Chapter 5
Five
N oah stepped into the office, the familiar hum of keyboards clicking and faint chatter serving as a backdrop to the early hour. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted from the breakroom, beckoning like a siren. He shrugged off his coat, draping it over the back of his chair as he glanced at his watch.
A few minutes later, Alex walked in, his easy gait and warm smile betraying the good mood he’d been in since the Everhart Christmas dinner the night before. “Morning,” he greeted, grabbing a mug from the breakroom and filling it with coffee.
“Morning.” Noah leaned back in his chair, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Hey, thanks again for inviting me last night. That was... something special.”
Alex’s smile widened, his eyes crinkling. “Charlotte wouldn’t let me leave you out. But yeah, it was a great night. She’s amazing, isn’t she?” He spoke with the unmistakable tone of a man in love.
“She is,” Noah agreed. “I’ll call her later to thank her personally.”
Alex leaned against the counter, his expression softening. “I still can’t believe I got so lucky. I mean, Charlotte... she’s everything I never knew I needed.”
Noah chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ll admit, when you first told me about her, I thought she was just using you for sex.”
Alex raised a brow, clearly amused. “You thought Charlotte was using me ?”
“Well, yeah,” Noah admitted, grinning sheepishly. “I mean, come on. You’re in your forties; she’s in her sixties, and... well, I was wrong. Seeing you two together—it’s obvious. The way she looks at you, the way you talk about her... it’s love.”
Alex sighed, a contented sound. “Love,” he repeated, almost to himself. He stared into his coffee for a moment before glancing at Noah, his expression shifting to something more mischievous. “Speaking of which... you seemed a bit intrigued last night yourself.”
Noah frowned, feigning confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Alex smirked. “Ruth.”
Noah shook his head, laughing quietly. “She’s what? Twenty-six? She wouldn’t be interested in an old man. It’s not that kind of attraction. But I’m not blind—she’s beautiful.”
“Sure,” Alex drawled, his tone teasing. “It’s not that.”
“No, really,” Noah insisted, his voice growing thoughtful. “She’s just... she’s a powerhouse. Smart, confident, driven. How could you not be attracted to that? But it’s not... anything.”
Alex sipped his coffee, clearly unconvinced but letting it slide. “Fair enough.”
Noah seized the chance to shift the subject. “Isobel looked good last night. Healthy, I mean. Emotionally?”
Alex nodded, his tone growing serious. “Yeah, she’s come a long way. But you’re right—she’s still scared. After everything she went through, I don’t blame her.”
“She’s lucky to have Brad,” Noah added. “That guy seems to anticipate what she’s thinking before she even says it.”
Alex smiled knowingly. “He’s good for her. Reminds me of how I feel with Charlotte. Like... I didn’t know it could be like this. That someone could know you so well, see you so clearly, and still... stay.”
Noah nodded thoughtfully, Alex’s words settling over him. “You’re not wrong. It’s rare.”
Alex’s grin returned, softer this time. “Olivia has Jackson; Sophie has Tristan; Molly has Ethan; Izzy has Brad... and, hell, you could have Ruth.”
Noah burst out laughing, shaking his head. “Not even close. Nice try, though.”
Alex chuckled, raising his mug in a mock toast. Both men took long sips of their coffee, settling into a comfortable silence as they turned their attention to the day’s work ahead.
For Noah, the laughter lingered, but so did a nagging thought—a flash of emerald and gold, and the memory of Ruth’s knowing smile across the candlelit table. She’s just a powerhouse , he reminded himself, even as her image refused to fade.
* * *
The scent of fresh coffee wafted through the Everhart kitchen as Ruth padded in, her steps light on the polished wooden floor. The warm, golden morning sun spilled through the curtains, bathing the room in a soft glow. Dressed in comfortable gray sweats, her hair pulled into a loose ponytail, she reached for a mug and filled it, savoring the comforting aroma before taking a sip.
