“Not right now.”
“Cole, it’s–”
“Don’t.”
“Erm,” Mum said. “Call me if you need anything, Oakley. Jasper, you can come and help me at the supermarket.”
“What?” Jasper said as if Mum had asked him to follow her into battle.
Mum ushered him out of the room.
“Ah, you’re giving them time alone,” he said, finally catching up.
“Mum and Jasper offered to come with me,” I said to Cole once they’d left.
“You don’t want them to, but you’re not going to tell me to stay behind.”
He was cocky, confident, and one hundred precent correct.
I opened my mouth, but no argument came out.
“I’m taking you. I’ll wait outside if you want me to, but I’m going. If I have to, I’ll just stalk you there. Please don’t make me stalk you.”
“Creep.”
“Shut up and get in the car.” He tried to sound stern, but a little smile let him down.
“Fine.”
I called goodbye to Mum and Jasper as we headed out, notstopping to chat. The sky was clouded over but it didn’t look like it would rain. Still, it wouldn’t be that warm today.
Cole and I got in his car. We drove in silence, and I was fairly relaxed considering what I was about to be discussing. However, as we pulled up outside Linda’s office, my stomach rolled with waves of nausea.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Cole said, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. “I know you can do this, but if you want me to come in, I will.”
“Thanks. I need you.” I licked my dry lips and caught him looking. This meeting was only about what would happen during the trials. I wasn’t actually going to see my father or Frank in my lawyer’s office. I was being stupid. “Okay, let’s just get this over with.”
I got out and followed Cole inside, wanting him to hold me. Her building was shiny without being flashy. Lots of glass but a big oak reception desk that softened the appearance.
Linda stood by a cabinet, sliding blue files into a wooden tray. She looked up and gave me a warm smile that was instantly reassuring.
“Oakley, hello. Come on through.”
She was a petite lady with prematurely greying long hair. She looked more like a teacher than a lawyer, but her looks wereverydeceiving. The woman was a shark in court.
“Thank you.” I looked up to Cole, biting on my lip as panic buzzed through my bloodstream. “Come in with me, yeah?”
He took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “Of course.”
Linda took us to her office. It was cosy. Comfortable chairs and a large desk. Photos and plants made it look homely. A reed diffuser sat on a shelf, pouring the aroma of fresh linen around the room.
Cole and I sat opposite Linda, but I didn’t feel like I was about to be scolded by the principal.
I swallowed down what felt like sand, trying to wet my bone-dry throat. I was only here to talk about what was going to happen when the trial started.
We were touching base now that I was here in person. That was it.
Cole rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand, sensing that I was about to pass out. “Breathe,” he whispered.
