“So, what do you think? Do you think I have a case here?” Paul’s nasally voice pulled Jake back to the present moment, where a potential new client sat across from him in his office.
Unfortunately, Jake had not heard a single word the stoutolder man had said. Jake frowned, pretending to be deliberating. With a tanned hand, he smoothed down the red tie Marley had gifted him last Christmas.
Jake nodded as though a great idea had sprung to mind.
“You know what? Please send me an email with all the details you just provided so I can determine the next steps.” His offer was genuine, and it seemed to appease the old man.
“Yeah, okay, Jake. I seriously think we’ve got a case here.” His face flushed with excitement.
Jake schooled his expression, but internally, he grimaced. It was probably not a good idea to give Paul false hope if there was no case, but he’d have to figure it out later. Grabbing his business card, Jake leaned over his desk and extended it to Paul.
“Thanks for coming in. I’ll look out for your email.” Jake stood up, walked around his desk, and escorted Paul out of his office.
“Thank you, Jake. You’re a good man. Good man.”
Jake paused at the threshold of the doorway.
“Julie, can you take care of this young gentleman for me?” Jake nodded at his receptionist before turning to Paul and winking at him conspiratorially.
“Sure thing, Jake!” Julie turned her bright smile on their potential client.
Backing away, Jake turned to close his door when he spotted Marley lounging in the adjoining room. She was drawing in her notebook with her headphones on. He glanced at his watch and saw it was already late afternoon. School had finished maybe an hour ago. He hadn’t heard Marley come in, but he’d been so distracted today.
Her wavy hair covered most of her profile. She was so absorbed in her task she didn’t see him hovering. Jake recalled their earlier discussion and how he’d gotten roped in to helping her build the little free library as a bid to keep her out of trouble. Briefly, he wondered if it had been her plan all along, or if he was asucker for Marley’s innocent, but enthusiastic, endeavors. It was hard to say no to Marley when she set her mind on something.
A lightbulb clicked on—his answers were sitting right in front of him. Excitedly, he hurried over to Marley and knocked loudly on the doorframe to get her attention.
Startled, Marley glanced up from her doodling with a curious glance, eyebrows raised, and pushed her headphones off.
“What’s up?” Marley sat up and crossed her legs beneath her. Her notebook rested on her lap as she resumed her task.
“I need your help with something.”
Jake pointed to his office with his thumb and walked backward. Marley’s brow furrowed, but she climbed out of her seat and followed him to his office. Her curiosity outweighed her confusion.
Once inside, Jake shut the door behind Marley. She strode past him and settled into the chair directly across from his desk. Rather than go to his desk, he went to the matching armchair. The worn leather groaned beneath his weight as he settled in and interlaced his fingers on his lap to calm his nerves. It didn’t stop his right leg from bouncing. Unfolding his hands, he turned his anxious gaze to the teenager whom he knew he should not be involving in his less-than-honest agenda.
“Are you okay?” Marley asked, worry clear in her tone.
“Um, yeah, totally fine,” he croaked before clearing his throat. “Listen, I need your help with something.”
“Okay… What?”
“You remember Gia?”
At the mention of Gia’s name, Marley perked up in her seat.
“Yeah, what about her?” Marley’s eyes widened with excitement.
“So, I did something terrible before she left Willowbrook?—”
“What did you do?” Marley’s outraged shriek nearly shattered his eardrums.
“We were young and stupid.” Hands raised defensively, hecontinued, “I hurt her a lot in the past, and I want to make amends.”
“No wonder she hates you. Must have been really bad.” Marley crossed her arms defiantly across her chest. “What do you need me for?”
His heart twisted inside his chest. Marley’s defensiveness over someone she hardly knew made him feel like he was doing a good job raising her. She had a compassionate nature, and her willingness to protect a practical stranger from a potential threat was reassuring.
