“Yes, Mr. Brady?” she asked through the speaker.
“Can you get together all the files on clients and cases that we are currently considering, and then take them over to Blaine’s office and give him the rundown?”
“Absolutely,” she said, hanging up the phone.
“Thanks, Anderson,” I said, walking out of the office.
I sat with Mary and listened as she listed the potential clients who needed help but didn’t have the financial ability to hire the firm full-time. I took the files and thanked her, making a stack on my desk to start looking through. I knew I would be on my own with these clients until I could prove it lucrative. Then, I could hire a team to help me with this aspect of the business. I sat there flipping through the files, reading their testimonies and figuring out who I needed to start with. Just talking about Josie in Anderson’s office got my brain hooked on her, and I had to put down the file because I couldn’t focus. I picked up my phone and sent her a text.
Blaine: I can’t stop thinking about how sexy you are.
I sat there for a minute, smiling to myself as I looked through the next file and waited for Josie to text back. When she replied, it was a blushing emoji face, and I laughed, shaking my head. I told her she was definitely not blushing last night. That sentence sent images of our hot and sultry bodies clashing against each other in ecstasy. The phone buzzed again, and I looked down at what she wrote.
Josie: I forgot to turn the ringer off on my phone. When you texted, all my students burst into laughter.
Blaine: Whoops!
I laughed to myself, picturing her standing at the front of her class and having the students laugh as her phone rang. Then, she picked it up and saw what I sent her. I could already picture the blush moving over her face and the students giggling in the background. She was so damn sexy, even pictured as a school teacher. Of course, I might be picturing her a bit differently than she actually looked up there. I doubt she wore a skirt with a thigh-high slit and left her blouse unbuttoned several buttons so her bra would peek through. I mean, every guy in history has had the naughty school teacher dream at least once in their adolescence. Now, I had the real thing. I thought about her day and looked over at the clock, wondering what she was doing at ten in the morning. I wasn’t even sure what grade she taught, so it was hard for me to know what her schedule would be like.
Blaine: You have plans for lunch?
Josie: I do. I tutor kids on my lunch break every day.
Blaine: You are perfect.
Josie: Lol. Hardly. How’s the first day at the office going?
Blaine: Good, I’m going through files.
Josie: Sounds like fun. I am waiting for the students to finish their tests. It’s a quiet day.
She was so adorable, and she’d just given me another reason to admire her. She taught school all day and then gave up her lunch break so she could tutor some more. I was curious as to what type of teacher she was. Was she the strict one, with lots of rules? Was she the cool one everyone liked? Or was she the sweet one that everyone wanted to hug? Something inside of me told me that she was most likely the sweet one that everyone wanted to hug. She was so caring and understanding that I could see her talking any kid down off a “sugar high, acting out as class clown” ledge. I bet the parents loved her, too, especially since she taught in a poorer area and paid a lot of attention to the students that were struggling. I couldn’t even start to imagine teaching a classroom full of snot-nosed little punks. On top of that, I knew just how difficult parents could be. I didn’t envy her at all. She was a stronger person than me.
Blaine: So, can I see you tonight?
Josie: Sure.
Blaine: Awesome, I’ll pick you up at seven if that’s okay.
Josie: Sounds perfect. Have a good day.
Blaine: You too, sweetness.
I smiled as I sent the message, feeling full of happiness but not wanting to look like a complete nutcase. I tossed my phone to the side and started going through every one of the files, really delving into their cases. I called the clients with any questions I may have had. All of them seemed worthy of our expertise, but I was going to have to pick the ones that needed attention right away. There was no way that I was going to be able to handle all of those cases at one time. There were a couple of them, though, that could wait, and I called them to go over the sliding scale my father had worked up before he passed. I figured if they agreed, I could let them know that their case would be dealt with, but that it was not due for quite a bit of time, giving me the ability to work on other cases that had to be handled immediately.
The day seemed to drag by, especially with me checking my phone every five seconds. But, despite my moments of regret where I wished I could take a nap, I put in a full day of work, not leaving the office until after five. I was proud of myself for weathering the storm and making my first day back really good. All but one of the files decided to go with the scale, and most of them expressed their excitement to have me as their attorney. I guessed the family name was useful for something more than just to impress other people in high society.
At the end of the day, I updated Anderson before jetting out of the office, heading home to change my clothes. I wanted the night to be chill, and all I was worried about was having Josie in my arms. The rest was just details. After I changed, I sped over to her house, parking out front and walking up to the door to greet her. I missed her and had only been away from her for half a day. I was starting to turn into a complete puss, but I didn’t care. I was crazy about the girl. I just couldn’t believe how deep my feelings had gotten for Josie in the span of a week. She was on my mind constantly, and she had this way of making me smile, even when I was struggling to make it through a day. I had never experienced feelings like those before, no matter what girl I was seeing.
The night before was absolutely amazing, and I loved every single second that I spent with Josie. As I reached the front door, I took a deep breath, really excited to see her. I could only pray that tonight turned out just as amazing, if not more than all the nights before that one. Things just kept getting better and better.
Chapter 12
Josie
I was extremely excited to see Blaine. I had been thinking about him all day. When he knocked on the door, I jumped up from the couch, ready to go. I opened the door and threw my arms around him, squeezing him tightly and feeling his arms around me. It had been a long day, and after I knew I was going to see him that night, I couldn’t help but
watch the clock. It ticked by so slowly, and when the final bell rang for school, I was up and out of there. I was so proud of him for going back to the firm and chasing his dreams. It was exactly what I knew was inside of him all along.