news on the day she was offered a raise only made it that much harder to swallow. Crossing her legs in his office, she raised a brow that disappeared behind a curtain of dark chocolate colored bangs, "Is this a bribe, Gold? Soften me up with a raise and bring in another attorney to take my job?"
Crossing her arms, she sat back in her perfectly tailored Armani suit the color of cobalt blue, her makeup meticulously executed, and nails stylistically manicured. Her eyes deep as mahogany and hot with temper glared at him.
"I didn't say that," he said with a smirk. "I said he'd take some of the load off your shoulders and open up your time to land the Mueller case. We both know that would put your name at the top of the most respected in the state." He steepled his fingers together and watched her.
"Dangling the possibility of the Mueller case over my head isn't going to make me happy that you hired Robin Locksley. He's arrogant, goes off half-cocked, and doesn't do subtly very well. He's on an unlucky streak this year. Not to mention, he'll be in my hair and on my dime. So, what's the catch?"
"You're smart, Regina. I admire that, you don't miss a beat. What you do lack, and I say this with all due respect, is a set of social skills. Robin knows how to work people, play up the business, and he's good at bringing in clients. You want the Mueller case? He can help you get it."
Stan sat with his dark eyes looking at her, his nose was straight, thin lips, his hair fell to his chin in pewter grey, he wore a suit with a bow tie.
"I may not be the friendliest, as you put it, but my reputation speaks for itself. I brought in forty percent of the clients this year alone, and I'll keep up that streak in the next. I have a seventy-seven percent success rate, higher than most attorneys in Texas, and I don't go around flaunting it in people's faces. You should have run it by me, at least," she argued. "I deserved that respect."
"I don't run decisions by you because I'm not the boss. I'm your boss, but not the boss. Travis and Buck have more stake in this. If you want to blame anyone for the final decision, blame Buck. They know each other and he could be an asset."
Regina uncrossed her legs and sighed, "I guess that's that, isn't it?" She watched the stubborn gleam in his eye and knew not to push it. "When can we expect him," she asked through her tight red-painted lips?
Glancing at the Rolex on his wrist, Stan said, "Anytime." He watched her eyes flash with anger, her jaw tightened, but she kept her silence. He admired her for being able to keep it reigned in when she could easily blow. "That's not all," he said when she stood.
"Oh?" Her brow rose as she looked down her nose at him.
To even the playing field, he stood and walked around his desk to lean against it with his hip. "Seeing as we've hired Robin and a few others, I thought a holiday party would be the perfect opportunity to invite potential clients. Thanksgiving is right around the corner."
Her stomach filled with dread, it felt like rats were eating a layer at a time. "I loathe business parties, you know this."
In an uncharacteristic gesture, he placed a hand on her shoulder, "I know. But I think you'll be able to come up with something festive, and it'll be a good bonding experience for the two civil attorneys in the office. Not to mention, Peter Mueller will be invited along with his business partner, wife, and half a dozen lawyers. Opportunities," he said.
"Wait," she eyed him. "You expect me to plan it, don't you? You told me you wouldn't ask anymore since last Christmas. I did my due for the year. That's what you said."
His smile started slow until it reached a full-on grin, "So, we'll bring it up a month. If you weren't a lawyer, you'd be an excellent party planner. This is your test, work together with Robin to plan this party, and he'll work with you on landing the Mueller case."
Desperate for the case, she knew she had to agree. It would make her career and put her income in a place she could finally use to buy a house. Her dream home. The one waiting for her on the market including a tree swing, a yard big enough to get a couple of dogs, and to start a family she yearned for. Secretly yearned for, she thought. A dream she'd never share with her coworkers because they'd certainly laugh at her.
"Alright, if I get one condition," she said.
"What's that?"
Pointing at the door, she said, "I want a lock on my office door, and I want the only copy of the key."
He watched for any humor on her face, but she was dead serious. Considering, he shifted to standing and walked to the door behind her as she pulled it open. When she turned, he nodded, "Done. Be nice," he said under his breath.
Regina furrowed her brows until she heard a voice behind her. "Am I interrupting?"
Stan nudged her aside and held out a hand, "Robin, I'm glad you could make it. Welcome aboard."
Robin stood in a black Gucci suit, shoes that shined so bright you could see your face in it, and a killer smile. Regina clenched her teeth and watched their introduction. "I'm glad to be here. I appreciate you welcoming me." He turned to face Regina and grinned at her with forest green eyes and dimples that curved deeply in his cheeks. "Regina Mills," he said and offered a hand.
"Robin Locksley," she returned in a tone that told him she wasn't thrilled.
He took her hand to shake and surprised her by bringing it up to his lips for a light kiss. "Teach me your ways, put me out of my misery, and I'll give you anything you want," he said laughing.
Regina pulled her hand away and slanted a look at Gold. "Excuse me?"
Easily, he put his briefcase down and leaned a hip on the desk. "Gold tells me you're gonna help me stop fumbling my cases like an idiot, increase my win rate and maybe teach me a thing or two," he said sarcastically.
