of amusement. “There are no letter grades assigned, only a number, and that number determines one’s entire future. I expect Cassandra will get a perfect score.”
Cassandra swallows, then finally takes a bite of her roast beef as an excuse to avoid the steel gaze she can feel on her cheeks.
“Regardless of whether or not you get a perfect score”—Uncle George flares his fingers in air quotes—"there’s an opportunity I’ve been meaning to propose to you.”
Cassandra looks up at him mid-chew, giving him her full attention.
“Are you still interested in getting into law?” he asks.
Uncle George is debatably the best prosecuting attorney in the state, which, for New York, is saying something. His firm handles several dozen high-profile cases at any given time, and he’s even made the newspapers a few times. When she was younger, her mother had taken her to watch one of his cases against a popular hip-hop artist, and Cassandra had been so impressed with how eloquently and stealthily he debated. He’d won the case, and she’s admired him ever since.
She’d always told herself that she could help her father’s business from a legal standpoint. She could defend him if the need ever arose—and it had a few times already.
“Yes, I think it would be a wonderful career path for me,” she says as she slices off another bite of juicy brown meat.
Uncle George chuckles. “Well, an internship position just opened in my office, and I would be delighted if you would take it.”
Cassandra can’t stop her lips from spreading in a wide smile, her chest ballooning with excitement.
“It won’t pay much, but it would look great on your college resume and give you valuable work experience for whatever path you decide to take.”
“That sounds great, Uncle George!” Her animated gaze darts from her uncle to her father, and like his eyes are lasers, the dark look on her father’s face bursts her bubble with an almost audible pop.
She instantly sobers.
“I’ll definitely think about it,” she says. “Not sure I’ll have time around track and my other extra-curriculars, so I’ll see what I can do.”
The wobbly curve to her uncle’s lips and the way his eyes falter down to his plate say that he caught on to whatever weirdness just passed between Cassandra and her father. She needs to change the subject.
“Have you heard from Aunt May?” she asks Uncle George. “Are she and Mom having a fun trip?” Her mom and aunt went on a cruise in Central America to celebrate her aunt’s fortieth birthday. Cassandra’s mom hasn’t responded to any texts, and Cassandra’s assumed that cell service is just out wherever they are.
“Oh yeah, she calls us every night,” Julia chimes in, her voice muffled by cheeks full of potatoes. “They got to climb a pyramid!”
Cassandra’s chest flattens with the sinking of her heart. Aunt May has called her family every night, but Cassandra’s mom can’t be bothered to answer a single text…
“That’s cool,” Cassandra says, lifting her cheeks in a hollow smile. “I’m glad they’re having a nice time.”
“You know, George,” her dad begins, and she looks up to see a pensive expression on his face. “I’m so glad you brought up the idea of an internship. I hadn’t thought of it before, but my office could definitely use one.”
Cassandra’s ears perk up as her heart trips in hopeful anticipation. Is he actually going to ask her to intern for him?
He turns his thoughtful, calculating eyes to her. “Cassandra.”
She holds her breath.
“The Pierces’ daughter, Brielle… Do you know if she has an afterschool job? I think she might be the perfect candidate.”
Cassandra’s hopes plummet faster and harder than a ten ton anchor. A fierce heat burns in her palms, and she has to grip the sides of her thighs like iron presses to hide the glow she’s sure is there.
“Brielle?” She doesn’t even try to cut the edge of disgust from her voice.
Her father knows full well who Brielle is, and how much she digs at Cassandra’s nerves. After the dinner with the Pierces, they’d discussed her new parental situation and their past experience with her, and Cassandra had taken every opportunity to cut her down.
How could he even be considering Brielle?
“Yes, she’s a sharp girl, Frank tells me,” he says casually, as if he can’t see the hurt and anger behind Cassandra’s eyes. “She might be just the person to help our firm thrive, especially now that her father is going to be a partner.”
Cassandra shakes her head. “You can’t be serious.” The