Page 103 of Bad Influence
My dress is form fitting, short sleeved, with a modest square neckline, my hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail with loose strands curled and framing my face. The only colors in my outfit are the Hermes scarf I’m using as a ponytail elastic, my red lipstick, and the red soles of my Louboutin’s.
“Is that a vintage Jean Gautier?” She asks, looking at my bag.
“It is,” I say in surprise. “Most people don’t recognize it.”
“Most people don’t have two brain cells to rub together,” she replies.
I laugh at her audacity and also wish I can be like her. The elevator doors open and we both step out. At the reception desk, she nods at me and walks away. Nonice to meet youorhope to see you around.
“Hi!” The receptionist says, with a smile. “You’re Caroline Sinclair, correct?”
I take a deep breath and nod with a smile. She passes me my badge and leads me to Aiden’s office. He’s on a phone call and acknowledges me with a nod when he sees me through the windows of his office.
His assistant’s desk is empty. I met her last time when I came for my interview. She’s a middle aged woman with a kind smile which can turn sharp enough to kill.
“You’re back.”
I turn to see Sarah, Aiden’s assistant. Her blonde hair is twisted into a classic knot, and she’s wearing navy blue slacks with a white silk blouse.
“First day,” I reply.
“Aiden’s going to be a while. Come with me, and I’ll show you to your office.”
I follow her down the carpeted hallway to the junior offices.
“There’s a bullpen of interns through there so if you’re overwhelmed, feel free to dump something on them,” Sarah says.
“Does Aiden have an intern?”
“No. After an intern messed up one of his cases, he refused to get one of his own. That’s why you’re here as an associate.”
“Right,” I say.
She stops in front of an office. “This is you.”
It’s small and cozy, but there are windows which brings in plenty of light. I step inside and set my bag on the desk.
“Let me know if you need anything,” Sarah says. “Aiden will likely see you when he’s done with his call.”
“Thank you,” I tell her.
She walks off, and I release a breath. Taking a seat, I pull my laptop out of my purse and set it on the desk. When I log into my email, I see that Aiden has already replied to the case brief I sent him with corrections I need to make and there’s a slew of other emails with tasks I need to tackle. Meetings have been added to my work calendar all while I slept.
Aiden handles high profile cases, the kind that will surely end up in the public eye eventually. The case brief he sent me isfor a celebrity divorce. The couple has been together for ten years and they’re a fan favorite, couple goals, the fan worship is through the roof.
Basically, a lot of discretion is required when handling family law cases, whether they’re celebrities or not.
Adrenaline courses through me. Who needs coffee when you have the rush of cases to keep you going? I’ve always believed that being a lawyer isn’t hard. Yes, it requires you to think and it can be mentally draining, especially family law. But I’ve never found it hard.
I’m replying to an email from Aiden when someone knocks on my office door. I look up to see Aiden himself. He’s wearing a tailored navy suit with a white shirt and patterned tie.
“Working through lunch on your first day?” He asks, stepping into the office.
I glance at the clock on my laptop. It’s a little past one already and all I’ve had to eat are the scrambled eggs and toast Killian made me this morning. The thought of him makes me blush a little and I have to bite off a smile to stop myself from looking like a lunatic.
“I didn’t even realize. I’ve reviewed the cases you sent me and I was just replying to your email about the Bradshaw case,” I say.
“I appreciate your dedication, but take the opportunity to step out of the office when you can,” he says. “When we move to litigation, you’re going to get sick of these four walls. Come with me.”