Her mom sat in the cozy breakfast nook tucked into a corner of the kitchen, her own mug of coffee in hand. She wore a soft cardigan over her nightgown, looking relaxed but polished, as always. Ruth smiled as she crossed the room to join her.
“I figured you’d sleep in,” Charlotte said, her voice laced with affectionate teasing.
Ruth laughed, sliding into the chair across from her. “I figured the same for you.”
Charlotte gave her a knowing smile, one that seemed to hold lifetimes of wisdom. “I wanted to see Alex out.”
Ruth’s smile softened. “I’m happy for you, Mom. Really.”
“Thank you, honey.” Charlotte’s voice was quiet but filled with emotion. “I never thought, after losing your dad, that I’d feel for a man again. But Alex... he’s changed my world.”
Ruth reached across the table, her hand covering her mom’s. “You deserve this happiness.”
Charlotte squeezed Ruth’s hand, her expression thoughtful. “What about you?” she asked gently. “I noticed Noah looking at you last night.”
Ruth blinked, pulling back slightly as warmth crept into her cheeks. “Mom, I don’t know.”
Charlotte cocked her head, her gaze soft but probing. “Alex says he’s a good man. I sense that too.”
Ruth shrugged, toying with the rim of her coffee mug. “He is, but...” She hesitated, unsure whether to voice her thoughts. “Mom, I’m out of his league. He’s... experienced, worldly. And I’m just me.”
Charlotte’s eyes twinkled with something between amusement and encouragement. “Ruth, you’re an adult now, so I’m going to tell you something I might not have before. Your dad was my first man. And Alex is only the second man in my life.” Her voice softened further. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
Ruth’s cheeks burned red. “Well, right now, it’s just a fantasy,” she admitted, her voice quiet.
Charlotte sipped her coffee, letting her words sink in. “Fantasies sometimes become something more, Ruth. You might be surprised.”
Ruth gave her mom a shy smile before shifting the topic, her tone becoming more serious. “Mom, can I ask you something? When you were working, did any of the guys in the department ever... make you uncomfortable?”
Charlotte’s gaze sharpened immediately, her protective instincts kicking in. “Blake Ellison?” she asked, referring to the law firm’s senior partner.
Ruth scrunched up her face, shaking her head. “No, not Mr. Ellison or Mr. Grant.” She hesitated, her voice dropping as if speaking the words made them more real. “It’s Matt Brandt, one of the junior partners. He’s also my supervisor.”
Charlotte’s brow furrowed, and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “What has he done?”
Ruth sighed, folding her arms defensively. “He’s brought me lunch a few times, which would have been fine if it didn’t feel so... calculated. He always picks my favorite drink, things he shouldn’t even know. He’s asked me out more than once, and I’ve said no every time—clearly, politely—but it’s like he doesn’t hear me. He keeps showing up at my office, lingering and saying things that just cross a line. It’s not overt enough to accuse him of harassment outright, but... I know what he’s doing. And it’s not like I can avoid talking with him about my workload.”
Charlotte’s jaw tightened. “Ruth, that’s harassment. Just because he’s subtle doesn’t mean it’s harmless. Have you gone to the practice manager, Dylan Grant or Blake about this?”
Ruth shook her head, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “I can’t, Mom. Do you know how that would look? I’m the youngest attorney in the firm, still trying to prove myself. If I start complaining about a junior partner, they’ll think I can’t handle the pressure, or worse—that I’m exaggerating. I don’t want to stir things up. I just want to do my job.”
Charlotte softened, reaching out to take Ruth’s hand. “It’s not fair for you to feel that way, Ruth. No one should have to endure harassment at work, no matter how subtle or pervasive it is. If this keeps up, you need to talk to someone. Don’t let it slide. The longer it goes on, the harder it will be to stop.”
Ruth nodded, but her shoulders remained tense. “I know you’re right. I just... I don’t want to make waves.”
