Starting Now (30 page)

After leaving the hospital, Libby walked to the yarn store. Her step was lighter than it had been in a good long while. She’d be meeting Phillip later at Lake Washington and it was all she could do to keep her feet from dancing down the sidewalk.

She was only a block away from A Good Yarn when her cell chirped. Caller ID told her it was the firm, probably Sarah. Because she hadn’t yet heard from the paralegal, Libby had made other arrangements after meeting with Mrs. Reed. Feeling positive and inspired, she’d leased a space in a nearby office complex that had the advantage of a receptionist. Her services, plus that of the other office equipment, were included in the rental fee.

Once Libby was on her feet, she’d hire a paralegal … and it wouldn’t be Sarah. Despite all the years they’d worked together Sarah hadn’t found the courage to be honest with her—she’d let her silence do the talking for her.

Only it wasn’t Sarah on the phone.

Instead it was the managing partner, Hershel Burkhart. “Libby,” he said, sounding friendly and upbeat. “How are you, my dear?”

Hershel was the last person she’d expected to hear from.

“Fabulous.” Truth was she’d rarely felt better. While she wasn’t overwhelmed with clients, they would come. She would keep her own hours and continue with her volunteering and knitting until then.

“I was wondering if it would be possible for us to meet for a drink this afternoon?”

Libby stopped walking and stood in the middle of the sidewalk like a large rock in the center of a river. People rushed past her, giving her space as she pressed her cell phone against her ear. Traffic noises came at her from all sides. Her mind whirled with all the possible reasons Hershel might want to speak to her. Only one came to mind.

They wanted her back. He’d managed to talk reason into the other partners.

Oh, sure, she’d signed a twelve-month lease and now Hershel was going to ask her to come back to the firm.

“Libby?”

“Yes, of course. What time?”

“Does four work for you?” he asked, and mentioned a downtown hotel.

“I’ll be there at four,” she managed to respond. Libby ended the call and dumped her cell back into her purse. She resisted the urge to contact Robin but she texted Phillip, explaining that she’d need to take a raincheck on their sailing date.

Her mind continued to whirl—if Hershel wanted her, then she wouldn’t come cheap.

At four Libby sat at the bar at the Four Seasons. She straightened when Hershel walked into the dimly lit area. He hadn’t changed much in the intervening months, she noticed. He grinned when he saw her, and wove his way around tables and chairs in order to join her in the far corner of the room. Libby had chosen the table that she felt would offer them the most privacy. She stood as he approached and offered him her cheek, which he kissed lightly. Then, setting his briefcase on the floor, he pulled out a chair and joined her.

Libby crossed her legs and relaxed, content to let him do the talking. The waitress came for their drink order and they both asked for a glass of merlot.

They exchanged pleasantries until their wine arrived. Hershel touched the rim of his goblet to hers. “I see you took my advice.”

“Oh?”

“You’re volunteering at the hospital, I hear, and dating that doctor.”

So he knew about Phillip.

“Do you enjoy sailing?”

My goodness, he’d been keeping close tabs on her. No doubt through Sarah. Libby was determined not to reveal her surprise. “I do.”

“Wonderful.” He sampled his wine and nodded in approval.

Libby had yet to taste her own as she struggled not to give away her surprise. “You told me to get a life.”

“Not everyone takes my words to heart,” he said with a smile.

“I understand you’ve decided to open your own office,” he continued, setting his wineglass down on the small circular table.

“I have.” The ink had yet to dry on the office lease, but he didn’t need to know that.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Hershel leaned forward slightly. “I also understand that you recently met with Martha Reed.”

Libby smiled, rather amused, although she was sure his source had been her former paralegal. “Hershel, have you had a private investigator following me?” she asked, half-joking.

He grinned and shook his head. “I have my sources.”

“Apparently you do.”

His smile faded. “I called because a couple of the other partners are concerned about your visit with Martha Reed.”

“Oh?”

“They feel you’re poaching our clients.”

“Poaching?” Libby repeated, stunned that he would suggest she would do such a thing.

“The truth is, given your position, I would have done the same thing. Unfortunately, the others don’t see it that way. They feel that Mrs. Reed is our client.”

“Was your client,” she reminded him. “She left the firm.”

“I’m pleased with the changes you’ve made since leaving the firm,” he continued, ignoring her comment. “You’re doing exactly what I hoped you would and I applaud that. I couldn’t be more pleased, but Libby,” he paused and regarded her steadily, his gaze wide and sincere, “I don’t want you to make a misstep now.”

“Misstep?” He’d just admitted that given the opportunity he would have done the same thing.

“Martha Reed is a longtime friend. I knew, given time, she would eventually have a change of heart. The partners and I spoke with her recently, just after your visit, as a matter of fact, and she’s decided to come back to the firm.”

“Oh.” Libby couldn’t hide her disappointment. “And who will she be working with?” Hope sprang eternal; perhaps the firm wanted her back after all.

“We’re assigning Linda Freeman to the account. The partners feel Mrs. Reed does better when she can communicate her needs to a woman.”

Not Libby. Linda.

Again she swallowed the taste of disappointment.

“But—”

Hershel held up a hand, stopping her. “I know; she’d left the firm and you had every right, but it irritated the others.” He left the words hanging, leaving her to speculate.

Libby had a good idea what he was telling her. Basically her chances of being asked to return to the firm had been dashed because she’d taken the initiative and contacted the elderly woman on her own. A sickening feeling tightened her stomach.

Hershel’s eyes held hers. “I tried,” he admitted.

Libby nodded, letting him know she understood. Managing a weak smile, she whispered, “Congratulations. I think Linda will do a great job.”

