Chapter 3

three

. . .

Easton

One week.

One week of Henley Holloway winning over every single person in the office.

That had not been expected.

First, she’d moved herself out to the cubicles with the others.

Then she’d brought donuts to work the following day.

I’d expected everyone to be tough on her, but a goddamn cake donut with a few sprinkles on it had won these bastards over.

Joey Barker was all over her. The dude’s cubie was right beside hers, and he was an ass-kisser by nature. Add in the fact that she was fucking gorgeous, and he was putty in her hands. It pissed me the hell off.

I’d fact-checked her LSAT score, and she’d told the truth.

She’d received a perfect fucking score on that test. I ended up looking over her résumé, and her bar exam was equally impressive. She’d been in the top one percent.

Our scores had been similar, but she’d edged me out on the LSAT, while I’d edged her out on the bar exam. I wasn’t used to anyone scoring higher than me. I was intrigued. There was no way that her last name could have helped her score on either of those exams.

The woman was clearly smart, as she’d crushed everything that I’d thrown at her these last few days. And I’d thrown a lot at her.

Cases that didn’t appear to have loopholes, she’d found them.

Cases that seemed to be dead ends, she’d see something no one else saw.

Cases that had no business going to court, she’d found a reason to fight for the client.

Henley Holloway had not gone to Harvard because of her last name. She hadn’t graduated first in her class because she was the granddaughter of a man who donated a ton of money to that school.

She was a brilliant attorney. One who’d barely begun her career.

A career that I was mentoring at the moment.

So, I’d push her, because she had the potential to be better than she probably even realized.

I glanced out the glass walls of my office to see Joey Barker’s chair pulled over on the edge of her cubicle. Again. That shit annoyed me for reasons that I couldn’t explain.

I picked up my office phone and called Rosie. “Tell Henley I need to see her.”

“She’s helping Joey with a case that he’s struggling with.”

The dude was following her around like a puppy, and it bugged the fuck out of me. She had that kind of light around her, and people in the office had quickly assessed that she was smarter than them, so they were going to try to ride her coattails.

“Is Joey her mentor? Does she answer to him?”

Rosie chuckled. “Nope.”

“Great. Then we’re on the same page. Send her in now.”

“You got it, boss.”

“You know I hate when you call me that.”

“I thought you hated being called Shark?” She chuckled.

I rolled my eyes. “I prefer you just call me by my actual name. I don’t need a handle to prove that I’m the best.”

“Spoken like the cocky bastard you are.”

“Hey, if the shoe fits.” I paused.

“Fair enough, Mr. Chadwick.”

I rolled my eyes because she knew I preferred her to call me Easton, and I groaned into the phone. “Just send her in, Rosie.”

She laughed, and I ended the call. I looked over the files that Henley had left for me this morning. She arrived early every single day. So early, that now I was coming to the office earlier because I was always the first one here.

I liked it that way.

The knock on the door came quickly, and I called for her to come in.

“You beckoned?” She smirked because she was a smartass, even when she clearly tried to tamp down her irritation with me.

My gaze moved over her cream-colored dress that ended just below her knees. There shouldn’t be anything sexy about this outfit. It was perfectly professional. In fact, if anyone else had worn it, I wouldn’t have taken a second glance.

But Henley Holloway could be wearing a paper sack, and she’d manage to look like a fucking runway model. And that shit pissed me off, too. I was here to work. I didn’t have time to be distracted by my understudy.

My boss’s daughter.

“Take a seat.”

She sat down in the chair on the other side of my desk, crossing one long, tan leg over the other.

Is she fucking with me?

I sat back in my chair and looked up to meet her sapphire blue gaze. She had a little speckle of freckles over her nose, she wore very little makeup, and her plump lips were hard not to stare at.

But I was a man who could handle a challenge.

“What’s up? I was helping Joey with something, but Rosie said it was urgent.”

I raised a brow. “You don’t work for Joey.”

“I’m aware. But we’re coworkers.”

“I think you’ve made your point by leaving your office and working in the cubicles.”

“Made my point?” She raised a brow.

“Yes. You’re one with the people. I get it. They get it. But you don’t owe Joey or any of them anything. He has been here for months, and he works with Carver Thomas. He needs to figure it out on his own or go to the man he answers to,” I said.

I’d been shocked when she’d decided to forgo the office and work out of a cubie. Like I said, the woman was full of surprises.

“I thought we were a team here.”

“To an extent. You and I are on the same team. Joey is on a team with Carver. That’s who he should be going to for help.”

She shifted in her chair the slightest bit, and her dress rode up, exposing more of her lean leg, and I reached for my coffee. I needed to do something with my hands because I had the sudden urge to run my fingers over the skin of her silky thigh.

“Well, we all work for the same firm.” She quirked a brow. “But I’ll be more conscientious.”

“Listen, if I’m not giving you enough work, I’m happy to give you more.” I set my mug down.

“You give me plenty,” she said. “And I’ve finished everything you’ve asked of me, yet you’ve given very little feedback. As my mentor, aren’t you supposed to tell me how I’m doing?”

“Do you need to have your ego stroked, Princess? Didn’t you get a perfect fucking score on your LSAT? I would guess your ego is just fine.” I leaned forward, rolling up the sleeves of my dress shirt and resting my forearms on the desk. Her eyes flicked there before moving back up to meet my gaze.

“I don’t need my ego stroked,” she said, her eyes on mine, and for whatever reason, my dick thought that was sexy as shit and sprung to life.

I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. “What is it that you need to hear from me?”

“I just want to know if I’m meeting your standards.”

She was fucking exceeding my standards. But telling her that wouldn’t do her any favors.

“You’re doing well, Henley. You have a good eye.”

Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and the move was so sexy I nearly came right there.