"Did he?" she smirked knowing she owed him for that comment.
Robin scanned down her body assessing and causing her shoulder blades to itch, her feet to shuffle, as he met her eyes. "Yea. You're taller than I thought, and those tidy suit jackets hide your figure," he smirked.
It was dangerous, she thought. Dangerous to be flattered by the flirtation he used on women. All women, she reminded herself. She wasn't special. He enjoyed women, the skin, the clothes, the smell of their skin, and their brains. She'd read that somewhere, she recalled. An interview, maybe. It didn't matter.
"Hmm," she dismissed the comment. "I expect that key this afternoon," she told Gold. "I'll e-mail you about the party," she said starting out.
"Hold it," Gold stopped her. "Robin, Regina is going to give you a tour of the office and you can pick up lunch from Paula's. Don't forget a club sandwich for Marleen and a meatball sub for Yvonne. It's your turn," she reminded her. "Robin, you like subs?"
"Sure."
"Great, then it's settled. I have a meeting with Buck this afternoon. Any message you want me to relay? he said with a challenging smile."
Regina scowled at him, "Tell me he owes me a lifetime of coupons to make this up to me." Glancing at Robin, she amended, "Make that two lifetimes, Sherry's pie for a week, and if he's lucky, I'll still plan his sister's baby shower. I want groveling," she said with heat.
"Noted," Stan said. "Women," he sighed at Robin's strange look. "Anyway, get going. I've got enough work to keep me busy."
Stan ushered them out and closed the door before Regina could spout off any longer and before the obligation of hearing her threaten to skin him alive started. He didn't doubt for a second, she could intimidate him. He was secretly terrified of her.
ROBIN FOLLOWED BEHIND Regina into a carpeted hallway lined with offices, a conference room, two supply closets, and into a common area. It surprised him because it looked deceptively small from the road. As she spoke, he focused on details, names, schedules knowing she wouldn't repeat herself.
Her voice was sexy deep, she had an ass that won't quit, and legs that distracted him from focusing on where they were going. Out of the corner of his eye, he appreciated her body, admired her ability to mask her annoyance.
At the end of the hall she stopped and pointed, "This hallway holds our defense, business, and finance lawyers. There are six offices in total." Pausing, she motioned with her finger to each room. "We've got August Booth, Neal Cassidy, and Eloise Gardner on this side. On the right are Wil Scarlet, Moe French, and Tom Clark."
As they walked down the hall, he peeked into rooms if they were open. "Men's bathroom," she pointed out. Turning into another hallway, she stopped again. "Down here we have our Family, Tax, and Personal injury lawyers. One each. Family is Mary Margaret Blanchard, Tax is Albert Spencer, and Personal Injury is David Nolan."
"Bigger outfit than I thought," he said.
She spared him a glance and kept moving, "We've been well equipped to handle most cases. Apart from criminal attorneys, we're a one-stop-shop. If you need criminal attorneys, you can go down a few streets. I believe you're familiar with Sydney Glass and Victoria Belfrey ."
Wincing, he sighed, "That I am. That's where you're gonna help me stop making a fool of myself, right?" He had the satisfaction of seeing her eyes dart away when he grinned at her.
"You're cute, I'll give you that. But if you think your dimples are going to gain you points, you're wrong. I don't mind flattery when it's earned, and I don't mind flirtations when it's harmless. If you don't take this job seriously, I can easily see that your reputation will reflect it. Understood?"
He swallowed the lump in his throat as he trailed behind her and into a common room. "We take turns stocking the cabinets, buying coffee, and pastries. If you don't want your food eaten in the fridge, you'll want to write your name on it." She moved to the fridge and opened it. "Keep it clean."
Moving to the cabinets, she gestured to a schedule, "We'll add your name. When it's your week to stock, you'll clean it. Wash dishes, order supplies. We'll give you the order forms and tell you where to file them."
"Easy enough," he said. Internally, he was nervous, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of giving that away.
In the hallway again, he noticed she adjusted pictures on the wall when they were crooked, opened doors three or so inches, and straightened papers in holders. Anal, he guessed.
In a conference room, he marveled at the size of the room, the television, all the latest advances, he mused. "This room is my responsibility. Ours, I suppose." Her lips pursed and her eyes shot daggers at him. His gut twisted but he nodded and tried to look unaffected. "We meet clients, have briefings, and occasionally share this space. The cabinet is well stocked, when it isn't, you stock it. The order form is taped on the inside panel. At the end of the day, you lock it. I'll get you a key."
After they went in a complete square, he was led into an office. A woman with brown hair, blue eyes, and a sweet smile was busy spreading supplies out atop a desk. Regina scowled at the desk, "Gold's idea?"
"Yea, she said with pink cheeks. Hi, I'm Belle." She extended her hand.
He took it and shook, "Robin, a pleasure to meet you."
"I'll get out of your way," she said. Turning to Regina, she added, "Your two o'clock canceled."