Hershel smiled back encouragingly. “Starting your own practice is a big challenge, Libby. I don’t doubt that you’ll make it a success.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re a good attorney.”

Libby looped the purse strap over her shoulder. “My best to the other partners,” Libby murmured.

By the time Libby was outside the Four Seasons she felt like kicking something. It was apparent that Sarah, the paralegal she had once considered a good friend, had been more than willing to relay information to one or more of the partners. No wonder Libby hadn’t heard from her.

When she checked her messages later that afternoon, Libby saw that she had a missed call from Martha Reed. She phoned back right away.

“I’m so sorry to disappoint you, my dear,” the dignified woman apologized. “I talked over the decision with my children. They all know how much I’ve enjoyed working with you. However, they’re concerned, as I am, that you don’t have the backing of a larger firm.”

“I understand,” Libby said, although it was difficult to hide her feelings.

“And then several of the partners and Hershel came to the house and made their plea.”

“What made you decide to go back to the firm?” Libby asked, curiosity getting the best of her. She couldn’t imagine what the partners could have promised. Mrs. Reed had been adamant that she was ready to move on. The firm had already failed her twice.

“Frankly, they made me a very attractive offer.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, and really, they made it impossible to refuse. They agreed to cap my fees.”

Libby had guessed that the incentive must have been something
along those lines. Considering the money Mrs. Reed brought into the firm, the partners must have been desperate not to lose her. Losing clients was never good, especially influential ones like Mrs. Reed.

“I do wish you the very best, my dear,” the charming lady told Libby.

“I know you do. And if you ever feel that you want my legal advice please feel free to contact me.” Libby enjoyed Mrs. Reed and would do anything she could to help her.

Right away she called Phillip, but his cell went straight to voice mail. Thankfully Robin was available. She met her at the Starbucks closest to the courthouse. They each ordered a skinny vanilla latte and sat in the corner with their heads together.

Robin listened intently as Libby relayed the events of the afternoon.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Her friend was outraged on Libby’s behalf when she told of the meeting with Hershel and what she’d learned about Sarah. “I hardly know what to say.”

“I thought of her as a friend.” Libby remained stunned. “Sarah’s the only one who knew I intended to speak to Mrs. Reed. It had to have been her.”

All Robin could do was shake her head.

Libby was tired of all this. It’d been a busy week. It seemed like more had happened in this one week than in the last five months combined.

“How are you?” Libby asked her friend. Her true friend. She knew it’d been difficult for Robin to return to work, especially when it meant seeing Roy Bollinger every day. Only later did Robin tell her about Roy’s visit to the condo the day she’d phoned in to work sick.

“I’m okay,” Robin said without meeting Libby’s eyes.

Libby cocked her brow, unsure she should believe her.

Robin lowered her voice. “I saw Roy at the office.”

“Did you speak?”

Robin shook her head. Her eyes softened as she spoke. “But I wish we had.”

“Oh, Robin.”

“It’s better this way. I just never believed he’d be interested in me and now that he is …” She left the rest unsaid.

“Just remember what you’ve told me all through this long period of unemployment.”

“What?”

“That eventually everything will right itself.”

“I said that?”

Libby grinned. “Any number of times.”

Robin smiled, too. “I didn’t know I could sound so wise.”

But she was wise, wonderfully so, and Libby treasured her.

Libby sat in her small office and arranged her desktop. Everything was neat and orderly, just the way she liked it. She’d already gotten two business calls. One she’d rejected outright. It was from a friend of a friend who was looking for an attorney to get him out of a speeding ticket—his third that year. Libby happily referred him to another attorney.

The second call showed promise. The referral had come from Abby Higginbotham at Seattle General. Libby made an appointment to visit the couple the following afternoon to talk about estate planning and setting up a trust fund for their two grandchildren. They had already talked to a number of financial advisers but were looking to get advice from someone who didn’t have anything financial to gain from their investments.

Libby phoned the hospital to thank Abby.

“Hey, no problem. They’re friends of my husband’s family. Really wonderful people.”

They chatted for a few more minutes and exchanged a bit of hospital gossip. Libby ended the call when she was buzzed by her shared receptionist.

“Yes,” Libby said.

“There’s someone here to see you. She said she didn’t have an appointment.”

“Ah, sure.” A client was a client. Libby left her desk and opened her office door to find Casey Goetz sitting in the waiting area. The teen flipped through a magazine until she noticed Libby.

“Casey?”

“Oh, hi.” Casey set aside the magazine, stood, and, with an I-told-you-so smile at the receptionist, followed Libby into the office. “Mom said you’d gotten your own office. Cool.” She looked around the room and nodded as though she approved.

Libby had been talking to Ava every couple of days on the phone just to make sure everything was okay. Ava’s doctor appointment was scheduled for early the following week—the earliest date the social worker had been able to get.

“Casey, this is a nice surprise. I understand you’re here on official business. What can I do for you?”

Casey looked surprised, as though it should be apparent. “I’ve come to hire you.”

Well, this was certainly interesting. Libby sat down and Casey took a chair, too. “Are you having legal troubles?” Libby asked, half-joking.

“No, I’m actually here on Ava’s behalf.”

“Of course.” Libby was grateful that Ava had a friend like Casey. She knew they chatted nearly every day after Darlene Carmichael left for work. “How can I help you … and Ava?” Libby inquired.

Casey sat up straighter. “We talked and Ava has decided that she wants to give the baby up for adoption.” She reached for her purse and took out her wallet. “Ava thought it might cost money. I have my allowance saved up so I told her I would pay you … if necessary.” She held on to her purse with both hands.