Etching Our Way (Broken Tracks 1)
I wait for all of the lights to turn on before walking inside and looking around at the fancy but stark interior. There’s a sleek, white desk with the firm’s name scrawled across it in front of me with the same woman from earlier sitting behind it. I walk over to her and she smiles at me.
“Hi, I have an eight o’clock appointment with Cole… sorry, he didn’t give me his last name.”
She taps the keyboard in front of her. “Of course, Mrs. Valentine. He’s not arrived yet, but if you take a seat in the waiting area, I’m sure he’ll be here soon. Can I get you a coffee or something else to drink?”
“I wouldn’t mind some water if it isn’t too much trouble,” I reply.
“I’ll bring it right out for you,” she says, pointing to a seating area to her left.
I sit down in the black leather chair and watch as the front door opens, men and women in suits filing in one by one. I tear my eyes away from them, suddenly feeling nervous as the woman at the front desk approaches me with a glass of water, placing it on the table in front of me.
“Can I get you anything else?”
“No, thank you.”
“Mr. Cole just walked in so I’m sure he’ll be out in just a minute.”
Mr. Cole? “Okay,” I manage out, clearing my throat. “Okay, thank you.”
My throat is suddenly so dry that I have to take a sip of the water, but I struggle to swallow it as my eyes meet the cheeky grin of the man that is walking toward me. His green eyes sparkle in amusement and I stand shakily, watching as his gaze rakes down my body. It should make me feel uncomfortable, but it doesn’t; I know this man all too well.
“Harmony Jameson, you’re looking good.”
A smile breaks me out of the shock of seeing him again after all these years. “Well, if it isn’t Nathan Cole, the heartbreaker.”
He chuckles and hesitates, not knowing whether to hug me or shake my hand. He goes for the safer, more professional, option of shaking my hand, and I take it gladly—if a little apprehensive.
“I had an inkling it was you over the phone, can’t forget your singsong voice,” he says, scanning my face before shaking his head and clearing his throat. “Anyway, would you like to follow me down to my office?”
We walk along a winding hallway that curves around the building and he points to a red track on the edge. “I wouldn’t stand on that if I were you.”
Just as I jump off, two men come running past us and my mouth hangs open. “What…”
He chuckles and points toward a row of doors, waving me inside as he holds the third one open.
“We try to make the workplace fun. We’re sitting in offices most of the time, so keeping up our health and fitness is a big priority. It was actually one of our interns that came up with the idea for the run around.”
I walk into the spacious office that is fitted with bookcases along the walls and a dark, mahogany desk sitting in the middle of the room. “Makes sense. I bet it’s great for morale.”
He nods. “Won more cases than ever due to all the new changes. Anyway, sit, sit.” He points to a chair in front of his desk, so I sit down tentatively. Now the shock of seeing him has worn off, I’m not sure having him as my attorney is such a good idea since we used to be so close.
“Harmony Jameson,” he says again, chuckling and shaking his head. “How are you?”
I look around his office, mumbling, “Obviously not doing as well as you.”
He barks out a laugh and undoes the button on his suit jacket, sitting down in his chair on the other side of the desk. “I haven’t seen you since…” He trails off. “College.”
The inseparable four.
I clear my throat, not wanting to think back to that time. “Yeah. I moved away for a while, but I’m back now.”
He nods, his brow furrowing before he shakes his head, his expression changing to all business. “So, you’re having problems with your husband?”
“Yes.” I squirm in my seat.
He leans forward, his arms braced on the desk in front of him. “If you’re uncomfortable with me being your attorney, I can find someone else in the firm that—”
“No, it’ll take some time to get used to but honestly… I don’t want to wait for somebody else to have the time to fit me in.”