Mr. Corporate Law

1.2: L&W Lawyer - Adrian Lawler

A long drive out towards San Francisco meant that there would be a much longer time in the car spent with Dominic. The love of my life in the driving seat, me on the passenger seat, the weather being sunny and warm, and the view absolutely gorgeous - a scene from a movie would be the perfect way to describe the moment.

But it wasn't.

I sat in the car in total silence, my heart heavy as memories of all the times I went for a long drive with the old Dominic flashed before my eyes. The times where we talked nonsense, where we stopped randomly at the side of the road to take pictures, made memories that were forever remembered. Our lives as twenty-somethings felt a lot more free than the working adults that we turned into once we got jobs - more like how much he changed once he got his promotion. I know I've been repeating myself, but no matter what I think, do or say, Dominic changed to a douchebag. And as I sat there, staring out of the window with a pout, Dominic's reflection revealed to me the seriousness painted on his face.

He still hasn't said a word.

"Dom," I mumbled, sighing his name as I daydreamed about the old persona I missed truly.

"Yes?" He replied.

"Can we stop for a moment?"

"What? Here? On the side of the road?" He scoffed.

I nodded and looked his way. "Do it for me," I pleaded, a sign of weakness for him, which was evident on his face as he raised a brow towards me. He made me feel down again.

"Must we?"

"Come on, Dom. Stop being such a jerk. We're not going to be late to see my Dad, so calm down."

I heard him grunt. "Fine," He breathed heavily as he slowed down and parked at the nearest open space he found. He leaned back once the engine died down, a signal for me to open the door and I got down without another word, but then again, I hear him let out a frustrated groan in response.

I ignored him. My mind needed fresh air after three hours already trapped inside the car with no form of communication to keep me sane, and the silence drove me crazy. There was a couple more hours left and we still had to meet up with my Father there, after he got called to San Francisco for his current client. My Father promised to treat us to dinner since we got back, but instead of waiting for him back in LA, he instructed us to go for a drive and meet him in San Francisco, and we - more like I - decided that it'd be nice to spend a few days there to try and fix our relationship. And I could have sworn that Dominic only agreed with me so that he could hear about the latest case in the firm and see if he could find a way to work while he's on break.

"Marianne," I heard my name as I leaned against the side of the black range rover with my arms crossed over my chest, my mind completely clear for just a moment before a nudge broke the sanity.

"Didn't you hear me?"

I took a deep breath. "Dominic, for once in your freaking life since you became a partner, can you do some crap for me?" I snarled. The frustration got to my head and into my mood. "Look, I just want you to be a little more fun, can't you do that for me?"

"All you ever need is fun." He rolled his eyes and leaned against the car beside me, his hands tucked away into the pocket of his khaki chinos as the gust of wind from the passing cars kept the top three buttons of his navy short sleeve shirt apart, showing off his chest.

"You used to be," I muttered under my breath as I tried to keep my eyes off him.

Dominic was attractive and I was very attracted to him since day one, but the way he acted recently, well, it slowly drew me away from him emotionally. And the more he became distant with me since our fight, the more we grew apart. We might have acted like a couple, like we went on dates, cuddled and had sex, but the feeling between it all just changed. I can't describe it, but I just missed the way we were.