Falling For The Lawyer Page 10

  “The point is that if we can’t keep a formal distance from one another then I’ll have to go. If you’ve got to get rid of a PA then I understand it has to be me. Don’t put this paralegal thing in place just to fix the surplus staff problem you have.”

  “That’s not what it’s about. Do you think I’d cook that up at the expense of my own firm, just to soothe my guilt about getting rid of a PA? You’ve got the makings of a great lawyer Alex, and that’s the bottom line.”

  “If I asked for a transfer to another partner but still wanted to take up the paralegal grant would you agree to that?”

  He looked at Alex as he pondered her question. “I wouldn’t be happy about it,” he admitted finally.

  “You see?” she declared in triumph.

  “I need a paralegal, I want you in that role and I don’t apologise for it. And if something else is happening between us at a personal level then maybe you should be asking yourself why.”

  “Don’t say things like that.”

  “You mean the truth?”

  “You just don’t seem to get it. I’m going to be married soon.”

  JP scoffed. “You can’t marry Simon. Even if I knew we were never going to meet again after tonight I’d still say that to you. Why do you think I went into your parents’ house tonight? I saw Simon go in. I guessed who it was and I had to see for myself. You’ll be a trophy wife, Alex. That’s what he wants.”

  “No, that’s not true.”

  “It is true. I understand men like Simon better than you think. He’ll cherish you as a wife, sure, but only if you do whatever suits his self-image as the head of the household. You can bet your life that’s not going to include anything more than family commitments for you.”

  “But there’s nothing wrong with family commitments!”

  “I know that!” JP blurted in exasperation. “But you won’t have a choice. I understand your background is very different to mine but that won’t stop you withering in a marriage where you get no say in deciding anything for yourself. You’ve got to tell Simon what you really want and if you’re content with how he reacts you’ll know what to do. And if you do choose him I’ll never raise these issues again.”

  JP knew he was pouring forth in a tirade but he couldn’t help it. Alex would never guess the tirade had as much to do with his own mother as it did with her.

  “This is not about choosing Simon or you. This has nothing to do with you!” The anguished cadence in her voice hung in the air as silence descended between them. “Don’t you see JP? The way you pre-empted what I wanted tonight, announcing to everyone I might be joining the paralegal program—you, Simon, my father—all making plans for me!”

  “Then tell us what you want Alex—tell all of us.”

  “I will. And you’ll see you’re wrong about everything. This is my problem, not Simon’s. I should have spoken up earlier about what I wanted to do with my life. How can he support my choices when he doesn’t know what’s going on in my head?”

  “Well I sincerely hope he’ll be supportive but forgive me if I don’t crack open the champagne just yet.”

  “You see? You’re doing it again.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Declaring how things are going to be before I’ve had a chance to find my own way. You’re so critical of Simon but don’t you see that you’re exactly like him? Do you have any idea how discouraging it is if those you love hand down the blueprints for your life before you’ve had a chance to work out what you want yourself?”

  “Is that what you think I’m doing?” JP asked in disbelief but at the same time wondering whether including him as someone she loved had been an error or a truthful slip. “You think I’m forcing you in a certain direction?”

  “Of course you are. Even though we’ve only just met I feel as though I’m being pulled apart in a tug of war. You’re just as determined as Simon that I do things your way.”

  JP sat back in his seat and stared out through the windscreen. Was she right? Was he no better than Simon? Was he browbeating her into submission just like everyone else in her life—just like his own father had bullied his own mother into a never-ending torpor of unhappiness and submission?

  Taking a deep breath he let it go slowly. He had to pull back for he was beginning to care about Alex, more than he dared to admit. But if he cared about her he had to give her the space she needed to find her own way, otherwise she’d end up resenting him as just another browbeater in her life.

  After a minute he turned to her again. “Is that what you want, Alex? You want me to back off from you and your life, in every way?”

  She nodded.

  He pressed his lips together in a hard grimace. He was worried that by backing off he might lose her. But the alternative, forcing his way into her life and trying to run it for her was no longer an option if he wanted her to become a part of his life. And that was precisely what he did want.

  He’d been prepared to back off from her when she’d told him about the engagement, but his time with Simon and her family that night had given him a clear view of what lay in store for her, and he didn’t like it. He hadn’t quite gotten to the bottom of whatever was going on between Simon and Alex’s cousin but what he did know was that Alex was headed straight for the ornamental mantelpiece in her fiancé’s life.

  He would have to tread carefully though. He knew what his own temperament could be: demanding, impatient, willful. It would take every ounce of his self-control to give Alex the space she needed so that she didn’t dematerialise before him and disappear out of his life forever. She was that fragile.

  “Okay then Alex, if that’s what you really want,” he replied, his mouth taut with determination. “Although you and I may both live to regret this decision.”

  “It is what I want.”

