Loyal Lawyer - Jeannine Colette Page 0,19
heads over to the driver’s side as I take in the high-tech interior.
As he buckles his seat belt, he grins in my direction. “So glad we set this up early. Seeing you again is the one thing that helped get me through the trial this week.”
I instantly blush again. He has a way of making me do that. He’s so sweet and honest. Those are rare traits, and I like it.
“I hope this doesn’t ruin the night, but did you win?”
He glances at me out the side of his eye. A devilish smirk crosses his face. “At the risk of sounding like an egomaniac … abso-fucking-lutely.”
I laugh out loud. “Good for you. Now, we have something to celebrate.”
He lifts my hand and kisses my knuckle. His warm mouth presses firmly to my skin, sending a wave of excited chills up my arm and straight down the front of my body. I might let out a tiny quiver that I can’t hide.
“I’d like that,” he says, releasing my hand and putting the car in drive.
A few minutes later, we pull up to the corner restaurant made of brick, and my mouth salivates. I’ve only heard of this place but never treated myself to a meal here.
I open my door, and Sebastian walks around the car to join me, instantly intertwining his fingers with mine as we head toward the entrance. I try to hide the way it affects me, but inside, I’m a twelve-year-old girl, holding hands with her crush.
The place is bustling with people at tables and lining the bar. Elegance drips from every corner, and I’m glad I chose this dress, as I feel like I fit in here perfectly even though I’m currently sleeping on a futon and living out of my office, which has been making me feel like a vagabond lately.
“Two for Blake,” Sebastian says as we approach the hostess station.
“Yes, Mr. Blake. We have your table ready. Right this way,” the hostess responds as she grabs two menus.
He motions for me to go first, and I follow her through the restaurant to a private table near the window.
I take my seat as Sebastian takes his, and the waitress hands us our menus. After we order some drinks, our conversation continues with ease. This time, I get to learn some more about him.
“Since my father was a surgeon, as a kid, I used to sit in his office after school and shadow him. He wanted me to follow in his footsteps badly.”
“Didn’t have the stomach for slicing and dicing?”
“Actually, I wanted to be an actor.” He takes a sip of his drink.
“Really? Are we talking Shakespearean plays, toothpaste commercials, or full-on Timothée Chalamet?”
“More like Michael B. Jordan action kind of stuff. That guy is an amazing actor and has the kind of career I would have wanted. He was the new Rocky after all.”
“Agreed. He’s also really hot.” I cheers and take a sip of my drink. “What made you give up on the acting dream?”
“I joined the debate team in high school for extra credit and found I was just as good with arguing in public as I was with reciting lines. In college, my mother encouraged me to take prelaw classes to see how I’d do. I figured they’d help me in the days when I starred on Law & Order.”
“Because every actor starts out with a role on Law & Order.”
“Exactly. I quickly learned that I really liked studying casework. I found it was easy to understand and challenging enough to make me want to get better. Conducting a deposition or giving an opening argument is very much like acting. You read from a script and put in the right amount of emotion to get your point across and be convincing. When you’re onstage, you should know how to improvise in case something goes wrong. Same with the courtroom. You have to have enough legal research in your brain to be able to spew it off the cuff to counter an argument. It’s challenging and fun, if you’re doing it right.”
“That’s an incredible way to compare the two.”
“Both crafts take late nights, rehearsals, and research. They’re just different disciplines.”
“And the pro bono work?”
“That’s a bonus. My mother taught me to be generous. To be a good man, you should help someone else in need even if that means having less for yourself.”
My teeth skim my lower lip as I take him in. Illegally handsome face, easy smile, and a personality that’s flawless. I