“Natasha, I assure you we’re doing everything we can. Don’t stress. We have a good case against him, but it’s up to the judge to decide whether we should go to trial.” I couldn’t hide the disappointment I felt. Evan should have been judged by his peers a long time ago. As I waited patiently for Howard to finish his conversation, I took the opportunity to admire the certificates and degrees on his wall.
“How’s it going, Katherine?” He smiled brightly at me. I couldn’t help but hope that maybe Cole hadn’t said anything after all, or at least not yet.
“Good, Professor. I just came by to see if you needed anything.”
“Not unless you have something on Evan that can make him settle before pre-trial.” Though he attempted to joke, I felt the seriousness in his voice.
“Sorry. Unfortunately, I didn’t find anything we would be able to use.”
“It’s okay. Part of the job, I guess. Let’s just hope Hunter has lost his courtroom charm. Judges and juries love him.” He leaned back in his chair.
“Let’s hope so.” But if I knew anything with certainty, it was that there was absolutely no chance of Howard’s hope becoming reality. “If you need anything, sir, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
After I was done with the briefs, I returned them to Victoria’s desk before taking my late lunch. Desperate to walk off the two pints of ice cream I’d consumed the day before, I decided a nice stroll would be better for me. I grabbed a green smoothie and found myself wandering the muggy streets of Manhattan.
The screen on my phone showed I still had no calls from Lila since our big blowout. It was only a matter of time before I apologized to her, but I wasn’t ready quite yet.
I dropped my phone back into my purse, and my eyes caught sight of a black limo parked at the curb. My heart stuttered, and I found myself looking frantically for Cole. I knew it was his car. His driver stood outside waiting by the door. I glanced at the buildings around me and realized I had wandered in front of the courthouse. Without thinking twice, I jogged up the steps, pulled open the heavy door, and found the courtroom Cole was in.
As quietly as possible, I entered and sat in the back, hidden from his sight. His voice was loud and clear, echoing in the room as he spoke to a jury about his client. I closed my eyes and listened to every word he said. I imagined him pacing the room back in forth in his tailored suit, winning over each juror with his bulletproof logic, charisma, and smile. Within fifteen minutes, and knowing nothing about the case, I believed his client was innocent. His delivery was impeccable.
He finished with grace, and the judge broke for recess. I didn’t want to see him, so I snuck out before the courtroom emptied. If Professor Goldstein expected Cole to have lost his tactics, he was about to be seriously disappointed. From what I just heard, Cole was only warming up.
* * *
Later that night, I found myself staying at work later than usual. Lila wasn’t working, so I couldn’t go home on the chance that she might be there, and I wasn’t ready to go to Ben’s place just yet. Needing to make up time at work, I had just pulled another brief from my file when my office phone rang.
“Katherine Wolf speaking. How may I assist?”
“Are you still at work?” Ben’s voice came into the receiver.
“Yes. You did call my office phone, no?” I shook my head.
“Don’t sass me, Kat. When are you coming home? Did you forget we have reservations at Black Duck tonight?” He chuckled.
“Crap.” I cracked my neck and closed the manila folder in front of me.
“If you leave now, we’ll still make it,” Ben said.
“Really, Ben? I don’t know—”
“Oh, hell no. We’ve waited for these reservations for three months. You’re going.”
“But—”
“But nothing. I will meet you there.”
“Okay, I’m leaving now.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be there soon.”
I closed my drawer and shut off the light behind me. I walked down the empty hallway, thinking of the many glasses of wine I was going to have before, during, and after dinner. The weekend was so close, and what I needed more than anything was a warm bubble bath and maybe one or two bottles of wine. Since neither Ben nor I had a soaking tub, I would have to settle for the wine.
20
Katherine
As Ben and I waited for our table, I gazed at the décor of Black Duck. The ceilings were high, and the steel beams were exposed. The tables were close, but the wine racks were stacked high around them, giving diners a bit of privacy. The walls were cream with a cranberry splash of color. The waiters wore all white, and little tea candles floated on top of water vases.