  “Then I’ll be the model of formal propriety from now on,” he confirmed wryly. “And I’ll have to get my head around it by next Monday because we’re going to be working closely together.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means I have a client coming down from Queensland to give me a statement. I’ll need you with me from ten in the morning until late, maybe after midnight. No, don’t start arguing with me until I’ve finished. That call I received tonight, just before I arrived at your parents’ door, it was from that client. He’s developing a resort up north and wants me to commence proceedings against his builder. I need you to come with me to his hotel so that you can type his statement up as we go. We’ll only have one day to get it right as he’s leaving on Tuesday.”

  “But why can’t he come to the office?”

  “Because contrary to my instructions he shipped fifteen boxes of files to the hotel instead of my office. Now that they’re there I’m not going to risk any going missing during another move. Between you and me Alex, this guy’s as slippery as an eel and I wouldn’t put it past him to lose a few reams of paper if it suited his case.”

  “But can’t Vera …?”

  JP was already shaking his head. “I’m sorry, if you think I’m taking Vera you can forget it. She’s not up to this job, you are.”

  Alex wrung her hands together in fidget-ridden torment. “It’s not the late night, or the hours …” she began to explain.

  “I know. It’s the two of us together but you don’t need to worry Alex, I’ll treat you the way I treat any other PA in the firm—just as you want.”

  Chapter Seven

  When Sophie was made Acting Head of HR her brother had given her an illustrated coffee table book featuring the best excuses to give your boss when taking a sickie. When Alex visited Sophie’s house she’d occasionally flick through its pages and some of the more creative excuses were still clear in her mind.

  ‘My dog is having a nervous breakdown’ was one of Alex’s favourites, as was ‘My toe is stuck in a bath tap.’ There were quite a few others coming to Alex’s mind too as she travelled to work that morning. Unfortunately, she was positive that none
of them would satisfy JP were she to ring in sick that day, despite their creative flair. But it wasn’t until she sat down at her desk at eight-thirty, her mobile phone ringing like crazy in the depths of her handbag, that she finally accepted that her mental quest to find a way out of an entire day sitting next to JP had failed.

  “Hi Hun!” Simon piped up cheerfully on the other end of her phone when Alex finally answered it. “Can you get away for an hour by any chance? I’m in the city now. “

  Alex hesitated. Normally she wouldn’t leave the office for no good reason but she was going to be working very late and so agreed immediately. Somehow, she’d clear it with JP and it would give her an opportunity to spend some desperately needed private time with Simon.

  Despite spending most of the weekend together at his family’s house things were still strained between them. Time and time again she’d tried to begin a conversation to clear the air after JP’s interference at her parents’ home. She was also desperate to raise the subject of her working and studying for the next few years rather than starting their family straight away but an opportunity never seemed to come up. In fact, Alex wondered at times whether Simon was intentionally avoiding being alone with her so that he could also avoid discussing the sensitive topics JP had raised.

  “Yes, I’m sure I can get away. That’ll be fine,” she replied. “Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise. I’ll pick you up outside your building in ten minutes and have you back in the city by ten.”

  “Are you sure you can’t give me a hint about where we’re going?”

  “No, so don’t ask. See you soon.” With that he rang off without giving Alex any further chance to protest.

  Feeling oddly unsettled about what lay in store for her that morning she wandered distractedly into JP’s office. He was poring over papers at his desk but his blue eyes soon began a slow but detached elevation across every square inch of her body before resting finally upon her face.

  “New dress?”

  “Yes. My friend Sophie helped me choose it. In fact, who am I kidding? She did choose it.” Alex could hear the babble in her voice as she ran a hand nervously over the cool lycra of the navy blue dress that fitted her like a glove before adding, “I’m not much good at that sort of thing.”

  “Aye, I know that,” he agreed, a droll curl at his mouth. “What can I do for you?”

  “Do you mind if I go out for about an hour now? I wouldn’t normally ask but it’s important and I’ll be out of action until tomorrow …”

  “That’s fine,” he interrupted. “Where are you going?”

  “I don’t know. Simon wants to take me somewhere.”

  JP muttered something inaudible.

  “What did you say?” Alex asked tetchily He didn’t need to put his two cents worth into it. After all, he’d promised to stay out of her private life.

  “Nothing. Are you still free for this ten o’clock meeting with Mark Jackson?”

  “Of course. I said I was.”

  “So you think you’ll be coming, even though you’re having this rendezvous with Simon this morning?”

  “Yes,” Alex replied, unable to keep the edginess out of her voice, unsure where he was coming from with his questioning.

  “All right then. I’ll meet you in the hotel foyer at ten.”

  Alex wandered back out feeling wretched and unhappy and she had no idea why. Her mood wasn’t improved when her mobile rang again and her mother’s voice was at the other end.

  “Have you got a minute, Alex? I need to speak to you.”

  Alex’s heart sank. She knew that tone of voice. A lecture was on its way.

  “I don’t really have a minute Mum, no,” she replied, but sensing the call was going to go ahead whether she liked it or not she wandered into an empty office nearby and closed the door.

  “I’ll only be a minute. This can’t wait.” Mary Farrer’s reply was sharp.

  Alex sighed. Short of hanging up on her own mother there was no possible way she was going to escape the talk.

