Page 32 of The Interns

“Of course, buddy.” Dev tapped his plastic souvenir cup against Reed’s. “Only person I’d rather spend it with is my wife.” He cringed as soon as the words came out of his mouth. “No offense.”

“None taken when it comes to Willa.”

Reed put his feet on the back of the empty seat in front of him, and leaned back as he returned his attention to the Braves game down on the field.

“I’m looking forward to the day when we can both take a night off.”

“That’s gotta be soon,” Reed said as he seamlessly shifted his focus back to his friend. “You two have done wonders with the restaurant. It’s more crowded than I’ve seen it in years.”

“Yeah, it’s going well.”

The crack of the bat momentarily derailed their conversation as they both tracked a long fly ball soaring over center field.

“Get, get, get!” Reed urged, trying to will the ball over the wall for a home run, but it fell short landing in the center fielder’s glove for the third out of the inning. “Damn it. Sorry, you were sayin’?”

“We’re close to being able to hire a part-time cook and bar manager. That will change everything for us,” Dev continued as the Braves took the field to start the second inning.

“Well, in the meantime, I’m happy to help if you ever need a night off. I can’t cook like you, but I am more than capable of cracking open a beer.” He started to laugh at the thought of actually running the bar for a night, but was as sincere as could be. For Willa and Dev? He’d do it. Or try at least.

“That could be great for business, actually.” A mischievous smile formed on Dev’s lips. “Start a Ladies’ Night and have the most eligible bachelor in Clayville guest bartend?”

“Let’s not get carried away now.” Reed’s cheeks flushed as he backpedaled. “Anyway, you know Willa would have no part in that.” She’d never go for a gimmick like that, even if she was the one who was always trying to set him up on dates with the handful of eligible women left in Clayville.

“I know, but it’d be something if she did. How are things going with the internship?”

“Much better, actually. The case we’re working on turned out to be an interesting one. It hits close to home.”

“I’d ask, but I know you probably can’t talk about it.” The confidential nature of Reed’s work was something Dev was accustomed to at this point, so he’d learned not to probe. “And the people?”

“Also better.” Reed smiled to himself. “My partner’s sharp. Fun to work with.”

“Partner?”

“Sorry, old habit. My fellow associate. She turned out to be alright.”

“She?” Taking a page straight out of his wife’s book, Dev’s interest was piqued by the revelation. “You never mentioned that.”

“There’s nothing to mention, trust me,” Reed said, holding up a hand to tell him to settle down. Dev didn’t even know the half of it when it came to the strict boundaries Maya had put in place, and he certainly wasn’t going to tell him about the effect she’d been having on him lately. “We’re not even friends. Just co-workers. Totally professional.”

“Fair enough,” Dev allowed, dropping the subject easily, and returning his attention to the game.

12

Maya

Sydney blotted her lips with a napkin and sighed contentedly as she looked down at her plate which was empty save for a puddle of fatty drippings from the burger she’d just devoured, the burnt, crispy ends of a few fries, and a red streak of ketchup. “I really needed this. Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” Maya glanced down at her own empty plate. The pleasure was really all hers. She wiped her mouth and hands, laid her napkin across the plate, then lifted her glass of water from the bar and took a sip.

“I can put up with a fair amount of shit, but today was my breaking point,” Syd said.

Turns out she was dealing with her own true boys’ club. Of the group of six summer associates, all were men and had been assigned cases already, except for her and the guy who had the balls to show up late everyday citing Atlanta traffic as if he was the only person dealing with it. He got a high-profile murder case today because they were afraid it would be “too much” for her, the lone woman in the group. As if.

“Well maybe the next case that comes up will be better than the one you lost out on.”

Sydney gave her a look. “Like a double homicide?”

“Okay, hopefully not, but you know what I mean. Something interesting. Something that allows you to dig deep and use your talent and passion for good.”

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