Falling for the Lawyer - By Anna Clifton Page 0,23

of speech.

“You must have considered this,” he prompted, wondering whether she would ever contribute to the discussion.

Alex shook her head in dumb response.

“You haven’t?”

“Not in such detail … the move to a paralegal position … none of that.”

“How can that be possible? You have raw instincts for the law and there’s no doubt you have the academic ability. Most importantly though the work you’ve done here tells me you’re just downright passionate about it. You couldn’t have applied yourself and acquired the knowledge you have without having done extensive reading. Is that right, Alex? Have you been teaching yourself law in your own time?”

“Not teaching myself exactly, but I read our Counsels’ advices, and I read books from the library here so that I understand the work I’m doing. But I’ve been happy working as a PA. I can’t become a lawyer JP, not now.”

JP rose to his feet and wandered over to the window, keeping his back to her. He needed to have her out of his line of vision to collect his thoughts for a minute.

The conversation was not turning out the way he’d expected because he’d expected her to leap at the fabulous opportunity he was offering her. In fact, who was he kidding? He’d been looking forward to telling her—looking forward to making her happy.

“I had no idea you’d resist this,” he began again in disbelief as he swung around to her. “You don’t seem to understand. I’ve spoken to my partners about it. Every year the firm offers one paralegal a generous grant towards university costs. You’d have to write a four thousand word essay on ethics but that won’t be a problem for you. You’ll blitz it, Alex.”

“Thank you, but I can’t accept,” Alex replied, a flat but determined edge to her voice.

Sensing she was in the process of erecting a brick wall between them JP dragged a chair near her and sat down.

“Okay Alex. I’m being frozen out here but I need to know what’s going on in that head of yours.” He was straining to keep his voice from rising in frustration.

“You’ve made me an offer and I’ve declined,” she shrugged. “So I guess that means my position as an Assistant PA has disappeared.”

“This has got nothing to do with getting rid of your position,” JP replied angrily. She was definitely shutting him out and he had to stop that happening before she slipped out of his reach altogether.

“Even if the offer hasn’t got anything to do with the PA position,” she went on in a businesslike monotone. “I know you’re policy on PAs so we may as well sort that problem out right now. Today’s demonstrated there’s no shared role here for Vera and me.”

“You’re right about that. I don’t need two PAs but I do need a paralegal and you’re the best candidate.”

“I’m sure there are other PAs who’d jump at the chance.”

“I don’t want anyone else!” JP almost shouted. He rose to his feet again and began to pace the room, shocked at the passion behind his last outburst. “Why don’t you want to become a lawyer?” he asked, trying to steady his voice and break down her obduracy with a technique he was comfortable with: cross-examination.

“That’s a silly question. Why don’t you want to become a hairdresser … or a vet … or a mechanic?”

But JP heard the tiniest of wobbles in her voice. He had to keep prising her open before she clammed up again.

“Don’t be obtuse, Alex,” he replied slightly more calmly than before as he threw himself onto a chair near hers. “Is it the study you’re worried about?”

Alex shook her head.

“Is it the balance of the fees you’ll have to pay? You’ll be on an increased salary as a paralegal you know. It will cover things. And it doesn’t mean you’re bound to the firm—there’s no pay back if you decide to leave.”

“No, it’s not any of those things!” Alex almost cried out and he knew he’d nearly cracked her open, the strain visible around her eyes.

“Is it the long hours, or the difficulty of the work? I can help you with that …”

“I’m engaged!”

Silence descended upon them both like a blanket.

During his years at university a lecturer had once passed on to JP the age-old legal adage: never ask a question in cross-examination when you don’t have a damn good idea of what the answer will be. He knew he’d just fallen seriously foul of that rule for the first time in his