Justine
I never expected to be one of those girls. The ones who can juggle school and work and a relationship. But somehow, here I am.
I stare up at the supreme court building and then glance down at my watch. The bus dropped me off five minutes ago, but I’ve been using the time to gather my nerves.
I have to tell Justice Grant that I’m going to pay him back. He responded to my e-mail with this time to meet and discuss, so now I have to explain to him why I can’t keep letting him pay my tuition without making it a loan. I didn’t walk into this situation looking for a handout, but his offer was too good to turn down.
That was before everything changed. I can have everything I want, the guy and my degree, but I’m going to have to work for them both.
Good thing I’m no stranger to hard work.
Squaring my shoulders, I give myself one final pep talk before I head inside with my newly drafted contract in my bag.
He will understand, and he’ll respect me for being so honest and forthright.
I need Justice Grant’s respect. It’s hard to explain, but it’s the truth. He’s the most upstanding man I’ve ever met, always leading by example.
I stride toward security and make my way through the hallways and up the stairs to his chambers. The door is open, so I enter without knocking.
“Justice Grant?”
The interior door opens, and he steps out. “Justine. Thank you for being so prompt. I have to say I’m confused by the message. Care to explain what’s going on?”
Sucking in a deep breath and releasing it slowly, I spill everything, starting with the most important fact.
“I think I’m falling in love with your son.”
Justice Grant’s eyes go wide. “Is that so?”
I nod. “More than likely. I’ve . . . I’ve never felt like this before, and I know it’s crazy and complicated and I have no idea what else to call it. So yes, sir, I think that’s what’s happening.”
I’ll never win an award for the most elegant declaration, but it’s sincere.
“I see.”
“So that changes things, as I’m sure you understand. I can’t take the money for tuition unless it’s a loan. What you’ve already paid and whatever you pay from here on out.” I freeze, not having considered another possible option. “That is, if you keep paying. I guess this could change everything.”
He smiles at me, his expression as kind as always. “Ryker got an A on his Professional Responsibility midterm when I know damn well Babcock wanted to knock him down a peg after that stunt he pulled the first week of class. If you think I don’t know how he found the motivation to study hard enough to earn that grade, you must not think I’m very smart.” He nods to the two chairs in a conversational arrangement in his chambers. “Let’s sit down.”
I settle into a chair and Justice Grant takes the one angled toward it.
“I think I understand where you’re coming from, but I’m here to tell you that I consider whatever is happening between you and my son to be completely separate from our arrangement.”
I exhale, glad he’s not whipping out a scarlet letter to pin to my shirt. “I’m glad you feel that way, but I think you understand why I feel differently.”
He leans forward, his elbows on his knees, and for the hundredth time I wish that I’d had a father like him growing up. How different would my life have been? But then again, I wouldn’t be me. I don’t know if I would appreciate everything I’ve achieved and feel as proud as I do.
Especially right now, as I pull a new contract from my bag and lay it on the Battle of Iwo Jima book on the small table between the chairs.
“What’s this?” Grant sits up and picks up the contract.
One thing they don’t teach you in law school is how to do actual legal work, like draft contracts. So I taught myself using the contract he’d drafted . . . and Google.
Grant’s gaze moves across the words, and I’m holding my breath, hoping I didn’t screw this up.
He flips over to the second page and then the third. I included all the boilerplate contract stuff he did, including the confidentiality clause I already technically violated by telling Merica. Does that mean I’m going to be a terrible lawyer?
His blue eyes, a few shades darker than his son’s, rise to meet mine. “You put some serious thought into this, didn’t you?”
“Yes, sir. But, I’ll be perfectly honest, I have no idea how to draft a loan agreement. I just gave it my best shot. If there are things that need to be fixed, I’m happy to make the changes if you just tell me what to write.”
He’s digesting my explanation, but a small smile pulls at his lips. “You’re going to be one hell of a lawyer, but the first thing you have to learn is never tell the opposing party you don’t know what you’re doing. Act like you’ve done this a hundred times. Confidence will take you further than any other skill you learn in law school.”
I nod, soaking up his wisdom just like I did when I clerked in these chambers during my externship. “Duly noted. If you have any suggested revisions, I’m willing to take them into consideration.”
His smile widens. “Better.”
