Rule Breaker By Accident

by Parker, Ali

  “Thanks.” I paused the surgery for a moment to look at Edgar. “None of this matters, though, because I’m not in a relationship. I met someone. I like her. That’s all there is to it. I’m not buying a fucking ring after work.”

  “You better not,” he muttered.

  Piping down after that, Edgar focused on the job at hand. There was some idle chatter around me, but no one brought up my relationship—or lack thereof—with Olive again.

  She was never far from my mind, though. I did my job and I did it well, but every time I blinked, I saw a pair of azure blue eyes and a smile on rosebud lips. It was unreasonable how much space she was taking up in my brain, but I couldn’t stop it if I tried.

  After the surgery was done and the patient was in recovery, I went to the waiting room to update his brother. I doubted I was right about the man being a cause of stress for our patient. He was kind, thankful for the update, and went to grab a coffee before going to sit beside his brother’s bed.

  Just as I was about to go back to the break room to grab my stuff, I caught sight of a familiar face leaning against the wall. Will Campton was watching me, inclining his head toward the outer door when he met my eyes with his.

  I frowned, my gaze drifting to the unknown man standing beside him. The guy looked vaguely familiar. I thought he might have been one of the people who had been in the waiting room with Will the day his baby was born, but I’d been so taken by Olive that I hadn’t been paying very much attention to anyone else around him.

  Will pushed off the wall, holding my gaze for another second as he started striding purposefully toward the door. The other guy followed, and so did I.

  Once we were outside, he turned to face me. “Rylen. It’s good to see you, man. This is Fulton. We were hoping you had a minute to talk to us?”

  “Sure, I’ve always got a minute for an old friend.” I just couldn’t understand why this particular old friend could possibly need one from me.

  Chapter 26

  Olive

  The law office where I was about to start working wasn’t nearly as imposing as I had thought it would be. It was located in a nondescript building downtown with small windows and a few potted plants on the one balcony out front.

  The only sign of who occupied the building was a square plaque on the wall outside that read decker, moon, and wood: attorneys at law. I didn’t know which one of those three was Jenna’s uncle, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about meeting him.

  All I knew about him was that he was Jenna’s uncle, he specialized in criminal law, and she called him Shane. She’d constantly reassured me that he was a very nice guy and that I shouldn’t be worried about how he was going to be, but I couldn’t help it.

  First day jitters were coursing through me as I opened the wooden door, walking into my new job for the first time. I gasped when I entered, not having expected the interior to look the way it did after the impression left by the exterior.

  There was nothing fancy or special about the building on the outside, but inside was a totally different story. The lobby was carpeted in thick maroon, the walls lined with pictures of three elderly gentlemen posing with a number of people. I recognized some of them as local celebrities, sports stars, and politicians, but others were unknown to me.

  I might never have heard of these attorneys before, but it was clear that they were quite a big deal. I took a deep breath, calming myself as I approached the circular receptionist’s desk situated in the center of the room.

  “Hi.” I forced a smile to my lips, hoping my nerves weren’t blaringly obvious. “My name is Olive. I’m st—”

  “Oh, yes. Olive. I’ve been expecting you.” The receptionist rose from her wheeled chair and removed an earpiece before motioning for me to follow her. “Let me show you the way to Mr. Wood’s office. We’re very excited to have you.”

  “Thank you.” I followed her into a tiny elevator. It was one of those that appeared to have been installed a hundred years ago with a manual door and copper trimmings, but it had been upgraded and modernized. “Your offices are lovely.”

  “Aren’t they?” She beamed at me, tucking a strand of graying hair behind her ear. “I’m Beth, by the way. I work in the front office, as you’ve already seen.”

  “Hi, Beth. It’s nice to meet you.” I smoothed out the front of my black pencil skirt, noticing that while Beth and I wore similar attire in our black skirts and white button- up blouses, hers was meticulously pressed. Mine seemed rumpled in comparison.