What the fuck is this about?

I didn’t lose control around women.

I obviously hadn’t been out in a while, as I’d been working ridiculous hours.

“Thank you.”

I needed her out of my office. Now.

“You can leave.”

She startled the slightest bit. “Oh. Okay. I thought you called me in here.”

I turned my attention back to my monitor. She was a distraction, and I didn’t have time for distractions.

“I wanted to make sure that you knew we had work to do. You don’t have time to be helping Joey with his job. I just emailed you a few things that I need you to research for me.”

She didn’t leave, and I could feel her watching me. “You called me in here to tell me that I shouldn’t be helping Joey?”

I glanced over at her. “Correct.”

“You could have just called.”

“I wanted to grace you with my presence,” I said, motioning for her to leave.

She was so goddamn beautiful, and I hated that I noticed. I’d been around beautiful women more times than I could count—what was it about this one that had me all twisted up?

She shook her head and huffed before storming to the door.

She was irritated?

Good. Because whatever was going on with me could not be reciprocated. I needed to get laid and fast because I was a busy man, and I didn’t have time to deal with this shit, nor could I continue suffering from a bad case of blue balls.

I had work to do and this woman was so far under my skin, I couldn’t see straight.

She left my office, and I picked up my cell phone when it vibrated on my desk. There was a text from my sister, Emerson, that I opened first. There was a photo of her and Cutler, her fiancé Nash’s son, whom she was currently in the process of adopting. She sent a photo of the two of them sitting in the grass with their pup, Winnie.

I hearted the photo before opening my ongoing group text with my brothers and cousins. The six of us, seven with Emerson, had grown up together. My cousins had lived in the ranch house next door, and we were more like siblings.

League starts tonight. Be on time.

Bridger

You take this far too seriously. It’s fucking pickleball.

Clark

I have this short break from official practice, but I’ll be there because I can’t handle seeing you have one of your pickleball meltdowns.

Axel

Dude. None of us want to do this. You know we only do it for you. Are you sure you don’t want to retire the Chad-Six after our win last season?

That’s what they want us to do. We’re playing. I got us new shirts, too.

Rafe

Great. Matching fucking shirts. That’s reason enough to leave work early and get screamed at by Easton for an hour and a half on the courts.

A win will make it all worth it.

Bridger

No one cares, asshole. We’re doing it because you’re a whiney little bitch when we don’t do it.

Archer

Dude. Melody is sick. I was just about to text you. I can’t make it.

My cousin was a single father of the sweetest little girl on the planet. We were all crazy about her. It was the only excuse I’d ever tolerate for missing pickleball. Because Melody was my favorite girl.

Fuck. I’m sorry she’s sick. I’ll find a replacement. Give her a kiss from me. I’ll see all you other assholes at the club at 6:00 p.m. Bring your A-game.

A slew of middle finger emojis followed, and I laughed before getting back to work.

I rarely left work before six p.m.

There were only three things that I enjoyed outside of work.

Sex.

Time with my family.

And pickleball.

I spent the rest of the day buried in work. I ate lunch at my desk, had three conference calls, and I’d just wrapped up a phone call with a prospective client.

I glanced up to see Joey and Carver standing at Henley’s cubicle, laughing.

Do these fuckers not have work to do?

I picked up the file on my desk and made my way through my office as I yanked the door open.

Rosie’s head whipped up, and she started to speak, probably ready to say something snarky, but I stormed past her.

Joey turned to look at me as I approached, and he quickly shuffled his feet and moved around me. I didn’t say a word. Didn’t need to. The disdain in my gaze seemed to say plenty.

Carver raised his head and looked at me. “Hey, Easton. Just checking on our new girl. Making sure she’s enjoying her time here.”

“Ah, I forgot you got promoted to camp director. Let me know how that’s working out for you.”

He chuckled, but it was forced, and he didn’t hide his irritation. “Very funny. Just one lawyer being friendly to another. I’m on my way out. I’ll see you tomorrow, Henley.” He turned to glare at me as he walked away.

Her eyes widened as Joey held his hand up. “See you both tomorrow.”

“Bye,” she said, and I just crossed my arms over my chest and stared at her.

“Are you pleased with yourself?” she whisper-hissed.

“Well, they’re both gone, so yes, I am.”

Everyone else was slowly trickling out of the office and saying goodbye just as Rosie rounded out the group.

“See you tomorrow, boss,” she said, and I groaned at her choice of words again. She patted me on the back and winked.

“Bye. See you tomorrow,” Henley said as she turned back to her computer.

“Let’s call it a day,” I said, and she pivoted in her chair and faced me.

“Call it a day?”

“Yes.”

“I was going to keep working,” she said, looking at me like I had three heads. “You always stay late.”

“Not tonight. You’re coming with me. It’ll be good for you.”

“What will be good for me?”

“Getting out of this place. Come on. You’ll love it,” I said, heading toward my office to grab my keys and turn off the lights.

“Where is it that you think I’m going?” she asked, as she pushed to her feet and grabbed her purse and briefcase.

“The happiest place in Rosewood River,” I said, motioning for her to walk out ahead of me.

“I thought you said this was the happiest place in Rosewood River?”

I followed her outside. “This is one of them, but where I’m taking you gives it a run for its money.”

“You’re taking me somewhere?” She gaped at me.

I had been short with her all week. But we were working together, and she had proved herself and worked hard.

“Consider it a reward for a great first week.”

“Well, I walked to work today, so my car isn’t here.” She shrugged.

“Lucky for you, mine is. Get in, Princess.” I pulled the passenger door open, and she slipped inside my Tesla.

And for whatever reason, I was suddenly elated that Henley Holloway was coming with me.

I’d spent most of the week burying her in work and trying to avoid her, and now I didn’t want her to leave.