Page 61 of Legally Mated
I nodded again. “Will that be aproblem?”
Holland sighed. “It’s like trying to keep a pup out of the cookie jar,isn’tit?”
“I know what I want, Holland. Really, I do. This is what I’mgoodat.”
“I didn’t say you had to stop being a lawyer.” He glanced around the room with its battered walls. “I can’t wait to see this turned intosomethingelse.”
“What do you have planned?” I asked, curious. I didn’t really know what was going on inhishead.
“Apartments, I think. Maybe two bedrooms each? I don’t know—when I was a young omega, the idea of living on my own was tempting, but I think I would have been too afraid. We’re never alone when we’re young,” he mused. “It might be nice for them to havecompany.”
“I imagine it would,” I agreed. “Holland, what if he came here to see me? That wouldn’t put me anywhere that I’d beatrisk.”
“Laine?” Holland twisted his body to face me. “You’re not well enough for anythingphysicalyet.”
I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. “It’s not justaboutthat.”
“No, I guess it isn’t.” He regarded me soberly. “I don’t plan to keep you apartforever.”
“But it’s a complication you don’t need,” I said, finishing his sentenceforhim.
“It is,” he said gravely and stood up. “I just wanted to see how you were feeling after your first big day out of bed. You seem fine. Let me know how you get along with the contracts, I’ll be home all evening if you want to or need to popupstairs.”
“Iwill.”
I watched Holland walk out through the door and realized how tired he looked, and a stab of guilt poked me, as painful as the bullet had been, but in a different way. And reminded myself again that I was older than him, and maybe I needed to grow the fuck up and work with the system. Maybe part of the problem was that he didn’t have enough brain space left over after dealing with the pack business to dealwithmine.
I sighed and tried a corner of my dessert and discovered it was blackberry and raspberry mixed together with apple. Usually one of my favorites, but my appetite had deserted me now. Maybe I’d save it for later and get to work on those contracts. If I could lighten Quin’s and Holland’s loads, it stood to reason that they’d have more time and energy to turn on my issues. And I believed Holland when he said I could have Laine once it was safe. I just had to figure out how to makethatwork.
Chapter50
Just over a month later,Laine had everything heneeded.
He stopped in at the university, memory like double-vision as he walked the campus. He’d gone to Harvard, but there was something about law schools, some overlay of grandeur and solemnity that seemed to be common to them all. He’d picked his time with care. The students would mostly be in class at this time of day, or panicking as they prepared for midterms or on-campus interviews for next year’s summer jobs, but he’d done his research and Balding would be in, getting ready for the afternoon’sclass.
Laine had made an appointment, under the guise of asking about a former student. He didn’t saywhichone.
The front of the building was all smooth stone, shiny and sleek. Inside the building was the same, and he found himself judging it for not carrying the same weight of history initsbone.
Reception staff directed him up to the third floor, where the faculty members had their offices. He poked his nose into the model courtroom out of curiosity--Garrick would have laughed at him if he'd seen--then carried on down the hallway, looking for Balding's name, the envelope with its damning evidence riding hot and heavy in the inside pocket of hissuitcoat.
There.Laine checked his watch.Right on time.He knocked on the door. The dry sound of shuffling papers crept through the gaps between it and the frame and he heard Balding say, “Comein.”
Laine opened the door, covering his intentions with a mild smile and the friendly demeanor that still somehow managed to lull opposing witnesses into a sense of ‘us against the world’, despite years of him getting away with it. “Professor Balding,” he said in his most genial tone. “Thank you for seeing me. I know you must be busy at this point in thesemester.”
Balding got up from his chair behind the desk and held out a hand to shake Laine’s. “I have to admit, I’m surprised to see a Harvard boy here. Have a seat. What can I doforyou?”
Laine pulled the polished wooden chair out from the desk and sat. The paper in his pocket crinkled reassuringly, and his plan laid itself out in front of him, step by step, each one with a backup plan of its own. “I wanted to talk to you about a former student ofyours.”
“Oh? One you’re thinking abouthiring?”
One I’m thinking about marrying.“Yes. Do you remember a Garrick MercyHills?”
Balding chuckled. “If he’s telling you he’s licensed, he’s lying. I can’t recommend himtoyou.”
Laine waved a casual hand. “I’m not worried about the licensing, I’ll handle that. Why can’t yourecommendhim?”
Balding laughed again, but this time, there was a hint of strain in it. “Well, you’re not from around here, so maybe you don’t realize what his last namemeans?”
