She stood up and joined her barista behind the counter.“Anything in particular?”
Anything I’d ever eaten from here had tasted great, so I shook my head.“As long as it includes chocolate, I’ll eat it.”
I paid for my order, then waited off to the side so they could serve the next customer.It was busy, but then again, I’d never been there when it wasn’t.
The only other café I’d go to was Sweet Dreams, but that was in Humptulips, which was the next town over.Unless I wanted to make the drive, I’d stick to our local one, The Cookie Jar.
“Mae Porter?”
I looked up at the unfamiliar voice, my ever-present smile on my face.
“Yes?”
The stranger held up a stark white envelope.“You’ve been served.”
Gritting my teeth to keep my smile firmly in place, I automatically accepted the envelope.
The guy left without another word, and I eyed what was now in my hand with distrust.Who would be suing me?I had no money, no assets.
“Mae, your order’s ready.”
Moving the envelope so it was tucked underneath my arm, I accepted the tray filled with drinks and a paper bag from the barista.“Thanks, Mariola.”
I walked back to the office, and as soon as I was through the doors, my friends and current bosses, Keely and Malena, rushed up to me.
“Coffee, thank God,” Keely exclaimed, divesting me of my paper tray and setting it down on the reception desk before taking her cup.“My coffee machine at home broke, and I was running late, so I didn’t have time to get one on the way here.”
Malena took a big sip from her own cup.“The only decaf worth drinking is from The Cookie Jar.”
Keely made a face at the mention of decaf.“Shouldn’t have gotten knocked up and you’d be able to drink the real thing.”
Malena stuck her tongue out, then turned to me.“I have to go to court next week.You okay here on your own if I take Riley with me?”
I was technically employed as their receptionist but did everything from preparing files and answering phones.This job had been a lifesaver, and I loved working with my friends.They’d also employed an assistant, Riley, who was from Malena’s old firm, and she usually went to court with them when needed.Since they were so busy, someone had to be at the office all the time, which was lucky for me, since it meant they asked me if I could help out.
I might not have finished college, but I had no problem answering phones and filing documents.And since I’d always been a quick learner, we’d all found a great rhythm that meant things ran smoothly.I’d also started taking classes to become a paralegal.
Sitting down behind the reception desk, I dropped the envelope on it.“No problem at all.But I have to leave early on Wednesday.”
Single parenting meant I had nobody to lean on when the kids had appointments.My parents were gone, and I couldn’t keep asking my friends for help.Cockalorum barely saw his kids, so asking him to take over was out of the question.And the less I talked to him, the better.
A hand landed on my shoulder, giving me a comforting squeeze.“Hey, you doing okay?Is butt face giving you a hard time again?”Malena was standing next to me, concerned frown on her face.“Have you made an appointment with Rick yet?”
“As for you-know-who, I haven’t heard from him in weeks.”I eyed the envelope and decided to get it over with.“As for your friend, I called their office, and Rick is booked up, so I’m meeting with someone named Vance Moore in two weeks.”
“Vance?That’s even better.He and Rick own the law firm, and they’re both great lawyers.We all used to be friends in college.”
I slid open the envelope and read over the first page, my jaw dropping.Malena let out an indignant squeak, having read what I had since she’d been looking over my shoulder.“What the ever-loving fudgsicle?He wants full custody?After not speaking to his kids once since he moved out?The balls on this guy.”
She pulled out her cell phone and angrily stabbed the screen.Holding it to her ear a second later, she paced the expanse of the small reception area.
“Hi.Yes, I need to speak to Vance Moore.It’s Malena Cortez.”She listened to what the other person was saying, then stopped in her tracks.“No, this can’t wait.Put him on.Tell him it’s an emergency.”
She huffed under her breath, continuing her angry stomping.“Vance.Hey, it’s Malena.Long time, no speak.How have you been?”She paused to listen to whatever Vance was saying.“I know, we really need to catch up.But listen, the reason I’m calling is because a friend of mine made an appointment with you.It’s in two weeks, but she got served divorce papers this morning, so is there any chance you can fit her in earlier?”
Keely had joined me behind the desk, and we were both watching our friend, our heads going back and forth as she paced.
She stopped again, this time with a relieved sigh.“Ten tomorrow is great.Thanks so much.And we’ll organize a catch-up soon.”
