7|Dinner
I sat behind my desk with my files spread all over.
My client, Deshawn Taylor, was facing assault with intent.
It was self defense of course, but the DA's office had other things to say.
I adjusted my glasses and flipped through the arrest report again, red-penning the inconsistencies the officer hadn't even tried to hide.
"Didn't read his rights until after he was in the cruiser," I muttered to myself. "Of course."
Detective Marston also said that he found evidence the DA forgot to share during his discovery.
Typical bullshit the defence attorney has to deal with.
My door creaked open before Russell appeared followed by Kate.
I immediately raised my eyebrow at the odd pair.
"Have you seen the situation with the Deshawn Taylor case?" Russell asked and I nodded.
"Yeah, I'm reviewing it right now," I said as I showed him my documents.
"There's discrepancies, meaning it's very important that we win this case," Russell explained and I nodded in agreement.
"It's political too," Kate added and that got my attention. "My sources said that the DA's office didn't just 'forget' to turn over the footage. We have reason to believe it was deliberately buried."
I narrowed my eyes. "They're trying to bury Deshawn along with it."
"Exactly," Russell said. "So we need to win this because if we lose, not only will Deshawn's life be ruined, but our firm's reputation."
I nodded, knowing this wasn't much of a challenge for me.
"Don't worry, I'll win this," I promised. "I have a 97% winning rate."
They looked at each other before Kate stepped forward.
"Actually Nae, I was thinking maybe I should take on this case," she suggested and I scoffed.
"No," I firmly said and Russell stepped forward too.
"Your husband is on the case," he said and I snapped my head towards him.
"What?" I asked. "I thought Martin was on it?"
"He was, but Carter suddenly had a change of heart this afternoon and decided he wanted to work on this case after all," he explained.
I clenched my jaw.
When did he become such an asshole?
"I-I can do it," I said with defeated confidence.
"Naomi, please just let me," Kate begged, but I refused.
"No, I have a 97% winning rate," I said, more of a pep talk for myself rather than a way to convince them.
"Naomi...all those other times you lost? They were against him," Russell added. "He just hits too close to home."
"He knows how to push you and he uses that against you," Russell said and I looked down, starting to reconsider.
"I know Nate good enough," Kate defended. "I've studied the way he works in court. I can predict him. I can beat him."
"Oh, so you think you know my husband better than me, now?" I asked, feeling angry at her for things she wasn't at fault for. "Is that it?"
"No, no, that's not what-"
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm not stepping down," I angrily said.
Letting go felt too much like a surrender.
Like giving Nate the win before we even got to the ring.
I won't lose to Nate and especially not Kate.
She opened her mouth to protest, but I immediately stoped her.
"I've lost to him before," I agreed. "But I'm not the same woman I was back then. I don't care about hurting his feelings anymore."
Russell looked unimpressed, but he nodded in agreement anyway.
"Work your hardest. A lot is at stake here," he warned before the two finally left.
...
The smell of garlic and rosemary filled the air as I pulled the roast out of the oven.
His favorite.
I even made these stupid caramelised carrots he always claimed were 'better than any restaurant's', but I never believed him.
I wasn't stupid.
I sat the whole day in my office trying every possible angle I could win this case.
I'm a good lawyer, but Nate is great.
He's the one taught me all the little tricks I needed to know.
He knows how to read me like a book.
I set the table like it mattered.
Two plates, a candle, and two mocktails.
Maybe this was pathetic, but this wasn't about romance.
This was about control.
This was about winning him over.
I heard the front door unlock, followed by the shuffle of his shoes against the marble floor.
I then closed my eyes and took a deep breath before making my way to the front.
When I did, he was already making his way to the stairs.
"Nate," I said and he sighed.
"Look, Naomi," he said as he stopped walking. "I don't want to argue tonight."
And he thinks I do?
"I don't either," I said. "That's why I made us dinner. Your favourite."
He examined me for a few seconds before shaking his head.
"Enjoy," he coldly said before beginning to head to the stairs.
If strangling your husband to death was legal, I sure as hell would've been doing that right now.
I quickly grabbed his hand. "Please, I worked really hard. Let's just eat."
"What's this really about, Naomi?" He asked with a straight face.
"Nate, we used to eat dinner every night together before everything happened."
"Now we don't and I like it that way," he heartlessly said and I wondered if he ever loved me.
My throat instantly tightened.
I blinked fast, but I could already feel the sting behind my eyes.
This was a mistake.
I quickly turned away from him and started to move forward.
Seriously, when did he become such an asshole?
His large hand gripped my shoulder, anchoring me.
"Is this dinner really that important to you?" He asked and I wiped my tears before he could see them.
"Of course it is," I said, still keeping my back to him.
He took a few seconds before he removed his hands from my shoulder. "Okay."
A small smile appeared on my face before we walked to the kitchen and shared our plates.
When we sat down, he rolled up his sleeves and loosened his tie.
When he took a bite, he stopped looking like he was pissed at the world.
"Is it good?" I forced a smile and he silently nodded.
"I remember the first time I cooked for you," I recalled. "That was the first time you told me that you loved me."
"If I had only known food was the way to your heart, I would've cooked way before that," I joked.
He put down his fork and knife before looking at me with an annoyed expression.
"Naomi, what is this?" He asked. "Just tell me what you want. I hate when you try to beat around the bush."
I glared at him and quickly dropped the fake happiness. "Why the hell did you pick up the Deshawn Taylor case?"
He let out a humourless laugh as he leaned back into his seat. "Ahh, so that's what this is about."
"Return the case back to Martin," I demanded.
"No."
I laughed. "No?"
"That's right," he said as he stood up.
I stood up too. "What benefit does this bring to you?"
"Seeing you lose," he shamelessly admitted before starting to walk away.
I followed behind him as my anger continued to build up.
"You talk about how you're so righteous, but then go and work on a corrupt case just to see me lose?" I glared at him. "You're a hypocrite!"
He quickly halted before angrily turning around to me. "The case isn't corrupt. The guy assaulted three men."
"Yeah right, so we're just going to pretend that the DA's office didn't bury evidence!?" I angrily shouted.
"We didn't," he argued. "I suggest you stop with the accusations."
"You can't seriously believe that, right?" I asked him in disbelief. "Anyone can see it. It's so obvious."
"I'll look into it," he simply said and knowing him, he probably won't have the time and just forget.
I held his hand. "Nate, this is someone's life at stake here. Not just some case number."
He looked down at our intertwined hands.
"If you aren't going to return the case to Martin, at least go easy on me and let me win," I pleaded.
His eyes slowly moved from our intertwined hands to my eyes.
"Please," was all I needed to say and my asshole husband's eyes softened.
He sighed before nodding.
I smiled before hugging him.
His body immediately stiffened.
I mean, I'm not surprised.
This was our first hug in months.
He didn't hug back. Not fully.
But he didn't move away either, so that was progress I guess.
I closed my eyes and let the moment stretch.
I let myself feel the steady rise and fall of his chest...the warmth of him...his addictive scent.
Things I'd missed more than I was willing to admit to him.
I slowly moved away from him, knowing that my time was up.
His stormy grey eyes were fixated on me.
They were sharp, unreadable, and still so damn beautiful.
"I'll look into it," he repeated, this time more believable.
I hadn't expected him to just let me win.
He needed procedure in his life, logic, and strictly followed the sense of right and wrong.
That could be a pain in the ass sometimes, but I admired him for that and found it oddly hot.
It made him different from the other crappy prosecutors.
"Thank you," I said before giving him a kiss on the cheek and returning to dinner.