I leaned my head on Ben’s shoulder, exhaustion creeping into my body. I began to close my eyes just as a warm breeze from outside hit my legs. I didn’t notice him until Ben shrugged, lifting my head. I looked at Ben’s eyes before he nodded toward the door. Cole and a breathtaking woman coming in beside him kept me rooted to my spot. Straightening, I adjusted my hair before he had the opportunity to see me. My sleep-deprived, sluggish body awakened with his presence as my cheeks warmed and my heart rate sped up.
He walked over to the hostess, gave her his name, then turned and headed in our direction with the tall brunette attached to his hip. He stood tall next to her, his face young and carefree as they joked. She was a perfect-ten model with ombre hair, the roots dark brown with the tips lightening to blonde, and barely an ounce of makeup on her face. Flawless. Instantly, the air was sucked out of me and jealousy coursed through my veins.
As they approached, she locked her arm possessively around Cole, and I bit the inside of my lip in hopes that my hurt feelings wouldn’t show.
“Katherine,” Cole said, not at all surprised at seeing me and a small grin grew on his face. He stood a few feet away from us, and a flash of anger quickly replaced his surprise as he took in my close proximity to Ben. “Benjamin, nice to see you again.” His jaw tightened as he shook Ben’s hand.
I wanted to yell and scream and rage at him and at the woman hanging off his arm, but I didn’t. I simply inhaled slowly and regretted it the second his scent invaded my senses. Even though he had stormed in and out of my life and called me stupid, I still missed him. I still wanted him. I still felt the love that was building for him.
“Yeah, man. Same here,” Ben replied.
My foot tapped on the floor, and I directed my nervous energy elsewhere. I pulled my cell phone from my purse, and scrolled through Facebook looking for something to distract me. He was only a few feet away from me, so my efforts were no doubt in vain, but I had to try something, anything, to keep my emotions in check. I was failing miserably. The awkward silence broke when Ben cleared his throat and the door opened again. I snapped my eyes up when a lady with the same hazel eyes as Cole’s walked over to us.
She shook her head back and forth, chuckling to herself. “Gosh, what an ass that cabbie was.” She looked at Ben and me. “Are you guys joining us?” she asked with a flawless smile present on her face.
“Reagan, this is Katherine Wolf and Benjamin Ortiz,” Cole gestured to us. I had never told him Ben’s last name.
“Hi.” I forced a smile and shook her hand. Her smile was the same as Cole’s.
“Pleasure to meet you,” Ben said.
The hostess approached, calling Ben and me to our table. I smiled politely and walked past them, mentally thanking my legs for working.
My foot tapped against the wood floor of the restaurant, and I cracked my knuckles over and over as I waited for the wine I ordered. I was with him two days ago, and yet he was here with his sister and another woman—a woman he blatantly never introduced to me. Was he lying when he said I was the only one he was seeing?
“So that’s the mysterious guy you’ve been seeing?” Ben asked, pulling me out of my trance. Bringing a piece of bread to his mouth, he watched me carefully. I nodded and my eyes filled with tears. I kept my head low. I hadn’
t consumed enough alcohol to talk about this. I hadn’t had the chance to process that this, whatever Cole and I were, had finished.
“Since the gala dinner?” he asked.
I nodded quickly once again. The waitress approached with our bottle of wine, and I drank the first glass in gulps before she even finished pouring Ben’s. I filled my glass a second time, and looked over at Ben. It was time I came clean with my best friend.
“It was unexpected, and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into.”
I felt more tears of hurt and anger form in my eyes, and I pushed my chair back. “I need to use the restroom. I’m sorry. I’ll be right back.” In need of a minute to breathe, I darted toward the restroom, leaving Ben alone and probably confused at the table. I couldn’t let Cole see me cry. I couldn’t admit to myself that I was so truly broken by what was happening.