  Beth calmed my nerves a little as she showed me to my new boss’s office, telling me all about the firm and informing me that she’d been there for thirteen years. She was happy, which set my mind at ease. People didn’t stay at super crappy jobs that long.

  The elevator stopped at the top floor, the doors opening to reveal a room that looked very much like the lobby. Instead of the pictures on the walls, there were bookshelves lining them. A cluster of couches were arranged on either side of the room, a coffee table between them with stacks of magazines. There were three doors in front of us, but none of them were open.

  “You’re right through here,” Beth said, walking to the door on the left. “Your office is Mr. Wood’s outer office. I escort clients up here, but it’s up to you to show them in or to seat them in the waiting area if they arrive early.”

  She knocked quietly, then opened the door and led me into the area that was apparently my office. It was spacious and neat, but sparsely furnished.

  I wouldn’t need anything more, though. There was a desk beside the window with a comfortable-looking leather chair behind it. On top of the desk was a computer screen, a telephone, and a stand with three paper trays in it.

  Another couch faced the desk, but there was no table in here. Beth pointed a finger at it. “If the client requires more privacy because of their profile or if it’s a client you like, you can have them wait in here. Mostly the clients wait outside, though.”

  She marched through my office, knocking on the door at the other end. “Mr. Wood? I have Olive here for you.”

  The sound of paper shuffling and some kind of creak could be heard from inside my boss’s office, then the man himself opened the door. Whatever I was expecting the lawyer to look like, it wasn’t the kind-face man who was looking out at me now.

  Gray tufts of curly hair sat atop a round face with red cheeks. A pair of wire-rimmed glasses with thick lenses amplified light-blue eyes that were alert and intelligent. He broke into a wide grin when he saw me. “Olive. I’m so happy to meet you. Come on in.”

  He looked at Beth and nodded. “Thank you for showing her up. I’ll take it from here.”

  “Sure thing, Mr. W.” She smiled, her brown eyes sliding to mine. “I’ll see you later, new friend. Welcome to the family.”

  She took off back the way we came as Mr. Wood ushered me into his office, showing me to a seat across from a massive mahogany desk. It was covered in about a foot of paper with books scattered haphazardly between the sheets. It looked like chaos to me, but I quickly learned that it was organized chaos.

  Mr. Wood took his seat behind his desk, leaning back and smiling at me. “Well, like Beth said, welcome to the family, Olive. If there’s anything you need, you just let me know. I’ll help you with anything you need if I’m here. If I’m off to court, you can ask Beth.”

  “Thank you.” I fidgeted with my fingers but forced myself to stop when I saw my boss noticing. “I’m sorry. I’m a little nervous. To be honest, I’m surprised you gave me this job without meeting me or evaluating my skill set or anything. I’m afraid to disappoint you.”

  “You won’t.” He sounded completely sure of himself, the smile never once dropping from his lips. “I wouldn’t have hired just anyone without going through all the rigmarole, but you came highly recommended.”

  “Jenna mentioned you trusted her.”

  A fond softness came into his eyes. “I do, implicitly. She’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to
a daughter and she knows what I need here. Plus, I was in a bit of a pickle. I’m sure she told you. Jenna has never steered me wrong before and I trust that she still hasn’t.”

  “I hope I can live up to the recommendation.” I had to live up to the recommendation. I couldn’t afford to lose this job. “To be able to do that, do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions?”

  “Shoot.” He grinned and opened his arms. “I’m happy to answer anything you would like to know.”

  After getting an overview of my duties and what was expected of me, Mr. Wood told me to call him Shane and then patiently answered all my questions about his practice. He was clearly passionate about his job, telling me that every person deserved a fair trial and that was why he did what he did.

  By the time he had to leave for an appointment at the local jail, I was convinced that he was one of the nicest people I’d met. He rose from behind his desk, shrugging into a jacket hanging from a coatrack in the corner.

