Her brother interrupts. “Several years ago?”
“Yes, in high school,” she further explains.
“Oh, now that I’ve seen you and my sister in the same room, I’m wondering. Are you the mysterious stranger from the hood who beat up the ball player on Franklin’s campus in broad daylight?”
“What are you talking about?” Judge Hill chimes back in. “What does that have to do with Juliette?”
“I amthatkid from the hood,” I say matter of factly. “And that ball player everybody was so worried about disrespected your sister.”
I don’t want to get in details about that day, because I have no idea what Juliette has shared with her family, but I’m not going to allow her brother to drag my name in this like I did something wrong. I did everything right that day. That asshole deserved an ass whipping.
“You’re volatile and unpredictable,” he says.
“That was also a long time ago. I would handle things today with a level of maturity that I didn’t have back then.”
Nah, I’m lying. I’d still kick his ass.
“Can I speak with you for a moment, Jules?”
The brother summons Juliette, exits the room with her, and closes the door behind them. I can only imagine what he’s saying to her, but right now I have to deal with the rest of the people in the room.
“So, Joe–”
“Please call me Joseph, Mr. Hill. Very few people are permitted to call me Joe.”
Juliette’s father adjusts himself uncomfortably in his chair. I assume that not many people talk to him so directly.
“Joseph then…I’ll just be blunt about this. What business do you have with my daughter?”
“Nobusinessat all–we’re friends.”
“Friends?”
“Yes.”
Jack looks at me like as though he’d wish we were having a conversation about anything other than Hill’s daughter, but he doesn’t say a word. He may be my employer, but we share a mutual respect for each other.
“I appreciate whatever you did for her when she was in high school, Joseph, but I’d rather you two not remain…so friendly.”
“Why is that, Mr. Hill? I have nothing but great respect and admiration for your daughter.”
“I’m just not comfortable mixing business and pleasure. It’s a conflict of interest.”
“If we’re really going to be technical about this–” I start to say until Jack clears his throat to interrupt me. It’s his classic signal for me to shut up, but I’m not listening this time.
This time I have Juliette all over and inside of my mouth, which has awakened a hunger in me that I didn’t know existed.
I don’t deserve her but fuck it.
She’s worth it.
She is worth fighting for.
“If we’re going to be technical about this, you shouldn’t even be in this room, Mr. Hill. You’re a judge, not just a father. Your relationship with your boys and your job on the bench are what’s in direct conflict here not whatever friendship I may or may not have with your daughter.”
The old man stands up.
“She ismyonly daughter.”
