Page 5 of Midnight & Mavericks

Her chest tightened with gratitude. “Thank you, sir. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. I’ll keep you updated.”

“Your father was a good man and an exceptional attorney. I owe him a great deal because of the help and hard work he put into helping me build this firm. It’s my pleasure to pay my dear friend back.”

“Thank you again,” Abbie said then left his office and rode the elevator back down, her mind raced with plans. She’d dig into Teddy’s offer, uncover the truth behind his motives, and figure out exactly what was happening at the ranch. One thing was certain: she wasn’t about to let anyone take advantage of her grandfather—or his legacy. Her legacy.

And if Teddy thought she was the same naive girl he’d dated all those years ago, he was in for a rude awakening.

Back in her office, her phone pressed to her ear again, she dialed her grampa’s number. This time he answered on the first ring like he’d been waiting for her to call. She smiled. He could always count on her.

“Hi, Grampa,” she said when he answered. “Don’t you worry. I’m coming home. I’ll be there tomorrow sometime depending on when I can get a flight there.”

“Oh, Abbie,” he said, his voice obviously breaking with emotions. “I hate that you’re having to leave your job for me. But I’ll be honest, I can’t wait to see you and…” His words trailed off.

“It’s okay. I can’t wait to hug you too,” she said, her words soft yet firm.

She hung up and slipped her phone into her pocket, her heart heavy but resolute. She could go home and figure out what was going on and then beat it back to work. She’d give it a week—ten days tops and she’d be back in her office polishing her new partner’s door plate.

A voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see Nathan Winters standing in her doorway, arms crossed and relaxed like he had absolutely nothing to do but flirt with the hired help—which he did often.

“Should I be jealous?” he asked, that ever-present grin lighting up his face with a hint of curiosity smeared across his forehead for good measure.

Abbie sighed. “Not in the mood, Nathan.”

His grin faltered, replaced by something that almost looked like concern. “I was hoping to take you out to celebrate your partnership, but it sounds like you’ve already got plans. I hope it’s not with that Will guy over at the District Attorney’s office. He’s not nearly good enough for you.”

“And you are I presume?” He seemed immune to her sarcasm no matter how many times she’d turned down his invites.

“Well, I mean.” He held out his arms and gave her that cheeky grin he was famous for like one look at him was enough to answer that question. She just rolled her eyes and started sorting through the stack of papers on her desk to figure out which junior attorney she could assign the cases to.

“Seriously, Abbie. If you need anything at all, just say the word.”

For once, he sounded sincere, and it threw her off balance. She studied him for a moment and tempered her response just in case he really was sincere—which she doubted. “Thanks, Nathan. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“And if you need to use me as your liaison while you’re gone, you know to manage your cases, I’ll be happy to fill in.”

“I think Missy is fully capable of managing things the short time I plan to be gone.”

“Missy doesn’t have the authority to persuade junior attorneys to behave the way I do.”

She looked up again at Nathan and watched his eyebrows rise and fall in tandem with that cheeky grin of his. As much as she wanted to ignore her boss’s middle son, she found herself shaking her head at him and grinning back. “You are incorrigible, you know that?”

He laughed and she could admit he was quite handsome in that college, spoiled frat boy sort of way. “I knew if I kept swinging long enough I’d crack that shell of yours, Miss Carter.”

“You haven’t cracked anything, Mr. Winters, but I can admit I do find your antics amusing—at times.”

“I’ll settle for amusing. For now.” She heard the promise in his tone and decided it was time to change the subject.

“I’m going home for a week or so and I expect you to have my caseload assigned and progressing. Understood?” She shoved the stack of folders across the desk toward him.

“Does this mean we’re going steady?” Nathan reached across her desk for the files pushing his expensive cologne into her personal space.

“Get out, Nathan,” she groused.

“All right. All right. You can’t blame a guy for trying, can you?” He grabbed the files and clutched them in his arms.

“Yes, I can. Now I’ve got to pack.” She ushered Nathan out of her office and locked the door behind her. She stopped off at Missy’s desk to inform her assistant of her own momentary lapse of judgment in letting Nathan have her files. “Keep an eye on him. He’s trouble.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll watch him. Besides, he’s only trouble for you. You know he’s got a huge crush on you, right?”

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