Page 92 of The Rules Of Attraction
Chapter 16
Alex
* * *
There was a knock at my door different to the little taps Summer would give it so I knew it wasn’t her.
Disappointment filled me. I hadn’t seen her properly last night because I got home late. Her lights were out so I figured she’d gone to bed.
Preston came in before I could answer.
“What’d you want?” I asked straight away. I wasn’t in the mood for his shit today. It wasn’t often that he came to see me at work. And, he didn’t come unless if he wanted something.
“I need to talk to you.” He replied, walking up to my desk. He stopped in front and sat on the edge.
I leaned back in my chair and focused on him.
“What for?”
“Are you busy?”
“Always.”
“Do you need help with Devon’s case?” His eyes wandered over the desk looking at the stacks of paper.
It was strange for him to ask me if I wanted help. “No.”
“You sure?” He raised a dark brow.
“Why’d you think I need help, Preston?”
He probably came to see how far I’d gotten in my research and hoped that I would mess up.
“Just checking, little bro. Maybe I want to make sure you’re taking this case seriously.” He gave me a look of concern now that caught my attention. “Maybe I just want to make sure that in a few months I’ll be welcoming my brother to the senior partnership instead of Johnson.” Something sincere flashed in his deep blue eyes.
“I’m working hard, Preston. Should be a straightforward case.”
“Dad’s being serious you know.” He nodded. “I saw him in the meeting room with Johnson yesterday. I asked him what they were talking about and he said it was the partnership. He wants to be ready in case you don’t make it.”
Disappointment gripped me. I wanted to act like hearing all that didn’t bother me but it did.
“Wow. I feel so encouraged right now.” My pulse raced. This wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Definitely not because I’d tried hard over the last two weeks to get my head around this case.
“I wanted to talk to you last night but you rushed off. He’s just preparing, Alex. He wants to retire and know that the firm is in good hands” Preston smiled.
“You think he’s going to pick him, don’t you.” I inferred.
“I think you should try not to mess up.”
“I don’t trust Devon, Preston.”
“Neither do I,” he revealed. “There is something not quite right about him that I’ve never been able to place my finger on. Which is why if you need help you got it. Just ask me.”
I appreciated hearing that. Seeing we were on the same page of suspicion, I decided to test his thoughts on my fears.
“Preston. Devon doesn’t want the case going to court. He seemed very adamant about it, and I don’t see that not happening.”
“If you don’t think you can settle don’t bother with the settlement meeting, just move to get a date set for court.”