Regina rolled her eyes, "I'll take care of it, thank you."
Alone again, he rested a hip on the desk. The oak desk was sturdy, varnished, and he smiled at the nameplate. "Fancy."
Regina sat at her desk and rested her elbows down, she pressed her fingers to her temples feeling the headache coming on. "Okay, um…" She looked around the room, the shelves, the filing cabinet trying to decide where to start. Settling on her current problem client, she decided it was the best way to get his feet wet.
"Pull up a chair," she suggested.
When he did, she pulled out a file and set it in front of him. "I'll have to go over the cases and figure out the best way to distribute. I apologize but I was blindsided this morning by the news that you'd be joining us. I'll need time to figure it out, but you can start here."
"He didn't tell you, did he?" He watched her eyes meet his, her lips press together.
"No, he didn't. I'll be honest, I'm not happy about it. I worked to get where I am, and I earned my reputation by focusing on the job. With all due respect, but you're a showman. You take risks that crash and burn half the time, your losing streak is plastered all over the news, and your sexual exploits seem to attract you, clients."
He felt an itch between his shoulders, his head dull, and his stomach knot. It wasn't the reputation he wanted and half of it wasn't true anyway. "Don't believe everything you read."
"Take this job seriously, and I won't. Until, I know what kind of lawyer you are, you'll have to earn your place. It's just the way I work." Gesturing to the file in front of him, "This case is my major headache and I'm pushing it on you. Client's name is Emma Swan. Swan is a single mother with a ten-year-old son. Being threatened to be sued half a dozen times by the landlord for non-payment of rent and utilities."
"What's her story?" he wondered.
"Her story isn't my concern, her failure to pay is. She's canceled most of her appointments, missed her last court date, and she's this close to being evicted. The landlord is suing for the last two months of rent. They have a mortgage in arrears and close to losing the property. My two o'clock, Belle mentioned."
He'd seen the annoyance, the anger under it, and the quick pitying look when she heard the news. It occurred to him that she wasn't as cold as Gold had made her out to be. She cared, he could see that she just hid it well.
"I see why they hired me now," he said sitting back. He crossed his legs and settled in knowing he'd enjoy this ran devious.
"Excuse me?" Defensive, he observed.
"Can I be candid?" he asked lightly.
Her brow creased, her eyes narrowed, "Alright."
"You're a damn good lawyer, Regina." She gaped at him. "You know how to get the job done, you even do it in record time, mostly. But you have a major problem keeping you from being great."
"Now, wait a minute…" He held up a hand to stop her.
"I'm not finished." Her eyes filled with anger, he fists clenched, and her back tensed. Hell, if it didn't arouse him how fierce she looked. "Your flaw, as it were, is that you don't connect with the client. You don't stop and think about the story. You dismiss it if it doesn't involve you. That makes you self-centered."
Her nostrils flared, her jaw clenched. "Is that so," she asked through her teeth?
"My reputation for a flirt, if you want to call it that, is slanted. I may enjoy teasing women sometimes, but mostly, it's the story I'm after. The reason for what situation they're in. I connect with social workers because I care about what happens to them. When I lose a case, it isn't a complete loss because they move on into another system. Into another form of help," he said.
Regina relaxed a little as she watched him. Her hands loosened, her jaw relaxed.
"I'll bet that the reason this woman, Emma Swan," he glanced at the folder, "is avoiding you because you don't understand her." He paused and watched her frown. "If you connect with her and find out her story, she'll be a much more willing and cooperative client. She won't cancel and maybe she'd be open to telling you her problems."
"I'm not a counselor," she said. "And I do care about what happens to her, despite what you think."
"Maybe," he said. "But you don't let her know that, and you might as well count it as a loss."
She leaned back and crossed her arms, "I didn't think about it like that," she admitted.
He smirked, "Start and you'll blow them out of the water. Now, my flaw, to put myself in the hot seat, is that I care too much. I get too involved and I end up embarrassing myself. I need focus, as Stan called it, and I need to learn some strategies to keep the boundary lines drawn."
"Boundaries," she laughed. "Do you have any?" she challenged.
It earned her a laugh, "I do. I blur them quite a bit, I'll admit. But when it counts, they stay drawn. Like I said, don't believe everything you read. You'll be surprised how much of that is bullshit."
"We'll see," she said. "Call her up and take her on. I'll attempt to connect, as you called it. We'll work it together. I'll work on diving the cases up, getting you set up. I expect quiet and focus, Locksley. I work a certain way and I want to keep it that way."
"I'll try and keep out of your hair," he said. When he stood and wheeled his chair behind the desk, he said, "but Regina?"
She raised her head to look at him, "My weakness for beautiful women might prove difficult to keep those boundaries drawn." His eyes were serious when they met hers and held.
"You don't stand a chance," she said.
"We'll see who's right," he cocked a brow at her and grinned. "This is gonna be fun," he said and sat. He opened the file and started reading.