Garrett appreciated the reprieve. He took another breath.
Come on. It wasn’t that bad.
Except it changed the path of his life.
He swallowed. “My dad wanted one of us to follow in his footsteps. Flynn was in medical school, making our mom proud, and I was happy to apply to law school, knowing my career would be set working for the firm where he was a partner.”
She tilted her head but didn’t look his way. “Didn’t you work for the DA’s office?”
“I did after I graduated and passed the bar. This was before.”
“Okay, but that’s a completely different career path and income level.”
Garrett blew out a breath. “You’re not wrong.”
“What changed?”
A perfectly valid question and the point of his story. “I made a mistake during that summer internship. Something that could have cost my dad’s firm a lot, including their reputation.”
Taryn gripped the steering wheel. “You were just an intern.”
“But I should have known better.” The words flew out. It was his standard reply. “I was a founder’s son. I believed I knew what I was doing. It was a perfect example of hubris, and I’m sure I’m still used as an example for interns today. Not by name.”
“What happened?”
“I was in preparing documents for the court. But I’d messed up, and some things slipped through. Thankfully, a senior attorney caught the mistake, even though I’d told him it wasn’t necessary. If he hadn’t thought to check…” Garrett scrubbed his face. “He submitted corrected paperwork. But the mistake was all on me. The next summer, I didn’t return.”
“Was it your choice?”
This was the part that sucked. “No, it was my dad’s.”
“Oh, Garrett.” She touched his hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” His throat hurt, but that was nothing new when he thought about this, which wasn’t as often these days. “As a founding partner, my dad didn’t want any sign of nepotism. He suggested I find a different internship the next summer. To gain a broader experience were his exact words. What he meant was stop riding his coattails and prove myself, so I did.”
“Did you apply to his firm after you graduated?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I still felt as if I needed to redeem myself, so I didn’t send in my résumé. It was the right decision because my dad never told me to apply or asked my plans.”
“That had to hurt after what you thought would happen.”
He shrugged. That was a long time ago, but the sting remained. “I took a job at the district attorney’s office. It was hard work, but I learned so much. After a few years, I struck out on my own. I did well enough my reputation grew. A top firm came calling, and I said yes. That’s when higher-profile cases started coming my way.”
“And here you are today, a partner in another firm. Which I’m guessing is what you wanted at your dad’s firm.”
Garrett sat taller. “Pretty much.”
“So modest.”
“No, attorneys are some of the most arrogant people you’ll meet, including me.”
She laughed. “Arrogant or not, you proved yourself.”
He half laughed. “I did. The mistake I made as an intern made me a better attorney, a more paranoid one, and wealthier than I’d be if I’d taken that original path. Between you and me, I make more than my dad does.”
