9. No Representation On You
NO REPRESENTATION ON YOU
E lias picked his phone up and then put it back down the next day.
He was in his office and debating his next move more than he’d ever done in his life.
Who was supposed to have the next move?
Him? Phoebe?
He’d been playing with her about the next person to contact the other. She’d played him right back.
Maybe he thought most lawyers were stuffy, but she didn’t come across that way to him.
Not the first time he met her and not after dinner.
Which didn’t explain why he was hesitating to reach out.
He picked his phone up a fourth time, tried to think of a funny text, and was drawing a blank.
He always thought he was good on the fly, but this time, his wings were clipped.
He was moving his fingers around and wasn’t paying attention and the next thing he knew his phone was ringing in his hand.
Shit, he was calling her and hadn’t meant to do that.
He couldn’t hang up.
What the hell was he going to say?
“Kelly Law,” she answered. “If you need an ambulance I can dispatch one for you.”
He burst out laughing.
“Wow,” he said. “You’re not going to let me live that down, are you?”
She laughed on the other line. “I might not,” she said. “I have to say, I’m surprised you’re calling me. I expected you to be a text kind of guy.”
He could lie but was honest. She might get a kick out of it, or at least appreciate it.
“I am,” he said. “And while I sat here trying to figure out exactly what to say—which by the way wouldn’t have been nearly as witty as what you did—I accidentally hit call.”
She laughed again, the sound of it vibrating in his chest. What the fuck was that?
“So you didn’t want to talk to me,” she said. “Guess I can hang up then.”
“No,” he said, grinning. Not that she could see it. “Don’t. I’ve got you, so might as well chat. Unless you’re busy.”
“Not all that busy,” she said. “Finishing my laundry. Which I should have lied about because now you might think I’m some loser with no life. But I moved here, so you know, the no-life thing fits.”
“I’m at work,” he said. “Not much more of a life if you want to compare things.”
“I’m sure you’re busy and one of those people who works seven days a week.”
He sighed. Heard that more than once.
“Kind of runs in the family,” he said. “You know, out to prove you can do it on your own.”
“Yeah,” she said. “I know that. I’m sure I’ll be working this weekend too. I have a few cases I’m closing in Charlotte or handing off. Things here too. Always something to do.”
“We are open seven days a week and brewing the whole time,” he said. “I can and do close for holidays and have less on staff at night, but still need people here. Mainly in distribution rather than actually brewing. You set it and walk away often, at least during the nights.”
Which was nice most times. Just needed someone to man temperatures and such. The bulk of the work done during the brewing process was daylight hours. Night was when canning was taking place.
“The price of running a business,” she said. “No life and a lot of worrying.”
He snorted. “Pretty much the story of my adult life.”
“And that isn’t why you accidentally called me,” she said. “Or why you were trying to figure out what to text. Care to share that with me?”
He looked out past his open door to make sure no one was around to overhear him sounding like an idiot.
Here he’d gone and been all confident with her flirting and wanting to see her again and yet he couldn’t find the words to actually ask her on a date.
“I don’t mind sharing,” he said. “I was calling to see if between doing laundry and looking up ambulance phone numbers, if you’d like to get some dinner again.”
“Since my laundry is almost done and I think there might only be one ambulance service around, I could find time for dinner.”
He laughed. “Good to know.”
“But you might work all day and then have to do chores around your place too. Unless you live where you work. I know people do that too.”
“No,” he said. “I live a few miles away and this is horrible, but I don’t do much around my place. I’ve got someone to take care of the grounds and another coming in and cleaning weekly. I do wash my underwear and buy food.”
“Well, that is something,” she said.
It was the dry tone that had him laughing.
“I’m positive having cleaning people isn’t a foreign concept for you or your clients.”
“Nope,” she said. “But I do wash my own underwear too.”
He wished she hadn’t said that because now he was trying to figure out what her underclothes looked like.
“And you live in an apartment so don’t have to worry too much about maintenance.”
“I don’t,” she said. “Had an apartment before I moved too. I didn’t have enough time in the day, nor the desire to take care of a house. Ben has a home. Matt owns a condo. Same thing, not much work on his end, but he owns the place at least.”
“Not a lot of places to rent around here. Not a lot of homes either and I wanted one out of the way. When my place came on the market I jumped.”
“I’m sure you did,” she said.
No reason to say anything else.
That he paid over asking, then gutted it and made it into exactly how he wanted it.
He didn’t want to move again. He’d moved enough in his life and had cramped living quarters on top of it.
He wanted that forever place and was going to get it at any cost.
Since he had the money, might as well.
“So, back to dinner,” he said. “There are a few restaurants in town or I can text you my address to have dinner here.”
“Hmmm,” she said. “Most times I’d say no to going to a stranger’s house, but how much of one are you really?”
He snorted. “You know where to find me. Your brother does too. I can assure you I’m an upstanding citizen of the community. You might even find some nice things said about me in your research.”
He was positive she was the type to look into him.
“I’m sure I would,” she said. “If I looked, but I’m telling myself not to.”
That was surprising.
“Why is that?” he asked curiously.
“Maybe it’s because, as you said, you’re well known. Could be you are used to people looking into you. I’m sure I’ll find many things about your business and that isn’t what I’d be interested in knowing. Or I’ll find out about your family, which again, is no representation of you.”
She could have no idea how good it felt for him to hear her say that.
That she didn’t care about his family all that much. Or who his family was.
“Glad to know,” he said. “I feel the same. I would only find work-related things on you. I’ve got an attorney in my life and don’t need another...on a business front.”
“Many people feel that way about attorneys,” she said, letting out a laugh.
“You didn’t answer me about dinner.”
“Oh,” she said. “I’d love to if you’re cooking.”
He hadn’t planned on that but wasn’t going to say it now.
There was no reason he couldn’t get takeout for them.
Now he’d have to cook though.
Shit.
“Dinner it is,” he said. “I’ll text you my address.”
“And a time,” she said. “I know you’re working.”
“I won’t be here much longer,” he said.
Because he had to figure out what food to buy that he could make and have it come out halfway decent.
“Bye, Elias.”
He had to admit he liked the way his name sounded on her lips. “Bye, Phoebe,” he said.