I leaned my back against the closed stall door and cried out my nerves and anger, then breathed slowly to calm myself before I returned. I didn’t look at their table. I couldn’t stand to see them—my heart wouldn’t be able to take it. I needed to get out of there as quickly as possible.
My hands dug through my purse until I found a credit card. I walked it over to the waitress. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I really need to leave,” I said with a shaky voice. “Whatever my friend ordered, please cancel it. Also, put a twenty percent tip on here for yourself, and please bring me the receipt as soon as possible.”
I returned to Ben, picked up my glass from the table, and chugged the rest of my wine. “I fucked him, and I fell for him. Hard. Really fucking hard. But I was just another woman to keep his bed warm, and it’s over, and I’m sorry, but I need to leave.” My voice cracked with each admission.
Ben took my hand in his, giving me his support. Once the waitress gave me my receipt, I locked my arm around Ben and followed him out of Black Duck.
We’d waited three months to have a glass of wine.
21
Katherine
The outside air provided the relief my lungs needed. Once Ben and I were a few blocks away, I leaned against a brick wall, breathing in and out, needing a few moments to catch my breath. Impending sobs got the better of me. Unable to control my heartache, I let the sobs and tears pour out of my body
The scent of garbage lingered in the night air as I sank to the ground and brought my knees close to my chest. Ben paced in front of me, and I could see the anger growing in his body. He had that trait about him. He was always the overprotective friend who couldn’t stand to see me cry.
Distraught by recent events, I couldn’t move. I slammed my head on the wall once before I opened my eyes. Ben walked toward me with his head low, watching me. He tilted his head to the side, a sad smile on his face. I couldn’t hide the pain I felt, or how much my heart hurt. I reached out for him to pull me up, but he dropped next to me instead, sitting to my right. I looked at him, confused.
The look in his eyes told me there was something he needed to get off his chest, something he needed to say. I slowly nodded my head for him to just let it out.
“Katherine, you know I’ve been on your side since I met you, but for the past thirty minutes, I’ve been trying to wrap my head around this whole thing. What were you thinking?”
I wiped away my tears, and I looked at the streetlight then back at him. “I wasn’t,” I conceded.
“You’re sitting on the ground crying. You fought with Lila—about him, I assume, and you risked your career for what? For a man who clearly doesn’t care about you? He’s here with another woman. You saw how she was attached to his arm. That wasn’t his other sister.”
Defeated, I turned on him. “Don’t do this now, Ben.”
“Baby girl, I just stood here”—he pointed to the sidewalk—“watching you cry your heart out over this guy. Is he worth it? Is he worth your friendship, your career, everything you worked for? Is he?”
I rose from the ground, growing angry. “Don’t.” I raised my hand at him. “I’ve already gotten that shit from Lila, and I don’t need it from you too.”
“Inside you said that you were just another woman, right? Since I’ve known you, you have never cried over a guy.” He stood, meeting my eyes. “You said it was over but based on the look in your eyes and the tears pouring down your face, it’s far from over, at least for you. So, I ask again, is he worth it?”
I replied the only way I knew how. Defensively. “Wrap your head around whatever you want, Ben. I’m freaking human. Like everyone else, I make mistakes, and the last thing I need right now is your judgment.” I turned and headed in a different direction.
“Katherine!”
“When I need your opinion, I’ll ask for it.” I waved my hand in the air, not looking back at him.
I walked home, needing the long walk to clear my mind. My shitty week was following me into my weekend. I opened the front door of the brownstone, my feet throbbing from the walk. Kicking off my shoes, I threw my purse on the couch and walked to the kitchen. I pulled open the freezer, but it looked as if Lila had eaten my last pint of ice cream. Bitch.
Lila’s Thai leftovers were reheating in the microwave when I noticed a note on the island.
Spending a few days with Caleb.
-L
I balled the paper into a small ball, huffed, and tossed it in the garbage. “Real mature, Lila,” I said to the empty kitchen. She was refusing to be the first one to apologize.