  “Thank you for being a friend to my Jenna, dear. You’re the first friend of hers I’ve ever met, and I must say, I’m impressed. I appreciate you helping me out too.”

  “You’re welcome. Thank you for taking a chance at me.”

  He nodded, grabbing a hat from the top of the rack and sliding it onto his head before tipping it at me. “I’ll see you later. Remember, if you need anything while I’m gone, Beth can help you.”

  A couple of minutes later, he was gone and I was sitting behind my brand-new desk. Someone had written the username and password I needed to log in to my computer on a sticky note and stuck it to the top of my screen. I sent a silent thanks to whoever it had been and then started getting myself organized.

  Jenna arrived later, bursting into my office in a blur of fiery hair and energy without knocking. “Surprise! I’ve come to see how your first day is going. Beth told me you met my uncle this morning, isn’t he the best?”

  “Yeah, he’s really nice.” I stood and rounded my desk to hug my friend. I hadn’t realized how highly she thought of me until Mr. Wood had said everything to me that he had. “Thank you for helping me out. I really appreciate it.”

  She squeezed me tight before releasing me. “You’re welcome. It really was a pleasure. I think you’re going to love it here and I know they’re going to love you right back.”

  Walking backward to the couch against the wall, she kept talking before draping herself over it and stretching out like a cat. “Have you met old Moon and Decker yet? They’re great too. Not as great as Uncle Shane, but great. People always think criminal law attorneys are bottom feeders, but these guys prove those people wrong. They’re all about justice and fairness. It’s awesome.”

  “I’m looking forward to really getting started, if I’m honest. I was so nervous this morning, but now that I’m here, I can’t wait. Shane only told me a little about what they do, but it seems really interesting.”

  “It is.” Jenna nodded, her eyes bright and happy. It was easy to see that she’d definitely inherited some of her uncle’s passion. “They really help people, you know? Sometimes it’s people no one else will help. They have a different outlook on life than most after being in practice for so long.”

  “I’m excited to learn more about it.” The clock in the corner of my computer screen caught my eye. “Wow, I only just realized it was lunchtime already. Should we order in?”

  “Let’s. There’s a deli down the road that does the best sandwiches. I’ll write down their number for you.” Jenna stayed for lunch, talking about the other assistants at the firm and introducing me to a few of the associates who sat on the floor below us.

  Everyone was pleasant and friendly, much to my relief. I’d never worked in an environment like this one, but I wasn’t kidding when I told Jenna I was looking forward to it.

  Soon it was time for her to leave. She had to get back to work. I’d also received a call from Shane informing me that he was on his way back and that he would need me to type up some briefs—whatever that was.

  Jenna gave me another hug. “Good luck. You’re going to knock this job out of the park. Have fun.”

  “Thanks again, Jenna.” I really meant it. I would never have ended up there if not for her. It was only my first day, but I had a really good feeling about the job.

  She winked at me and rushed out the door, leaving me alone in my office once more. The rest of the day passed with no more surprise visitors, but I did learn a lot from Shane.

  It was nearing the end of the business day when I checked my phone for the first time since I had arrived. Shane was on a call, so I had a moment free and I really wanted to text Valerie, Heidi, and Rylen.

  There were texts waiting for me from all three of them, but only one of the texts made my heart beat faster and brought a smile to my lips.

  Rylen: Hope you’re having a great day, baby. Thinking about you. xxx

  Chapter 27

  Rylen

  Realizing that you had feelings for someone and then not seeing them for a week sucked. Olive and I spoke every day, but I hadn’t seen her since I dropped her off at her house on Sunday afternoon.

  By the time Friday rolled around, I was so eager to see her that I picked up dinner on my way to her house and went to surprise her when she got home. Sitting in my car waiting for her to arrive felt just a touch too creepy, so I grabbed the bag of groceries and went to sit on the top step in front of her door. It wasn’t that much better, but at least I was out in the open.

