“I’m in need of someone who specialises in commercial litigation. Hence I’m unable to people properly today.”
I rummaged around in my purse for a card. He shifted and picked up my basket of books. “Here,” I said. “I’m good at what I do if you do need someone.”
He accepted it, the basket looking like it weighed the same as a bag of popcorn in his hand. “Thank you, Payton. I’ll take these to the till over there. I’ll make sure everything’s discounted—just add any more to it that you want.”
I fought the urge to touch the stubble thing he had going on and find out if it was soft or rough. “I appreciate that. I’ll make sure I tag you in the photo when I Instagram them later.”
His mouth cracked out into a broad smile. “The publicity never hurts.” Then his eyes caught mine and I took a step back.
“I best get moving. My sister is waiting for me in the bar.”
He nodded. “Your phone. It seems to have survived the fall.”
I took my phone and inspected the screen: not a single crack. “That’s one bonus,” I said. “I think that would’ve been my third screen this year.” I was notorious for dropping it when I became distracted.
“Maybe you should get a camera.” His own phone started to ring. “Excuse me, I know who this is. I’ll leave these at the till.”
I watched him walk away, jeans well-fitted enough to show off the arse underneath as well as strong muscular legs. He was clearly an attractive man. Just a shame he was yet another tosser.
Chapter Two
Owen
It wasthe worst of times. Forget the other part of Dickens’ prose when it was also the best of times; the best of times had been sacrificially slaughtered on receipt of the letter I’d had in the post on Friday. This was just after I’d managed to get home from sorting some sort of staffing disaster at the Westminster store. My bad mood had lingered, a little like the stench of the Thames on a really hot day, and unfortunately the person who had just received the worst part of that stench happened to be some hot shot lawyer who I massively insulted. And she also happened to be as sexy as hell, which wasn’t something I needed to notice right now.
When I’d managed to calm down my mother, who happened to be on the other end of that phone call, I’d done a quick internet search on one Payton Callaghan and found both the answer to my prayers and my worst nightmare.
I needed a lawyer and fast. I needed a good lawyer too, and she would certainly tick that box. However, if I was to get her on side, I’d have to do more than apologise and give her a fat discount on some books.
“You know, Owen. I could try to reason with him,” my mother, Dot, said, sitting with her feet up on the small window seat in my office, clutching a mug of coffee, one I suspected was laced with whisky.
I tapped my pen against the desk. “I don’t think reasoning with him is going to work. He wants me to buy him out, but the price he’s suggesting is…”
“Extortion,” she finished my sentence. “He’s doing it on purpose. This isn’t to do with the business. It’s about me.”
I’d figured as much. When I’d started Cases five years ago, my mum’s boyfriend, Dave, had gone into business with me as a silent partner in my first store. It had been a success from the word go and his shares made him a tidy profit, without him actually having to do any work. He was fairly successful songwriter and musician on the side to being a bit of an entrepreneur; he and my mum had met at one of his gigs and had enjoyed a peaceful and happy relationship up until about four months ago, when my mother suddenly ended it, saying he’d ‘changed’.
A mid-life crisis was my suspicion but I’d stayed silent in the hope that they’d work it out. So far, they hadn’t and now it seemed he wanted to make their ending more permanent.
“It doesn’t matter what it’s about, I need to take legal advice because ignoring it won’t make it go away.” I had the funds to buy him out, but what he was asking for was ridiculous and I’d be a fool to pay it.
“Tim will be able to advise you…”
“Tim’s acting for Dave. He can’t represent me as well,” I said to her. Tim was the lawyer I usually used; however, Dave had commandeered him first. “I think I’ve found someone though.”
“You know someone?”
“They kind of walked into me today.”
My mother eyeballed me. “That doesn’t sound very professional.”
“I wasn’t. I insulted her and insinuated she didn’t know what a book was until she told me she was a lawyer who specialised in business. This is her,” I said, spinning my monitor around so my mother could read Payton’s bio.
“Callaghan Green. I’ve heard of that firm. They’re very reputable. Do you think she’ll take the case? Especially if you’ve been your usual charmless self,” she said, that eyeball becoming hairier.
I groaned and sank back in my chair. “She’s a business woman. She’ll take the case because she’ll be getting a fee from it, that’s if she has time.”
“What exactly did you do?”
