Tempting the Crown (The Crown 1)

“Give me just a minute, Meg. Or maybe five?” I pleaded.

“Sure thing.” She closed the door so I could collect myself.

I scrambled to find my writing tablet. I powered up my laptop and kicked off my Keds under my desk. I slipped into a pair of flats. I had a great plan to unpack a few boxes last night. I wanted to go through my clothes and organize my closet, but instead I walked the city with Vaughn. We talked. We held hands. We kissed under every monument constructed in this town.

It was like some kind of romantic walking tour.

I tried to wipe the plastered look of lust off my face before Meg tapped on the door with my first client.

“This is Mrs. Foley.”

“Thanks, Meg.”

I rose from the desk and skirted around to shake the woman’s hand. I guessed she was in her mid-twenties. She was dressed in a suit and carried a leather messenger bag.

“Have a seat,” I instructed her.

“Thank you.” She planted herself in front of me.

“I’m Emily Charles. Before we get started, I want to explain a few things about how this process works. As you know this is a clinic run by attorneys to help women in the community who may not otherwise be able to seek legal advice.” I said the same speech I had repeated yesterday to the women I saw. “Everything we discuss is confidential.”

She nodded. “I understand. I didn’t know where else to go. I-I need someone who isn’t … isn’t already bought.”

“This is a free service. There are no fees.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“All right. What brings you to the clinic, Mrs. Foley? Tell me.”

“I was fired from my job yesterday.” Her eyes were hard and her lips formed a thin line. She didn’t weep, and her voice didn’t crack.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” I started taking notes. “I assume you are here because you believe it was a wrongful termination?”

She nodded. “It is. One of my co-worker’s found out I was pregnant and told my boss.”

“And you were let go immediately?” I asked.

“Yes. Immediately.” She pressed her palms into the pleats of her skirt.

“Did you have any prior written warnings, any kind of verbal indication that your job was in jeopardy?”

“No.” She was crisp. “I haven’t even told my husband about the baby.” Her eyes locked on mine.

“Oh.” I placed my pen on the desk and stopped writing. “Did you tell him last night after you were let go?”

She shook her head. “I couldn’t.” She spun the solitaire diamond on her left ring finger.

The conversation was becoming delicate. “Mrs. Foley, if you are asking me to provide legal advice and possible representation for you, then I need to know the factors that led to your release. The first would be how someone at work would know about your pregnancy and not your husband.”

She looked me straight in my eye. “Because my boss is the baby’s father.”

“I see.” I took a deep breath. Complicated did not begin to describe the complexity of this case. There were going to be layers I needed to peel back.

“Mrs. Foley, wait just a second.” I walked around behind her and stuck my head out the door. Meg was writing down the name of the women as they walked into the lobby.

“Meg,” I called her toward me.

“What is it?”