Fall From Grace

GRACE

Aknock on the door startles me from my deep dive into emails regarding whatever the hell Phillips was up to in Wilmington. I can only assume it was some woman’s ass.

Usually the other lawyers knock and then just walk in, so I am curious who is at the door.

I make my way to the door and open it to find a pretty redhead standing in the hall with a large reusable shopping bag in her hand.

“Can I help you?”

She smiles at me. “You must be Carson’s assistant. I’m Anna May, his sister-in-law.”

I smile at her Southern drawl that’s stronger than the rest of the people here. “Noah’s wife,” I answer and she nods. “Come in. I do have to let you know that Carson is in court today. I don’t know for how long.”

“Oh that’s fine. I just thought I would bring him some food. Noah said that he’s been in the office a lot and I know how that man eats. Like the rest of the Taylors. Take out all the time.”

I laugh at that. “They are all that way?”

She smiles at me as she sets the bag on the coffee table in front of the couch. “Yes. I think the only thing Noah could make when we first started dating was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And don’t get me started on Mason.”

“Well Carson has a penchant for steaks. A few times I have ordered him chicken or a salad because I fear the man eats too much red meat.”

Anna smiles at me as she takes a few Tupperware containers out of the bag. “At least he gets his vegetables when he orders steak. But you should see the family at family dinner night. Steaks nearly every time. His mom makes me chicken or fish so I don’t have to eat steak every week.”

“Well thank you for bringing him food. I’m sure he will appreciate it.”

She gives me a look like I must be joking. “He probably won’t but thanks for thinking he will. I let him know he needs to eat other food sometimes. I try to bring him food every other week whenever I am home and not in Nashville. And then on Mondays I pick the containers up at his house and most of the time they are still full.”

“Well he does work a lot. He is here nearly every day.”

She sighs. “The whole family is a bunch of workaholics. But I guess that is better than lazy assholes.”

“Noah works a lot?” I ask.

She nods. “As a detective, he can never let a case go. Kind of like Carson with a court case. Mason is always in his recording studio. And Hunter is always working at the hospital. It’s a miracle we can get him to come visit from Charleston. But ever since he and Faye had the baby, they do come up more. Their mom wants to see her first grandkid all the time.”

“I didn’t realize he had so many brothers.”

“Oh there are two more. Everett lives in California though. And then there is Asher, the most normal of the bunch when it comes to working, but he is so young he is still in his party phase. Hopefully he can make it through law school without incident.”

She takes a seat on the couch and I sit across from her. “What about you and Noah, any kids?”

Her hand goes to her stomach and I wonder if she is pregnant. “I wish. We’ve been trying but no luck.”

“You’re young. I’m sure it will happen soon.”

“We hope so!” We sit in silence for a minute. “So Noah says you are new in town? Owen’s sister?”

I nod. “Yeah I am just here temporarily. Until I can get back on my feet. Find a job somewhere.”

“What do you do? Besides work for Carson, which I am sure is terrible.”

I laugh. “He isn’t that bad. I put him in his place rather quickly when it came to me being his errand girl. I told him I would help with cases and maybe pick him up coffee or lunch when I needed some but I was not getting his dry cleaning or getting his car washed.”

“He made you do that? I was kidding. I mean he is a bit dominant. Most of the Taylor men are but he does have more humor than Noah.”

I raise a brow at her. “Humor? Maybe if he’s drunk.” I quickly take back the words since I am not supposed to know that. “Well I am guessing when he is drunk because he doesn’t have much humor when I am around.”

“Well now you know.” She hesitates. “I mean, I wouldn’t suggest getting him drunk but he does seem to behave a bit more loosely with a few drinks in him.”