Justice Grant stands and walks to his desk, retrieving a gold pen. He crosses something out, and it takes all the willpower I have not to get up and stare over his shoulder to see what he’s changing. A few moments later, he comes back and hands it to me.
I read his familiar handwriting, interpreting the semi-illegible scrawl that I’ve missed seeing.
He crossed out the interest rate and payment terms and replaced them with something much more favorable to me.
I glance up. “Are you sure? This isn’t a very good investment for you, sir.”
“Can you live with the terms?”
When I nod, he hands me the pen. “Then your signature is all that’s missing.”
I flip to the signature page, and sure enough, his is already there.
I lift my gaze to his once more, the gold pen weighing heavily in my hand. “Are you sure?”
“The best investment I can make is in the minds of the next generation. You’re a smart girl, Justine, and more than that, you’re genuine, honest, and kind. You could’ve just taken the tuition and not paid it back, and I wouldn’t have been disappointed. But this shows me even more about your character, and I hope my son is smart enough to keep you happy and never let you go.”
His words of approval warm me from the inside out. I scrawl my signature on the line.
He settles himself back in the chair and says, “Now, let’s talk about getting you a job that will pay you enough so you can meet your obligations. Where are you working now?”
“The business school library.”
“How would you feel about taking a clerk position at a firm? You’d be doing research, reading cases, and writing memos, similar to what you did here, but they’ll pay you at least double what you’re getting paid by the university. The work will be interesting.”
“Which firm?”
“Grant Bentham Beckett.”
Where Ryker’s mom works.
“Oh, wow. I never considered that as an option. Is your wife back home from working on her project?” I can’t imagine a more awkward way to meet Ryker’s mom than in her place of work with no warning.
“No, she won’t be back for a couple more weeks. You’d be working for a small group of appellate litigation attorneys who desperately need the help right now. I had actually planned to ask you if you were interested in the job after your externship, but I knew you were going to Legal Aid for the summer. Is that still your plan after graduation?”
“Yes, if I can find an opening somewhere.”
“Then working at the firm for the rest of the year will help you pay off a good bit of this loan before graduation. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that you’re not going to make much at Legal Aid.”
“I know, but it’s not about the money for me.” And it wasn’t. It never has been.
Justice Grant’s smile is sincere, but I can tell he thinks I’m partially an idiot for not looking for a higher-paying job.
“It’s admirable, for sure. They need good lawyers just like everyone else. So, how do you feel about handing in your notice to the library and starting at the firm next Monday?”
Today’s Monday, so that’s only a week’s notice. I feel bad about it, but the offer he’s made me is not only interesting, but will help me pay off a chunk of the loan before I graduate.
“How much will they pay?” I ask, needing to hear an actual number before I accept.
When he gives it to me, I school my expression not to show my shock. It’s not just twice what I make at the library—it’s over three times as much. I quickly calculate in my head, realizing I’ll be able to get a good head start on knocking out this debt before I even graduate. And if Justice Grant says the work would be interesting, I believe him.
“Okay, I’m interested.”
“Great. I’ll make a call and have HR and the chair of the practice group e-mail you the details.”
“I don’t need to interview?” I’m shocked that it could possibly be this easy.
Grant shakes his head. “They’ll accept my recommendation in place of an interview.”
It always comes down to who you know . . . But in this instance, I’m not complaining.
“Thank you, sir. I’ll watch for the e-mail.”
We both stand and I shoulder my bag. He’s walking me to the door in the outer chambers when he adds, “I’d like to keep this new arrangement between us still, but if you want to tell Ryker about the job, feel free.”
I keep my voice calm and steady, but inside I’m cringing. Should I argue that we need to tell him everything? I glance up at Justice Grant, and I can’t find the words to question him.
“Okay . . . if you think that’s best.”
“I do. For now, anyway. Especially given the confidentiality clause you kept in your agreement.”
As soon as I’m out of the office, I’m kicking myself. Why did I include the confidentiality clause? Did some part of me want to put off telling Ryker? Clearly, his dad doesn’t want him to know yet.
The guilt I’d just hoped to banish creeps back in.
It’s not forever, Justine. He just said—for now. Everything’s going to be fine.
I keep telling myself that for the next half hour as the bus takes me home.