Page 48 of Legal Attraction

“Of course, I’ll have their work assigned to Ms Taylor starting tomorrow.” He cleared his throat. “And Rand?”

“Yes.”

“It has not escaped out notice that there is a certain interest in Coral. We typically subtly frown on office relationships, but in your case, where you have regrettably not found someone as of yet to marry, we do think that she might be a healthy direction.”

Rand’s insides twisted in a churning hot mess, but he only nodded and tilted his head to the side as if the idea had not occurred to him. “I don’t usually consider such things while I’m working, honestly.”

“Or ever as far as we can tell. You are planning to one day settle down? We added you to our partnership with that understanding. You plan to be a family man?”

“I do, of course, some day with the right woman. We work a lot of hours. It is not the simplest thing to find a woman to marry…” He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation with anyone, most especially Mr. Goldstein. But here he was.

“Consider Coral. This new assignment might be just the trick.” He winked and Rand suddenly second guessed every amorous thought he’d had in his life. But instead of throwing up in his mouth, he smiled and stood. “Thank you, Sir. We will do our best with the Monroe Company certainly.”

“I would expect no less from either of you.”

He turned back toward Coral’s office and walked there as quickly as he could. Now that he had a legitimate work reason to talk with her, he was going to make the most of it.

ChapterNineteen

Coral jumped when Rand entered her office. “Oh my gosh.” She put a hand at her heart. “It is not a good day to startle me.”

He closed the door. “I apologize for scaring you. But you’re safer here than most places on earth. You might want to relax a little.” He rolled his eyes and then held up his phone. “Hey I have a new assignment for you and I hope you don’t mind, but I’m gonna take a phone call real quick too?”

“Uh.” She looked at her computer screen but then sighed and said, “Sure.” She was anxious for Rand to hear her message. It was as if he already knew they were surrounded by bad guys and being bugged all the time. He played the part well. Could she even trust him? She was reeling from everything she’d heard in the last four hours. She most desperately wanted to trust Rand.

“So, check your email. You should have received our travel plans and some files to look over. We both need to be familiar with those by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” She clicked open her email. “We’re flying to South Carolina?”

“Charleston.” He grinned. “Our newest client manufactures yachts, among other things.”

She felt her own smile grow. “And so we’re going to get a first-hand look at their products.”

“We are.”

“Me and you?”

He laughed. “Yes. I promise I had nothing to do with it.”

“Hm.” She felt happier and more relieved than she’d felt in the last six hours. “This is actually great news. And I should keep working on my current cases?”

“Oh yes, this will not be your only client. We just need to go spend a long weekend in Charleston getting to know a relatively new client to our firm. I don’t need to emphasize how important it is that we make a good impression.”

“Of course. And I don’t know if you know this, but I’m a regular regatta winner.”

“So you know your way around a yacht.”

“I do.”

“Excellent. Does your family by any chance own a Monroe yacht?”

“I’ll find out.” She made a note on her phone and then, almost hating to ruin the light mood, picked hers up. “Do you mind if I take this?”

“Not at all. I have a message on here I need to listen to.”

Coral knew what it was about to say. She knew he was about to listen to a full audio book of bad news from her. But she needed him to know, needed to see his face, needed his help. She replayed the message in her mind while he listened.

Rand. We are being bugged. Everywhere. At home, in our cars, in our offices. Never say anything you don’t want the Firm or the Client to hear. My visit with Muskanza went well today. They warned me against the firm. They seemed like good normal people, except for one thing. My security detail was compromised. I lost contact with them and they arrived to pick me up at a new location without talking to me at all. Muskanza arranged it. I can’t trust my team.

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