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.

or two from her. She’s

standing up. “I’m sure she will offer

he said, though his attention had already drifted back

feeling slightly more uneasy as I walked back to the conference room. When I returned, I saw that Lisa was already going

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

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,

Timothy clarified, then waved at the documents in

right beside him. It felt like I’d been reduced to

began to lay out the détails of the case, and I did my

2/5

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Chapter 23

of questions. It was like she was prepared for me to stumble at any

on the process. A lot

an eyebrow, watching as her fingers came to rest on Timothy’s lower arm. She’d been doing that quite a bit: the soft touches, the lingering looks, and those laughs that seemed

in the loop about a lot of things, actually,” Timothy answered, smiling as he looked in my direction. He shifted away from Linda’s touch, and her lips

were lying in front of them and dragged them toward herself. I opened my mouth, prepared to question

an experienced one is what gives a firm its good

in her hands.

papers in her hands, like it shocked her that they were there. “Well, I think that it will be best if I take the

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

I’m here to help, and I have the experience to handle this. I’ll bring the files back to you

dismissed me as “just a trainee” made my blood boil. I had

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Chapter 23

this firm, and I wasn’t about to be brushed

Timothy interjected suddenly, drawing her attention. She gave him a

“Yes, Mr. Hayes?”

my case,” he began. “If she has no problem with you helping out, then

his forthrightness. Linda seemed just as stunned at his request and it took her a moment to recover before clearing her throat and smoothing

Ms. Sinclair?” she asked, and I could hear the challenge behind

to look like the

agreement with Linda. “Linda’s right, Mr. Hayes. We’ll let her take the files and work on them. This is a significant case, and we need