The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 23

There was a long pause as I stared Linda down, watching as she returned to her seat and crossed her legs. Her words hardly registered until Timothy cleared his throat, dragging me back into the moment.

“I’m sorry?” I gawked at Linda, still recovering from the shock.

She smiled tightly. “Mr. Erickson assigned me to help with your case. He figured you would need the assistance.” She gestured to Timothy. “Especially since your client is rather popular.”

After looking at her some more, it started to dawn on me who this woman was. Linda Turner, a senior attorney with a reputation for being ruthless in the courtroom, was the person chosen to “assist” me. I had heard stories about Linda’s cutthroat approach and her ability to win cases at any cost.

The idea of her being involved in my case made my heart stutter.

“Are you all right, Evie?” Timothy placed a hand on my arm, and just the touch. alone sent a shock through my skin. I jerked away, feeling unreasonably sensitive.

“Um, yes,” I said faintly, turning around. “Excuse me for just one moment.”

I kept my movements slow and purposeful as I left the room, letting the door groan shut before bolting to Mr. Erickson’s office. After knocking a few times, he eventually answered with a low, “Come in.”

When I entered his office, I saw him hunched over a stack of paperwork on his desk. It took a moment for him to finish writing a sentence or two before glancing up to find me staring at him.

“Oh, Ms. Sinclair,” his strained expression grew slightly more inviting as he tucked his pen into the metal holder and slid his papers off to the side. “How may I assist you?”

With a deep breath in, I shuffled forward and plopped myself into the seat across. from him. After smoothing my skirt and adjusting my blouse, I gave him a quizzical look.

“Linda Turner was in the conference room with my client,” I said, keeping my tone even. “She mentioned that she would be ‘assisting‘ me with Timothy’s case.”

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Chapter 23

It took a solid few seconds before recognition dawned on his face, and he jerked back with a hardy laugh that threw me off–kilter.

“Ms. Turner is a fine woman indeed,” he said, eventually calming down. “Sorry for springing her on you like that.”

“May I ask why she’s on my case?” I prompted.

He laced his fingers on top of his desk, seeming sincere. “Well, I figured you would need some assistance, with you being a rookie an all. Ms. Turner was one of the first seniors to offer her guidance, and she seemed pretty excited about working with you.

I folded my arms, any shred of nervousness giving way to skepticism. I’m sure it wasn’t at all because Timothy Hayes was involved.

“Perhaps you’ll learn a thing or two

said, standing up. “I’m sure she will offer me a lot

can feel it,” he said, though his attention had already drifted back to his

and turned around, feeling slightly more uneasy as I walked back to the

at what I do,” she said, then her attention fell on me. “Oh, Ms.

the shift in her appearance, how she’d let her hair loose, letting it fall down in waves over her shoulders. Her glasses were perched at the end of her nose, giving off less of a

get too far while you were gone, Timothy clarified, then waved at the documents in front

It felt like I’d been reduced to a outsider in the room. “Right. Let’s fill Ms.

out the détails of the case, and I did my best to sound

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Chapter 23

plethora of questions. It was like she was

turned her attention to Timothy, her stern expression turning sympathetic. “I hope she’s been keeping you updated on the process. A lot of clients come in and the relationship between

lingering looks, and those laughs that seemed a little too rehearsed. I couldn’t tell if Timothy

the loop about a lot of things, actually,” Timothy answered, smiling as he looked in my direction. He shifted away from

She started gathering the documents that were lying in front of them and

someone who’s a little more practiced. A personable lawyer is lovely, but an experienced one is what gives a firm its good reputation,” she

I said, pointing to the files in her hands. “But where are you

eyebrows, then looked down to the papers in her hands, like it shocked her that they were there. “Well, I think that it will be best if I take the case information with me so that I can work on it from

I began to protest, “I’ve been working on this case for weeks. I should keep the files

a trainee. I’m here to help, and I have the experience to handle this. I’ll

as “just a trainee” made my blood

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Chapter 23

and I wasn’t about to

suddenly, drawing her

“Yes, Mr. Hayes?”

“If she has no problem with you helping out, then by all means, but I’m going by her word above all

his request and it took her a moment to recover before clearing her throat and smoothing down her blazer. She shifted

problem with me offering my assistance, Ms. Sinclair?” she asked, and

Timothy’s case to myself and not wanting to look like the stubborn trainee, I decided to go along with it

nodded in agreement with Linda. “Linda’s right, Mr. Hayes. We’ll let her take the files and work on them. This is