I took my plate of food to bed. I was flipping through the channels when my phone chirped on the charger. Hoping it was Cole, I jumped out of bed.
Mackenzie Adams: Hey. Can we meet? I need to talk to you.
Excited and scared about what she might want, I replied: Hi. Yeah, when?
Mackenzie Adams: Saturday? Lunch? Johnny Boy’s? It’s right around the corner from Shakes.
Me: Okay. Is 2:00 good?
Mackenzie Adams: Yeah.
I contemplated texting her back, asking why she wanted to meet, but I didn’t want to scare her off again. She had reached out to me, not the other way around. I should have been excited to meet up with her, but due to recent events, all I cared about was hiding in my room. My phone buzzed again, this time with a message from Ben.
Ben Ortiz: Hey. Did you get home okay?
Me: Yes.
Not wanting to think anymore, I crawled under my covers and hugged my pillow, watching TV until my eyelids became heavy.
22
Katherine
I woke up early Friday morning. Professor Goldstein had given me the day off to study, asking me to drop off some briefs to him at the courthouse since Victoria had taken a long weekend.
After I was showered and dressed, and with my travel mug of coffee in hand, I headed out the door. The lack of food in my fridge gave me no choice but to go to the market before the courthouse. Groceries were usually something Lila did because I despised food shopping. I was never a person who could just run in, get what I needed, and then leave. I was the type of shopper who walked up and down every single aisle.
As I stepped down the few steps and onto the sidewalk, the back door of a black sedan swung open. For a split second, there was hope inside me. I thought Cole was stepping out of the car. But instead, I was greeted by the girl he had on his arm last night.
My hair was tossed in a messy bun, and my flared jeans had been washed so many times they were faded, but at least I was wearing a cute The Elephant in the Room concert T-shirt. She, of course, looked flawless in a true definition of beauty. My hair dye came from a box whereas hers was professionally done and cascaded gracefully over her shoulders. Her makeup looked like it was airbrushed on where mine never looked right. I found myself jealous of her beauty. I lost any shred of graciousness I possessed as the seconds passed.
She looked down at me as she approached as if being around me was a waste of her precious time. “Devon King.” She stretched her perfectly manicured hand out to me.
Bile rose in my throat at her name. She
was the only real relationship Cole had ever had. The one who had not worked out because they were young and wanted different things at the time. I was trash compared to her. She had more wealth and class in her pinky than I had in my entire body. He was out of my league and on a different playing field based on the bitch standing in front of me. There was no way I could compete.
Unable to speak, I looked down at her hand, then back up at her. I turned the other way.
“Katherine, right?” she asked, and I turned back, surprised that she remembered. Her eyebrow rose, daring me to deny it. “You have a sec?” Her Birkin bag sat high on her shoulder.
“What?” I finally answered.
“You’re the new fuck buddy, I assume?” Her tongue ran softly along her bottom lip, leaving her lip-gloss even shinier.
“Excuse me?” Taken aback, I narrowed my eyes at her. My hands crossed at my chest for support as rage crawled up my spine. I was going to have no problem clawing this bitch’s eyes out. I wasn’t his fuck buddy.
Yes, you were.
“Oh, sweetie, it was written all over your face the second you realized who I was. Clearly, he told you about us.” She brought her index finger to her lip. “How does he say it again? Ah, yes, we wanted different things. Right?”
Her words stung, but I kept it together. “You must have me confused with Sammie.”
She laughed before her face turned serious. “Oh, no. Sammie may not be as intelligent as you are, but she serves her purpose. Keeps tabs for me on all the women who come into his life. And, of course, she fucks him on a regular basis to make sure he doesn’t stray too far.” She shrugged and smiled. “Until he’s ready to settle down with me. You do know that’s what’s going to happen, right? Our parents have been planning this wedding for years.”
Indiscretion Page 19
