it next week? I need to get going,” she said. “My mom was good enough to babysit for me, but I can’t leave her with Rachel all night. It’s not too early for me to take off, is it?”
“Eight o’clock. You made your appearance and gave your speech. This is a perfect time to exit. Don’t say good-bye to anyone except Liz. Otherwise you’ll never get out of here. Nick’s quite a yapper when he’s had a few.”
Andi laughed. “Nick’s preoccupied with Monica. Haven’t you noticed that he’s been hitting on her all week? It looks like she might be caving in to his charm.”
“I’m sure he’s using his ‘I do this work because I want to see justice served’ line or some other bullshit to make her think he’s not just trying to get up her skirt. Are you good to drive?”
“I only had one beer that I’ve nursed for two hours.”
“Drive carefully. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He kissed her. Not a long one, more of a peck on the lips. He didn’t want to make a scene or give the guys ammo, but he wanted her to know how he felt about her.
Connie turned back to the bar to look for Mitch.
“Your little protégée did a nice job.”
Connie saw that Nick had come up behind him.
“She’s not even a lawyer and you give her more advice than you’ve ever given the rest of us.”
Connie didn’t like the tone of Nick’s voice. “I help out anyone who wants the help. Ask Mitch and Brendan how I taught them to prepare a case. It’s just that some people think they already know everything and don’t need any advice.”
“I’m not looking for your advice.”
“Then, what are you doing?” Connie moved closer to Nick, crowding him. He could smell the beer on his breath. He knew he should just step away.
“I’m just making an observation that you spend more time with Andi than anyone else. Maybe your relationship with her is getting in the way of your job. You’re the senior lawyer. You should be mentoring all of us. Not just the intern you happen to be fucking this week.”
Connie bumped him backward and Nick sprawled freely, barely managing to catch himself on a chair. “I’m going to ignore what you just said because you’ve had one too many. But if you ever say anything like that again”—Connie paused, trying to count to ten but only getting to four—“you’ll be one sorry fuck. I understand you might be jealous of Andi, but that’s no reason to get nasty.”
“Jealous?” Nick laughed. “What the hell would I be jealous about?”
“Maybe the fact that you suck as a lawyer? Maybe the fact that you’ve had ten trials and have yet to convict anyone? Then Andi walks in and on her first trial hooks the guy. If you want to start winning some trials, I’d be more than glad to take on another protégé.”
“Fuck you. Those cases I took to trial were dogs. I don’t care what the end result was. It’s not about wins and losses, it’s about justice.”
“Is that what you told Monica when she asked you about your record? That’s your standard line, isn’t it? You’re right about me not mentoring enough of the younger lawyers. I’m going to start with Monica right now. I think she’d be much better off learning from me. Don’t you think?”
“Stay away from her, Connie.”
“I’ll leave Monica alone if you stop fucking with me and Andi. Otherwise, I’ll let her know what a fraud you are.”
“All right, boys,” Brendan interrupted them. He put a hand on each of their shoulders. “I’ve been watching you two for the last couple of minutes and it looks like you both have your beer balls. Nobody can win this one. The DA could stop in here any minute and you’ll both be looking for jobs. Besides, I don’t want to have to toss you out on your asses.”
“Everything’s fine. Isn’t it, Nick?” Connie said. “We just had a talk and we’ve reached an understanding.” Connie stared at Nick, who nodded his head in agreement. “See? Everything’s peachy
“Eight o’clock. You made your appearance and gave your speech. This is a perfect time to exit. Don’t say good-bye to anyone except Liz. Otherwise you’ll never get out of here. Nick’s quite a yapper when he’s had a few.”
Andi laughed. “Nick’s preoccupied with Monica. Haven’t you noticed that he’s been hitting on her all week? It looks like she might be caving in to his charm.”
“I’m sure he’s using his ‘I do this work because I want to see justice served’ line or some other bullshit to make her think he’s not just trying to get up her skirt. Are you good to drive?”
“I only had one beer that I’ve nursed for two hours.”
“Drive carefully. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He kissed her. Not a long one, more of a peck on the lips. He didn’t want to make a scene or give the guys ammo, but he wanted her to know how he felt about her.
Connie turned back to the bar to look for Mitch.
“Your little protégée did a nice job.”
Connie saw that Nick had come up behind him.
“She’s not even a lawyer and you give her more advice than you’ve ever given the rest of us.”
Connie didn’t like the tone of Nick’s voice. “I help out anyone who wants the help. Ask Mitch and Brendan how I taught them to prepare a case. It’s just that some people think they already know everything and don’t need any advice.”
“I’m not looking for your advice.”
“Then, what are you doing?” Connie moved closer to Nick, crowding him. He could smell the beer on his breath. He knew he should just step away.
“I’m just making an observation that you spend more time with Andi than anyone else. Maybe your relationship with her is getting in the way of your job. You’re the senior lawyer. You should be mentoring all of us. Not just the intern you happen to be fucking this week.”
Connie bumped him backward and Nick sprawled freely, barely managing to catch himself on a chair. “I’m going to ignore what you just said because you’ve had one too many. But if you ever say anything like that again”—Connie paused, trying to count to ten but only getting to four—“you’ll be one sorry fuck. I understand you might be jealous of Andi, but that’s no reason to get nasty.”
“Jealous?” Nick laughed. “What the hell would I be jealous about?”
“Maybe the fact that you suck as a lawyer? Maybe the fact that you’ve had ten trials and have yet to convict anyone? Then Andi walks in and on her first trial hooks the guy. If you want to start winning some trials, I’d be more than glad to take on another protégé.”
“Fuck you. Those cases I took to trial were dogs. I don’t care what the end result was. It’s not about wins and losses, it’s about justice.”
“Is that what you told Monica when she asked you about your record? That’s your standard line, isn’t it? You’re right about me not mentoring enough of the younger lawyers. I’m going to start with Monica right now. I think she’d be much better off learning from me. Don’t you think?”
“Stay away from her, Connie.”
“I’ll leave Monica alone if you stop fucking with me and Andi. Otherwise, I’ll let her know what a fraud you are.”
“All right, boys,” Brendan interrupted them. He put a hand on each of their shoulders. “I’ve been watching you two for the last couple of minutes and it looks like you both have your beer balls. Nobody can win this one. The DA could stop in here any minute and you’ll both be looking for jobs. Besides, I don’t want to have to toss you out on your asses.”
“Everything’s fine. Isn’t it, Nick?” Connie said. “We just had a talk and we’ve reached an understanding.” Connie stared at Nick, who nodded his head in agreement. “See? Everything’s peachy
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