  “I’ve hesitated about asking you this until now but it can’t wait any longer. I want to know what’s going on with you, young lady. Last Thursday night was a three-ring circus. You’re supposed to be marrying Simon but anyone looking at you would never have guessed it. I saw the way you looked at Jonathan McKenzie. The way he looked at you. Do you think I’m blind?”

  “I don’t know what you mean,” Alex said, genuinely shocked at her mother’s acute observational powers.

  “Oh yes you do. Something’s going on there.”

  “Mum, that’s just not right,” Alex defended herself, although her mother was breathtakingly closer to the truth than she knew.

  “I don’t know that Simon saw what I saw but if you carry on like that it’ll only be a matter of time.”

  “There’s nothing to see, Mum. I promise you, there’s nothing going on.”

  “You’re playing a dangerous game, Alex. I love Monique but I know she’s got her eye on Simon. One false move from you and you’ll lose him to her for good and who would blame him?”

  “How can you suggest that of Monique?” Alex shot back.

  Monique pursuing Simon? It couldn’t be true!

  “Easily. I wasn’t born yesterday. She’s crazy about him and he’s a good catch.”

  “This is not a fishing competition!” Alex was unable to keep the exasperation out of her voice. Somehow she had to wind the phone call up, and fast.

  “That’s exactly what it is. And what’s all this nonsense about studying law? What do you want to go and do that for when you and Simon are starting a family soon? You’ll never use it.”

  “What if it’s what I want,” Alex snapped. “Has anyone actually asked me what I want? Have you and Dad once sat me down and asked me what I want to do with my life, my career, my marriage …?” Alex stopped and closed her mouth, wondering where all the pent up anger was coming from all of a sudden.

  Silence reigned on the other end of the phone. “Your father and I have done everything for you,” Mary Farrer replied eventually in a crackly voice, clearly hurt. “And now you’re suggesting that we’ve forced you into things?”

  “No I’m not blaming you and Dad. Things got away from me a long time ago and I should have spoken up sooner. It’s my fault.”

  “I don’t understand where all this talk is coming from! Your father and I want whatever makes you happy.”

  “But I’m not happy Mum, that’s the problem,” Alex croaked huskily, tears welling. A long silence reigned on the other end of the phone before Alex continued.

  “I know you want me to be happy but my life is in a big mess and I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t know how to start telling the people I love what it is I really want. But I’m sorry, I’m going to have to hang up now. I’m at work and Simon’s picking me up soon …”

  “All right then,” Mary conceded. “I’ll let you go but I think you’d better come over soon and talk to your father and me. Can you come tonight?”

  “No. I’ll be tied up with work until late. I’ll give you a call as soon as I can come over.”

  Alex rang off in a daze of disbelief. Was her mother right? Was there really something between herself and JP? Was Monique really on a mission to lure Simon away from his engagement? Impossible questions! And absolutely no chance to digest them, for Alex had to grab her bag and head out of her office as fast as she could to meet Simon outside.

  “Where are we going?” she asked breathlessly just minutes later as she slipped into the passenger seat of Simon’s black Saab.

  “Bellevue Hill.”

  “Bellevue Hill!” Alex echoed. What could possibly be at Bellevue Hill that he needed to pull her out of work for? “And you won’t let me know what this is all about?”

  “No,” Simon shook his head definitively. “Do you have to rush back to work? I thought we could grab an early lunch afterwards.”

  Alex felt a sick feeling in her stomach as s
he anticipated his reaction to her next response. “I can’t, Simon. I’m sorry. I have to be at the Central Hotel for a meeting at ten. I’m likely to be there until late, maybe after midnight.”

  “Until when?” he bit back, slamming his hand down upon the steering wheel, unable to conceal his frustration and anger. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

  “I was going to tell you this morning on the phone but you cut me off.”

  “This is getting ridiculous! When are you going to give up all this nonsense, Alex?”

  “It’s not nonsense. It’s my work.”

  “Tell them you can’t go,” he demanded.

  “No, I’ve agreed to go so that a statement can be drawn up today, and it’s not an unreasonable request when you work at a law firm. The matter’s urgent.”

  “I can’t take too much more of this!” Simon warned. “I could cope with it when I was busy in New Zealand but now I’m back I don’t want to be met with your work commitments every time I suggest something.”

  “I like working Simon, you know that.”

  “You don’t need to work. I’m a wealthy man.”

  “But I want to work,” she argued. How could she put it more simply?

  “Maybe I could understand it if you were doing something important. But the way you’re talking you’d think you were Hilary goddamn Clinton!”

  Alex’s hand rose to her lips and pressed on them tightly to stop the violent wobble that threatened. But she couldn’t hold back the two salty tears of crushing humiliation stinging her eyes. She stared out the passenger window and brushed them away. She couldn’t have said a word if she’d tried. Simon withdrew into a sulky, guilty silence that Alex knew from experience would last quite awhile.

  Within fifteen minutes they were pulling up outside an apartment complex. Alex was sufficiently aware of her surroundings to notice it all looked brand new and that a sale board was out the front. Her heart pounded in anxious anticipation.

  When they climbed out of the car a man approached them from the front door and held out his hand firstly to Simon and then to Alex.