Sit with it for a bit and see how you feel in a week or two.I’m here if I can do anything to help.
The Smithson trial prep had been stalled by a possible breakthrough between the warring parties.Julian’s client, the husband, had agreed to a ten percent increase in alimony that would add an additional fifteen thousand dollars to the wife’s monthly payment.She’d been convinced throughout the process that he was hiding assets.He swore he wasn’t.Since she’d been unable to prove the accusation, she’d been willing to go to trial in the hope of forcing him to reveal hidden resources.
They were waiting to hear if Mrs.Smithson was going to accept what Mr.Smithson had called a final offer.
In the meantime, Julian and Jackson were ready for trial.
“I’m going to be out on Thursday afternoon,” Julian told Jackson.“I need you to cover a couple of meetings for me.”
“Your clients want you, not me.”
“I’ve told them you’re just as capable as I am, which you are.”
“That’s not the point.They’re paying for a partner, not an associate.If you want to stay off of Dad’s radar, you need to stop taking unscheduled time off.”
“I haven’t taken time off in years, Jack.Years.If I want to take a little time here and there, I can do that without feeling guilty.I’m still involved with the cases they’re paying me to handle and will continue to be.”
“Whatever you say, boss man.”
“If you’ve got a beef with me, why don’t you just say so?”
“I thought I just did.”
“You’re my associate, Jackson.That means you do what I ask you to do.I’m asking you to take two client meetings for me on Thursday afternoon, the way you would if I was sick or injured or otherwise unable to work.”
“You’re not sick or injured.You’re something else that makes no sense to any of us.”
“What I’m doing is a favor for a friend who just lost a loved one.I assume that falls under acceptable reasons to take time off.”
“Do what you’ve got to do, Jules.You don’t want to hear what we have to say about it.”
“What do you have to say?”
“The same things Carson and Griffin tried to say to you.The same things you didn’t want to hear.”
Julian went to grab his suit coat off the back of his chair and put it on, eager to get out of there after his day had run super late due to the situation with Rachel.He hoped Isla was still awake.“I’m glad you got a full report from them that’ll save us from having the same argument I already had with them.”
“What’re you doing with this woman, Jules?”
“I’m having a nice time with her.Is that illegal?”
“Why’re you being so defensive about it?I thought we had a deal… We’re supposed to avoid things like single mothers with little kids who just lost their husbands.”
“Her relationship with him was over a long time ago.”
“But hejustdied.If I was losing my mind over a woman in this situation, you’d be having a fit over it.”
“I appreciate the concern, Jack.I really do.But I’m okay.”
“Don’t stand there and act like you haven’t taken leave of your senses since you met her.Don’t disrespect me by lying to my face about being okay, because none of this is okay.”
“I’m not going to marry her.Don’t worry.”
“You say that now.”
“I say that forever.I’ll never get married.Nothing that matters has changed.Okay?”
“If you say so.”
