Page 3 of Hooked on Lane

“No offense, but I hope you’re on a plane instead. Have a good weekend.”

A top-notch law firm offered me a partnership position in New York City. I should be elated, already accepting, but my mother needed me. When my father passed, her health declined, and now I’m all she had.

As I held the offer letter in my hands, I wanted to seize this opportunity, but now was not the time to be selfish. My mother made so many sacrifices for me growing up, and I owed her the same. She was my biggest supporter, and if I moved away, I could only visit her, what, twice a year.

Turning it down was the right decision. My mother needed to be my priority. Experience had taught me that sometimes the greatest things in life were not the things achieved or gained, but the people we could love and care for. There was no definitive time frame for my mother’s Parkinson’s. The symptoms would continue to get worse over time, and every weekend I could like this one, I made the drive out to Sikita to visit.

On the road trip over to her, I listened to a playlist my dad sent me before he passed. It was all his favorite songs and the easiest way to honor his memory with every trip. The three-hour drive went by in a flash and I pulled into the Home Away from Home center. If my mother was coherent today, she would wait by the door for me. The first couple of times, the night carenurses made a big deal since it was late, but when they heard about my situation, they apologized.

When I pulled in and got out, I saw her waiting by the entrance. So today’s a good day. “Hey, Mom.” She enveloped me into a hug that was so tight I could feel her heartbeat against mine. She held me for a moment and then pushed me back to get a good look.

“Let’s go to your room. It’s late.” I grabbed one of her hands and led her toward her room so we wouldn’t wake anyone.

As soon as the door closed, she started in. My mother always wanted to know how the job was going, if I had met anyone yet, typical mother fashion. “No, I'm still single. Who has time to find someone? I spend most of my days in the office and then sleep when I can.”

“Oh honey, you need to remember that your life is going to go by, and you will wake up one morning, old and gray, and regret all the things you wish you had done.”

“I’ll have more time to focus on my personal life soon. Speaking of, I got an offer to become a partner. Don’t worry, Mama. I’m not taking it.” I opened a bag of chips from the gas station as my stomach growled.

“Why would you do that? You have been working yourself to death.”

“It’s a wonderful offer, but you mean more to me than any partnership ever will. New York City is too far away. I’m not leaving you behind.”

The effects of her Parkinson’s had worsened, and she sometimes could not leave her bed. I would love to scoop her up and take her with me, but it wasn’t an option. Especially if I didn’t know if it was going to end up being permanent. She loved this home and the nurses. I couldn’t do that to her.

She held my gaze for a few moments before a faint sigh escaped her lips and she shook her head. “Son, don’t hinder yourlife because of me. You will have a whole life after I’m gone and you shouldn’t be sidestepping opportunities like this because of your sick mother. Go chase your dreams, just like your daddy taught you.”

I gripped her hands in mine. “Daddy wouldn’t have wanted to leave you alone here. I already hate living hours away, and if I take it, I can’t come visit every weekend like now. It’s thousands of miles away.”

“I can handle knowing you are living your dream, son. I was stuck in that small town all my life and you have the chance to go to one of the best cities… please take it. If not for you, then for me.” She wrapped her arms around me. “I’m so proud of you, son. Even as a young boy, you had the dream of becoming an excellent lawyer and making partner one day. Your daddy would be so proud of you. Go pack your bags and book your ticket. I’ll see you again soon.”

She shoved me out of her room, and a dutiful son never argued with his mother. With purpose in my step, I walked out to my car and dialed the number on the offer, leaving a message that I was ready to accept and booked my flight the next day.

New York City, here I come.

Chapter Three

Jennifer

The clock on my desk read 8:02 a.m. and Mr. Longford usually arrived by eight. After ten years as his assistant, it took something serious for him to miss work or be late. I grabbed my phone to check in when he stepped he stepped through the doorway wearing his usual well-pressed navy suit, white shirt, and matching tie; his salt-and-pepper hair combed back. The other lawyers in this office were renowned for their short tempers and quick tongues, but not Mr. Longford; he was a gem.

I sprang from my chair, yellow Post-it notes rustling in my hands. “Good morning, sir. I left your messages for you on your desk.” My boss stood with a younger man in a navy suit and spoke without taking his eyes off him. “Jennifer, this is Mr. Kneeland, who will replace me. I’m ready to hang up my hat.”

My stomach tightened, and I fought to keep my fear from showing on my face.Why is he just now telling me?I put on a polite smile and offered him my hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

The man’s dark-brown eyes scanned over my body as if he were undressing me with his gaze. His rough hand grasped mine, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he said, “Pleasure is all mine.” I saw something pass between him andmy boss before he handed me a white paper cup. “I know how hard assistants work, so I brought this for you.” My gaze flicked over to Mr. Longford, and I tilted my head.

Coffee was a way into this girl’s good graces. Most of the workers here had their coffee delivered, but it was so expensive. “Thanks. I’ll leave you guys to work. Don’t forget your meeting at noon, sir. I’ll have the conference room set up by eleven thirty.”

Mr. Longford smiled, revealing a set of straight white teeth. “See, Lane, you won’t have anything to worry about, because Jennifer has things covered. I’ve never had to write her up. She’s a keeper.” He winked at me, and Lane’s eyes followed my every move as I walked behind my desk. My cheeks burned as I sat down in my chair, but then a wave of sadness washed over me as I thought of Mr. Longford’s impending departure.

Every Friday morning, he would have breakfast delivered to the office, and we’d settle in for an hour and go over the schedule for the upcoming week, and sometimes even share stories about our weekend plans. He listened to my ideas, and he had become like a father figure. The firm was lucky because he had a knack for calming down even the most difficult clients, and he knew which cases to refer to the newer partners who were looking to impress. I hoped Lane could carry on that same tradition.

Confusion and uncertainty bubbled in my chest as I tried to make sense of what this meant. He mentioned retiring before but hadn’t been specific about when. Whoever held the answers needed to provide them soon, so I could begin planning a retirement celebration worthy of his thirty-five-year legacy. An accolade he more than deserved.

The steam from the creamy latte warmed my hands as I slowly sipped it. I had a flutter of surprise in my stomach as I saw my name written on one side of the cup. I couldn’t be the only one who thought it was weird Lane brought me coffee. And hedidn’t just get any coffee; this cup was from the best café around—Coffee Chaos—the best coffee within a five-mile radius.

Everyone loved to fuss over the national chain that charges an arm and a leg for some fancy coffee, but they weren’t even close to being as good as Coffee Chaos. The small family-run café was a preferred spot by many of the locals. I liked my coffee to be bold and robust. The barista was always willing to accommodate my desire for extra shots of espresso, something that must have baffled her as she watched me leave the counter each time.

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