Charlotte gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Waves or not, you have a right to feel safe where you work. And if they can’t respect that, they don’t deserve you.”
Ruth offered a small, grateful smile, but her mind already felt heavy with everything else on her plate. She sighed as if trying to exhale her next problem. “And then there’s my latest case.”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “What about it?”
“Blake assigned me to defend this kid—the kind Mommy and Daddy hire attorneys for because they think their money can erase his bad behavior.” She rolled her eyes, the frustration thick in her voice. “He’s on his second offense, Mom. He’s not sorry. He doesn’t even understand what he did was wrong. All I can do is make sure his rights are protected and fight for procedural protections. Blake knows that. He knows I can’t win this case, and when the family inevitably throws a fit, they’ll blame me. Why would he do that?”
Charlotte leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as she considered Ruth’s words. “Maybe he’s testing you.”
Ruth’s brow furrowed, disbelief coloring her expression. “Testing me? By setting me up to fail? How does that make sense?”
Charlotte tilted her head, her voice calm but firm. “Defense attorneys don’t always win, Ruth. That’s not your job. Your job is to ensure your client’s constitutional rights are upheld and to argue for the best possible outcome. If you’ve done that, then you’ve succeeded, regardless of the verdict. Blake may be testing how you handle a no-win case—how you prepare, argue, and stand your ground when things get tough.”
Ruth stared at her mother for a long moment, the skepticism in her eyes fading into reluctant understanding. “But it still feels like he’s setting me up for failure. What if the family complains? What if this ruins my reputation before I even have one?”
Charlotte smiled softly, her voice gentle but confident. “If you handle this case with integrity and professionalism, no one can take that away from you. You’re stronger than you think, Ruth. Blake probably sees that too, or he wouldn’t have given you this case. Remember, the best attorneys aren’t made in the easy wins—they’re forged in the hard fights.”
Ruth let out a slow breath, some of the tension in her back easing. “I hope you’re right.”
Charlotte squeezed her hand again. “I know I’m right. And if you ever need backup—for work or for dealing with that Matt character—you know where to find me.”
Ruth smiled, feeling a flicker of hope amidst the challenges. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll think about it. All of it.”
* * *
Ruth left the warmth of her childhood home with a mix of determination and trepidation. Her conversation with her mom had offered some clarity, but her situation still pressed heavily on her shoulders. After a long, hot shower to wash away the stress of the past few days, she packed her bag, exchanged hugs with her mom, and hit the road toward Pierre.
The journey started off uneventfully, but halfway there, the weather turned. A wintry mix of rain and snow began to fall, slicking the roads and reducing visibility. What was normally a smooth, two-hour drive stretched into three-plus agonizing hours.
Then, the drive grew more treacherous. Ice coated the narrow road like a deceptive sheet of glass, and Ruth gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white beneath the glow of the dashboard. Her progress was slow, the rhythmic sound of the windshield wipers breaking through the heavy silence.
Her mind raced as she drove, the events of the past week replaying in a relentless loop. First, there was Matt Brandt, leaving her with a gnawing sense of dread every time she thought about him. Then there was the trial she was assigned to.
And then, there was Noah Kandor. Her lips curved into a small smile at the thought of him. Her sisters had always described their men as “sex on a stick,” and if that meant impossibly attractive and a little too good to be true, then Noah fit the bill perfectly. Everything about him exuded quiet strength, from the way he carried himself to the way he seemed to look straight through her.
She’d picked up on the subtle signs of his interest—an extra-long glance, the way his tone softened when he spoke to her—but she had no idea what to do with it.
The truth was, she was hopelessly out of her depth when it came to men like Noah. When it came to men at all. She’d always played her cards well with her sisters, crafting an illusion of experience that couldn’t be further from reality. In truth, her only relationship had been a brief, lackluster affair in college. Her boyfriend at the time had been clumsy and self-serving, leaving her feeling unsatisfied and painfully self-conscious.
