Page 80 of Indiscretion

“Oh my God.” Naomi covered her face. “You are so embarrassing.”

Frannie winked at me. “Just wanted to make sure she couldn’t usemeas an excuse.”

“I appreciate that.”

“I don’t!” Naomi said. But there was a smile in her eyes.

Frannie disappeared back into her apartment, and I wrapped an arm around Naomi’s waist. “I didn’t think tonight would end in a sleepover. I mean, I was hoping, but didn’t think it would happen.”

“No one said it’s happening.”

I started us walking. “Oh, it’s happening.”

***

Eleven Madison Park overlooked Madison Square Park. You can tell how high-end a restaurant is in New York City by the amount of space between tables. I bet we wouldn’t even be able to hear the conversation of the people next to us in this place. Soaring ceilings made the room feel bigger than it probably was, and giant, multi-paned windows brought the lit-up outside City inside. The maître d’ showed us to our white-linen-topped table, and I waved him off to pull out Naomi’s chair myself. After, we ordered a bottle of wine.

“I can’t believe you got a reservation at this place. Simon tried to get one, and he said the wait was more than three months.”

Simon. Fuck him.Though I felt a swell in my chest for being able to do something that dope couldn’t. I hoped there would betwothings he couldn’t make happen by the end of the night… “Apparently Simon didn’t try hard enough.”

Naomi smiled. She took the napkin from the table and laid it across her lap. “How did your day go? Were you able to get Mr. Langone’s files back?”

“I got an injunction to stop the feds from opening the boxes they packed up, but they still have possession—at least until we have a hearing on my motion next week. Thanks for that case, by the way. I used it. It saved me a lot of time researching.”

“Glad I could help.”

“Can I ask you something about your disbarment?”

Her face fell. “Sure.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring your head down. But I was doing some research and read that disbarred attorneys can regain their license in some states by filing a petition for reinstatement after a certain amount of time, usually like three to five years. And you can also apply for your license in one state even if you’re disbarred in another.”

“Do you have a client who was disbarred?”

“No.”

“So you were doing that research for…”

I shrugged. “Out of curiosity. It just seems unfair that you can never practice again. Even criminals who are sent to prison get a second chance after serving their time.”

Naomi sighed. “I can apply, but my attorney said my chances are not the best. You have to demonstrate awareness and acknowledgment of the wrongdoing that caused the disbarment. He suggested I take some anger-management classes and try to make amends, then apply in a few years. But you have to go through a reinstatement proceeding, which is basically like a trial where I would have to testify, and I can’t imagine ever being able to stand there and say I regret my actions and feel remorse for what I’ve done.”

“I get it. But if it gets you your license back…”

“After everything happened last year, I really struggled to move forward. The only way I found I could do it was taking things day by day. Right now, working as a paralegal is all I can do, so I’m trying to make the best of it and not dwell on what could’ve been. I have years before I can do anything. A lot could change, so I’ll see where my head is then and where life takes me when the time comes.”

“Got it. Let’s change the subject.”

Naomi smiled. “Thank you.”

“How about I tell you how beautiful you look instead?”

“You already did that.”

I couldn’t remember the lame word I’d used, but whatever I’d said wasn’t nearly enough to let her know what I’d thought when I saw her tonight. “Your nephew and sister were in the room, so I had to make my comments PG.”

“And now you want to give me the R-rated version?”

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