CHAPTER 31
TREY
Paula’s first major courtroom appearance as counsel came in February.
Not lead counsel.
Not a television moment.
A motion hearing on a corporate matter where she had helped build the strategy.
Trey did not attend.
He wanted to.
Apologies had become easier once Trey stopped treating them like closing arguments.
Paula did not need a persuasive explanation of his intent.
She needed him to identify the impact, own the choice, and change the behavior.
The simplicity of that offended every lawyerly instinct he possessed. It also worked.
He did not ask.
At 3:17 she called.
“I did it.”
He stood from his desk.
“How’d it go?”
“I was good.”
Trey smiled.
“Of course you were.”
“No. I mean I was really good.”
“Tell me.”
She did.
Every detail she could share.
The judge’s question.
Opposing counsel’s mistake.
The moment Paula realized she knew the record better than anyone else standing.
Trey listened.
When she finished, he said, “I’m proud of you.”
Silence.
“PK?”
“I know.”
Her voice had changed.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
Another pause.
“I wish you had been there.”
Trey closed his eyes.
“You didn’t ask.”
“I know.”
“Would you have wanted me there?”
“Yes.”
He recognized it immediately.
Another lesson.
Respecting independence did not mean disappearing.
“Next time,” he said, “ask me.”
“I will.”
“And sometimes I’ll ask you.”
“Okay.”
That night Trey took her to dinner.
No surprise party.
No friends hiding behind curtains.
Just them.
He gave her a small box.
Paula stared suspiciously.
“What did you buy?”
“Open it.”
Inside was a fountain pen.
Black lacquer.
Her initials engraved discreetly.
P.K.
Paula ran her thumb over them.
“Trey.”
“For court.”
She looked up.
“This is acceptable unsolicited care.”
He laughed.
“Noted.”
She clipped the pen into her bag.
“Thank you.”
“You earned the moment. The pen is just a pen.”
Paula reached across and kissed him.
Later she told Danielle about the pen.
Danielle apparently said something filthy about what else Trey could engrave.
Paula refused to repeat it.
Trey did not believe her.