How could she ever tell a man like Noah that she didn’t know what she was doing? That the idea of intimacy—real, meaningful intimacy—both thrilled and terrified her?
Ruth kept both hands tight on the wheel, her headlights barely cutting through the swirling snow. The roads were slick, the kind of icy mess that demanded every ounce of her focus. She exhaled slowly, trying to stay relaxed—until her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen on her dashboard. Molly .
With a tap on her steering wheel, she answered, “Yeah?”
Molly’s voice came through, light and easy. “You sound thrilled to hear from me.”
Ruth huffed. “I’m driving.”
“In this?” Molly asked, her tone shifting. “Where the hell are you going?”
“Home.” Ruth’s eyes flicked to the road sign ahead, barely visible in the snow. “Trying, anyway.”
“Well, since you’re out braving death, I figured I’d call with some good news,” Molly said, clearly settled in somewhere warm. “Ethan and I are hosting for New Year’s. You should come.”
Ruth’s jaw tightened slightly as she maneuvered through a curve. “I’ll think about it.”
“Great, great,” Molly said, stretching out the words. “Because I was also thinking of inviting Noah.”
Ruth kept her eyes ahead, fingers flexing slightly on the wheel. “Okay.”
Molly sighed. “You could at least pretend to have a reaction.”
“I’ll react later. Right now, I’m more concerned about the sheet of ice under my tires.”
Molly was quiet for half a second before relenting. “Fine, I’ll bug you about it later. Just get home in one piece.”
“Good plan.” Ruth’s voice was dry, but she appreciated the shift. “Talk later.”
She ended the call before Molly could sneak in another tease, refocusing on the drive. Molly and her timing.
When she pulled into the parking lot of her condominium complex, the snow was coming down in thick, heavy flakes. She made her way to her assigned driveway. She gathered her bag and the gifts she’d brought back from her mom’s house, then trudged inside.
Ruth’s condominium was small but cozy, a reflection of her understated taste. The open-concept living area was painted in soft, neutral tones, with a plush gray couch and a well-loved armchair flanking a modest coffee table. A built-in bookcase lined one wall, filled with everything from legal textbooks to dog-eared romance novels.
In the corner of the room stood a small artificial Christmas tree. She set her bags down by the door and took a moment to breathe, letting the familiar warmth of her home wrap around her like a comforting hug.
Ruth moved to the tree, plugging in the lights. The room was immediately bathed in a warm glow that softened the harsh edges of her thoughts. She knelt down and rummaged through her bag until she found what she was looking for: a cocoa bomb, a thoughtful gift from Ethan’s sister.
She filled a mug with steaming milk, dropped the chocolate sphere inside, and watched as it melted, releasing tiny marshmallows and a swirl of rich cocoa. The sweet aroma filled the air, bringing a small smile to her lips.
Cupping the mug in her hands, she curled up in her favorite armchair, tucking her legs beneath her. She reached for one of her favorite romance novels from the shelf, the worn spine and dog-eared pages a testament to how many times she’d read it. As the snow continued to fall outside, she let herself sink into the familiar story, her mind drifting back to Noah.
She tried to focus on the book, but her thoughts kept circling back to him. The way he smiled and laughed during dinner; the way he shrugged on his coat, his arms strong and steady; the kiss goodnight to her cheek, which made her feel something she hadn’t felt in a long time: safe. His sharp green eyes seemed to pierce through her, leaving her feeling both vulnerable and understood when she spoke.
What would it be like to truly let someone like Noah in? To lower her walls and let him see the parts of her she kept hidden—even from herself?
She sipped her cocoa, the warmth spreading through her chest as she imagined a different version of herself. A braver, more confident version who wouldn’t be afraid to take a chance.
But that wasn’t her. Not yet, anyway.
For now, all she could do was hope the storm outside would pass, and with it, the storm inside her.