  While I waited, I had time to think properly for the first time since Monday. Although, Will’s suggestion had been churning around in my mind all week. When I closed my eyes at night and when I opened them again in the morning, his request was the first thing I thought about—after Olive.

  What he was asking me to do was total fucking insanity. Insanity wrapped in illegality with a dash of ethical dilemma to go with it. The only thing that was more insane than what he had asked was the fact that I was seriously considering doing it.

  Resting my head in my hands, I considered my answer. It was a tough one and there were a lot of questions I needed answers to before I agreed, but I was strongly leaning toward agreeing anyway.

  A couple of minutes into my wait, Olive’s car pulled up at the curb. I heard the engine turn off, followed by the slam of a car’s door. “Rylen? What are you doing here?”

  When I looked up, Olive was jogging up the stairs to me. She was smiling wide, a pair of high heels in her hands. I stood, opening my arms for her when she reached me. “I wanted to surprise you after your first week at work.”

  “It’s so good to see you.” She stepped into my arms and they closed around her at the same time hers wound around my neck. She burrowed into my chest, holding on to me like she was never going to let me go. “Is it weird to say that I missed you?”

  Her voice was muffled by my shirt, but I heard the question loud and clear. “Nope, not weird. I felt the same way. Hence the reason that I’m here.”

  “I’m glad you came,” she said, giving me a final squeeze before reluctantly stepping back. “Let’s go inside. I’m starving and I really want to tell you everything about my job. Sorry about my shoes, but I don’t like driving in heels.”

  She grinned at me, then started rummaging around her purse for her keys. When she found them, she unlocked the door and led me into her house.

  I hadn’t spent much time inside. In fact, I’d never gotten farther than the entrance hall. Olive walked right through it, leading me to her kitchen. It had a beautiful picture window that looked out over the beach and the sun setting over the ocean beyond.

  The view was nothing in comparison to Olive, though. Her long, dark hair was pulled up into a sleek ponytail, small silver hoops dangling from her ears. She was wearing the tightest, high-waisted gray skirt with a black shirt tucked into it. Around her slim waist was a studded belt and a necklace hung from her neck almost to the clasp of the belt.

  Her feet were bare. She’d dropped her shoe
s as soon as we’d walked inside. There was a radio in the kitchen that she had just turned on and she was swaying softly along to some pop music as she opened her fridge. “Would you like some wine? It’s Friday, so we’re allowed.”

  “Yes, please.” I couldn’t keep my eyes off her as she stretched her arms up to reach the glasses, pouring the wine while still gently swaying along to the rhythm. The picture was completed by the view through the window, the setting sun casting a soft glow that made her seem almost ethereal.

  I was fucking enchanted by her, reaching out on autopilot to take the glass she offered me. When she noticed I was staring at her, she smoothed her hands over her shirt and dropped her gaze to her clothes. “What? Do I have something on me?”

  I shook my head, reaching out to take her hands and tugging her against me. “No, you’re just fucking gorgeous. I can’t not stare when I’m around you.”

  She smiled, pushing up on her toes to press a soft kiss to my lips. “You’re not so bad yourself, Doc. How was your week?”

  “Hectic, but good.” I turned away from her and started unpacking the groceries I had bought. “I thought we could grill some steaks. I’ve got stuff for a salad and a garlic bread, sound good?”

  “Sounds heavenly.” She opened a few drawers, glass of wine in hand, and offered me a chopping board and a knife. “Do you need anything else?”

  “Just a tray to marinate the meat in if you’ve got one.” I opened the steaks and liberally added olive oil, salt, and pepper to the tray she handed over. When I was done, I coated the meat in the mixture and left them be for now. “I’m going to make the salad, but you’re not helping. Drink your wine and tell me about work.”

  She eyed the fresh ingredients for the salad almost longingly, but eventually sighed and hopped onto the counter beside me. “Okay, but I’m a really good chopper. If you change your mind, just tell me. I’ll have the salad done in no time.”